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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Duncan Haldane" data-source="post: 2751046" data-attributes="member: 514">I definately see this as a problem.  If all monsters (or a large enough group) act together, and get the jump on the PCs, it could turn it into a one round TPK.  OTOH if you have a single roll for a group you could end up with them all acting last in a round which might be end of combat right there.If I had 20 monsters of the same type I would probably break them into groups of 4 or 5.  What I might do in that case is use dice to indicate each group, for instance using 4 red D6s for one group, 4 black D6s for another, with the face up number on each dice to indicate number of that creature.But most of the time I give a roll to each.  For example on the weekend I was running a fight with 8 small critters.  I put down 4 red D6 and 4 black D6, each numbered 1-4.  Then I picked up 4 D20, and declared the roll order (red, white, blue, black), and used that to set the initiative for each.  I use init cards, with number barriers (index cards in a card box, I use a set of dividers I found which are for a calander month, and that indicates the initiative value).  By rolling the D20s that way I didn't end up with number 1 is first, 2 second, in initiative, which I don't like (because you have placed them in such a way that those ones going first are in a better position to go earlier, for example).If the creatures are supposed to be randomly spread throughout an area (if they are unaware of the PCs, for example), then I like to roll the dice onto the map to show where they are.I like Mike Mearl's suggestion of taking 10 for initiative - Mike, if you try it out, let us know how it goes.I would hate to play in a game where all monsters in a fight rolled a single dice for initiative - far too high a chance of having them all go before the PCs.Duncan</blockquote>

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