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

[KarinsDad]

I do see the speed advantage of group init when init is first rolled, and I see the speed advantage because one side has a third of its force on the ground in round one because the other side does focus fire, but we've never had issues with individual initiatives (since the players have a prop that handles this for all of the PCs and NPCs, and the DM has that task handled for him). Granted, individual init does have that up front prep time. But the concept that individual init is slow during combat can be countered. For one, don't let players kibitz during encounters. It's Frank's turn, Frank talks and decides his PC's action. Adding in this simple rule means that combat itself is just as fast as with group initiative.

I could even argue that group initiative is slower during combat because there is so much kibitzing going on that it slows down combat. That may be overcome by superior group tactics, but then again, it might not.

But the real advantage of individual initiative is that the DM typically cannot just wipe out a third to half of the party on round one (shy of Dragon breath and failed saves) in a tough encounter (and vice versa, the party doesn't wipe out a third to half of the enemies either). This to me, trumps the up front speed advantage of group initiative. And combining surprise with group initiative could be an extremely deadly situation for one side.

 

[dd.stevenson]

I use group initiative because it's a lot faster.

 

[Shadai]

I already put down how I like to do initiative in this thread located at the top of page 3 (don't be like the OP and tl;dr it, its not as complex as you think). Since mine allows for players and bad guys to be intermixed, it's not as "swingy" as group init.

Which is the real problem with group init. Great if you go first. Bad if you go second.

Sure it's easier. But that ease has a cost. First you are in a way punishing the players who put points into init to make it better. Some take a weird sense of pride in their Init score. Second it makes combat "swingy" like I said before. Even outside the first round of combat it makes combat more difficult to judge. As a DM I like to have encounters that are challenging, not overpowering. Group Init makes it so whatever encounter I have designed better have a good beginning soak or the players are just going to roll right through it if they win initiative.

I'm not saying its bad, I'm just saying the ease makes difficulties elsewhere.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

That was pretty much what I experienced as well. The PC group would almost always go first, and they'd alpha-strike the heck out of the enemies.

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.