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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rockyroad" data-source="post: 8155209" data-attributes="member: 7028097">Hey thanks for commenting 6E. After further thought, I edited my original post to simply the system. Basically I got rid of the Phases and allowed the movement and action to be taken in either order.Rather than run a specific example, let me explain how a combat would look like using this variant initiative. This system is really meant to break down movement into small increments so that when combatants move it sort of simulates synchronous movement whereas in the standard initiative, you can have one combatant move their entire speed before another combatant gets to move at all.I divided the round into 6 Impulses to make the math on movement easier. Because most players and creatures have a speed of 30 ft and because each combatant in initiative order gets to move up to 1/6 their speed in any given Impulse, this basically means they get to move 5 ft for that Impulse, or 1 square on a grid if using 5 ft squares. So when you look at this, at the start of combat the usual situation is that the player characters start at one end of the battlefield and the monsters are at the other end. In the standard initiative, depending on the distance between the 2 groups, one combatant could move all the way over to the other group to engage the enemy on the enemy's side of the battlefield before the enemy gets a chance to act. In this variant system this would not happen since each combatant will get to move 1 square at a time in initiative order in each Impulse. So melee combatants will tend to meet in the middle of the field, and it will be easier to kite for those that want to stay out of melee. I can see melee combatants using Dash actions more to try to catch non melee combatants. Dashing in this system will allow you to move 10 ft or 2 squares per Impulse instead of 1 square, if your speed is 30ft. Or you could implement a "sprinting" mechanic like you mentioned in your other thread to allow melees to catch up to non melee combatants.Melee players would be hurt somewhat by this system and so I would implement mechanics to enhance their style of play, such as the Marking and Flanking rules in the DMG. Now this may be for another thread but a variant flanking system I would like to try with this system is as follows: If a combatant is engaged in melee with an enemy, a melee attack on the side of the enemy from a second combatant will give that second combatant a +2 to attack roll. Basically, the enemy is preoccupied by the first combatant so the second combatant gets a bonus to it's attack roll. If that second combatant attacks the enemy from behind with respect to the first combatant, then the second attacker gets +5 to attack roll.Another twist that could be added to the system is making casting spells take time to cast. Casting a cantrip could be done immediately on that Impulse you declare that you will cast it, but casting level spells 1-3 can only be cast after waiting 1 Impluse, levels 4-6 spells after waiting 2 Impulses, and 7-9 spells after waiting 3 Impulses. For example, if you declare you are casting a level 5 spell on Impulse 1, the spell goes off on your initiative on Impulse 3. And while that caster is "waiting" to cast their spell, they are concentrating on the spell so any attack on them before the spell goes off has the potential to cause them to lose the spell before being able to cast it. Now of course this is punishing to spell casters but casters are OP compared to martials IMO anyway, at least at later levels and this might be a way to balance that power inequality.So in summary, at the cost of being more granular and complex, I think the main effect of this initiative will be to place more of an emphasis on tactical movement and maneuverability in combat.</blockquote>

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