Initiative Variations

[KB9JMQ]

Since 3E came out my group has used the "Roll Initiative every round" type of play.
In my next campaign I am thinking of going to "Roll once an encounter".
So what differences will I notice and how will it change my game?
What do you do?

 

[Torment]

Once for encounters.

It should be less deadly, and much more fast-paced. And less note taking too!

 

[bento]

We always went once per encounter.

For game nights that were combat intensive (one after another) I had the players roll initiative at the start of the game and held that sequence through the night.

I'm also flexible when players want to "delay" so they can go later in the round.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Once per encounter initiative might result in the players looking ahead a little more when planning their next action. This can result in smoother combats but also possibly a little more metagaming. "I have 6 hp left, but Tom, Dick and Harry will all get to attack it one more time before it goes again...ok, I'll stay in and attack it again."

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

Lately, I've been using group initiative once per round.

 

[Firedancer]

Once per encounter:
more metagaming; as they can use their actions to eliminate the faster foe, or to nip in with a handy action.
more co-operation; they can double team a foe without delaying actions.
less suspense; you stop playing a round of combat unsure of the order of actions hoping you roll a good init.

Although this is not from experience as I've not used both.

 

[Arnwyn]

Since 3E came out my group has used the "Roll Initiative every round" type of play.
In my next campaign I am thinking of going to "Roll once an encounter".
So what differences will I notice and how will it change my game?
What do you do?

My players are very resistant to change, so we used the "Roll Initiative every round" throughout 3e until last year, when we switched to the 3.5 standard of "Roll once and encounter"/cyclical initiative on my insistence ("let's just give it a try for a bit, guys").

While we did (and still do) like rolling every round, I knew we were one the right track when - on multiple occasions - a player said: "My turn already?".

 

[sckeener]

I prefer the once every encounter.

But I also tried the DM rolls the initiative and keeps track of it. The players had no clue who would go first, second, etc. They had to work about where people were going to be and hold actions....I let the order stay that way, so after the first round the players knew the order. Though I liked the feel of it...the real world feel of not knowing the order...it didn't flow nicely.

Also there is the issue of players just like to roll dice.

 

[blargney the second]

Hmm, I want to make a creature with an aura of chaos that makes everybody re-roll initiative every round.

 

[KB9JMQ]

Hmm, I want to make a creature with an aura of chaos that makes everybody re-roll initiative every round.

Well rolling every round is chaotic I want to go to once an encounter to see if the players make better use of delays and readys which we really don't use now.

I know this is gonna go against the grain for my group to start since we have never done it this way but I am interested in seeing the difference. Also I believe it will speed up combat a bit.