D&D 5E (2014) If you use Group Initiative (like my group does), why do you use it?

[Daern]

I switched to team initiative because individual initiative basically just guarantees some hero goes first when all the rolls are counted because I only want to roll once as the DM.
And it makes for some good drama when we roll a straight dice contest at the beginning of each round.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I used to do group initiative, but switched back to individual. After seeing plenty of DMs do it with larger groups in con play, I figured I could as well. I find it makes for more dynamic combats.

But when I was doing group initiative, I would always make one PC roll initiative for the group, using their individual modifier. The group’s turn would then start with the roller, and proceed alternatingly clockwise or counterclockwise through the group. After a while, I also added the rule that the same person could roll initiative again until everyone else had.

I want to use group initiative, but it disregards the initiative modifier completely.

Has anybody tried using it with a group initiative modifier?

 

[Gnashtooth]

I want to use group initiative, but it disregards the initiative modifier completely.

Has anybody tried using it with a group initiative modifier?

For example, you add a group of five players with various initiative modifiers (+1+1-1+2+3=6) and take the average rounded down (in this case, group initiative modifier would be +1).

We did this as well but decided to stick with a by-the-book rule. Too much math. If the modifiers are ignored on both sides, it balances out. We still use them if one person is split from the party.

 

[Rya.Reisender]

I prefer it if one side does NOT act all at the same time. It can be potentially unbalanced.

How to use group initiative and still give individual initiative a meaning: Roll individual initiative, the PCs with a higher score than the enemies get to act in turn 1, the others will not act.

This is effectively the same if you had the following order rolled:

PC A
PC B
PC C
Monster A
Monster B
Monster C
Monster D
PC D
PC E

Basically even with individual order the PCs actually all act together after the first turn in this example.

 

[sleypy]

I stopped doing group initiatives because it ends up penalizes characters with good initiatives and gives the group that goes first a large advantage. It gives casts an almost unfair advantage for fireballs, lightning bolts, etc. I rather limit group initiative to surprise rounds, alternatively, utilize readied actions for coordinating attacks.

 

[Daern]

In side initiative it is a big deal to go first each round. This is why I like to roll every round. It makes it less predictable.
When I used individual initiative, I kept the some order for the whole combat. I found that this made combat stagnate a bit and still seemed like side initiative because my monsters tended to go in a group anyway.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

I've toyed with going back to old 1e 1d6 per side initiative. Ties are simultaneous. It went quicker for sure.

 

[Nikosandros]

I'm using it in my AD&D game. In the last two 5e games I ran I didn't use it, but I'll consider it for the one that's starting soon.

I actually don't love it, but see it as a necessary evil, since it's (at least IME) so much faster. With my AD&D group being composed of 6 PCs, 3 henchmen, a couple of animal befriended by the druid and the occasional NPCS or two, individual initiative just isn't viable.

 

[Gnashtooth]

Just a reminder, RAW initiative is that you roll separate init for every enemy. Otherwise it's unbalanced. This would take me on average 5-7 minutes when I did it for a large group. There is just no way I'm going to reduce the number of creatures because the initiative system scales badly.