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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lord Twig" data-source="post: 7165811" data-attributes="member: 31754">Several posters have pointed out that it is good to take a look at something that is accepted as the standard and questioning whether it is really is the best way to do things. And I agree that it is good to do so. However, that does not mean that you will always find out that it is not the best. It is entirely possible that you will try something new and discover that the old tried-and-true method really is the best, or at least better than the new proposition.In my opinion, this is one of those times.Now I understand that there will be a personal preference component here. Some people will love the round-by-round planning, all the extra rolls and tactical play. There are also many that like the extra randomness. But there are those, like myself, that find this a big, un-fun, mess.Additionally, there is just no way that this speeds up combat. I'm sorry, I know there are people saying, "It makes my game faster!" But I don't believe it. There are other people that say, "It makes my game feel faster. Even though it takes longer on the clock." Now that I believe.But hey, let it never be said that I won't at least try to make a new system work. So here is my suggestion for an alternate system. Now I fully admit it will be slower than the current initiative system, but it should satisfy the simulationist player and leaves a lot of the the "Greyhawk Initiative" ideas intact.One round consists of 30 segments. All dice are the same except there are no movement dice. Instead movement costs 1 segment for every 5' of movement and you add any segments used for movement to your roll for your action. You do not have to declare movement in advance. You can not start an attack or spell until you have a valid target.1. Everyone makes their Statement of Intent, basically what they are going to do in the round, then they roll their dice.2. If you are also going to use a bonus action, roll the die for it and keep it separate.3. The round starts at segment 1.4. Movement always goes first.5. Everyone that is moving moves their character 5' per segment, then whoever has a action for that segment can take their action. Highest Dex goes first and a die roll can be made in case of ties.6. If you are using a Bonus Action you pick which action you are using and act on the segment determined by that action. You then add the roll for your second action to the current segment to determine when you act again.7. Spell or effect durations are determined by the segment when it is cast. So if you cast a 1 round duration spell on segment 16 on one round, the spell will last until the beginning of segment 16 on the next round.8. You can change your declared action at any time by declaring a new action. You then roll the appropriate die or dice for the new action(s), then add the current segment +3 to the result (the +3 is a penalty for changing your action mid-round). That is your new Initiative. If the total is greater than 30 you have lost your turn.Example of play:Let's say you are using two short swords and want to run up to an orc and attack with both weapons. Roll 2d6 and keep each result separate. You roll a 3 and a 5. On rounds 1 through 4 you move up to the orc (20') and engage the orc. Both you and the orc now have a valid target and start your attacks. You decide to use your 3 hoping to get a hit in before the orc swings his great axe. On 7 you attack the orc and hit, but he remains up. You still have a valid target for your second attack, so add the 5 you rolled for your second attack to 7 (the current round) and determine that your second attack will go on 12. Unfortunately the orc rolled a 5 for his attack and will strike you on segment 9. But you are in luck, the orc misses. However, on segment 10 the wizard kills the orc with a Magic Missile; time to change plans.You add 3 to the current segment of 10 and start moving on 13. The next round you step up next to another orc and engage. Adding your 5 to 14 gives you 19, still plenty of time. Since no one else has any actions left you go ahead and make your second attack, taking out the orc.Some spot rules:-Every extra attack from the Extra Attack feature is a base 3 initiative. So if you rolled a 7 and didn't move you would attack on 7, 10, 13 and 16 if you had four attacks. (You can use a d4, but there is already a lot of rolls to keep track of.)-Stunned or incapacitated characters would make a statement of intent and roll initiative immediately after the condition wore off.-Disengage would be a 1d4 roll and could be done at anytime without the +3 penalty. Assuming you haven't already used your action of course.There you go! It has some randomness, combat flows in real time, extra actions are not penalized, and spells and effects always last a consistent amount of time.Full disclosure. This is not really a "new" system. Similar methods have been used by other game systems in the past. RuneQuest has used "Statement of Intent" and "Strike Ranks" (what I am calling segments) since the 70's, but had set numbers for actions instead of rolling dice. Likewise Champions (or The Hero System) has used Segments for decades to break up a Turn (basically a 12 second round). So I know that this system will be playable, it has been done before. It is just a matter of taste as to whether you think it is a "good" way to do it. Just like Mearls' system.</blockquote>

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