[UPDATED] Here's Mike Mearls' New D&D 5E Initiative System

In his AMA yesterday, WotC's Mike Mearls frequently referenced his dislike for D&D's initiative system, and mentioned that he was using a new initiative system in his own games. He later briefly explained what that was: "Roll each round. D4 = ranged, d8 = melee, d12 = spell, d6 = anything else, +d8 to swap gear, +d8 for bonus action, low goes 1st. Oh, and +d6 to move and do something ... adds tension, speeds up resolution. So far in play has been faster and makes fights more intense." That's the short version; there's likely more to it. Mearls mentioned briefly that he might trial it in Unearthed Arcana at some point to see what sort of reaction it gets.

In his AMA, Mearls indicated it was cyclic initiative he didn't like ("Cyclical initiative - too predictable"), which the above doesn't address at all (it merely changes the die rolls). Presumably there's more to the system than that quick couple of sentences up there, and it sounds like initiative is rolled every round. So if your initiative is based on your action, presumably you declare your action before rolling initiative (as opposed to declaring your action when your initiative comes around).

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UPDATE: I asked Mearls a couple of quick questions. He commented that it "lets ranged guys shoot before melee closes, spellcasters need to be shielded". He also mentioned that he "tinkered with using your weapon's damage die as your roll, but too inflexible, not sure it's worth it".

How is this implemented in-game? "Roll each round, count starts again at 1. Requires end of turn stuff to swap to end of round, since it's not static. In play I've called out numbers - Any 1s, 2s, etc, then just letting every PC go once monsters are done". You announce your action at the beginning of the round; you only need to "commit to the action type - you're not picking specific targets or a specific spell, for instance."

Dexterity does NOT adjust INITIATIVE. Mearls comments that "Dex is already so good, i don't miss it".

So what's the main benefit of the system? "Big benefit is that it encourages group to make a plan, then implement it. Group sees issue of the round and acts around it. I also think it adds a nice flow to combat - each round is a sequence. Plan, resolve, act, encourages group cohesion. Resolution is also faster - each player knows what to do; you don't need to pick spells ahead of acting, but groups so far have planned them."

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[Baumi]

Interesting and I welcome any change to the standard Initiative System, but I cannot see this being faster. Also you already have to know at Initiative-Stage what you want to do (so what happens if the circumstances change)?

On the other hand, the biggest timekiller in combat is the indecision. Such a system could theoretically make each turn much faster since you already know beforehand what you will do...

 

[MarkB]

So, what happens if one creature's action renders another's proposed action invalid? Do they get to re-specify, or do they lose their action?

 

[Greenmtn]

I like the idea of trying to improve the initiative system, and think this could be a good start. I am however having a hard time wrapping my head around how this is going to make resolution any quicker, which is what he says he wants to do with it.

The current system you grab 1 dice and look up your bonus. Done.

This, they way I am reading it, you need to commit to what you are doing, look up what dice or combination of dice you are using and then you are done.


I can see how it adds unpredictability and tension, I think it would make combat take longer but I think I like the idea of doing initiative every round to add a feeling of chaos to the combat but I worry it would slow things down more.

 

[GlassJaw]

Little surprised that this is Mearls' prefers system. It adds complexity and die rolls based on variable factors rolls and is pseudo-simulationist in nature, neither of which seem to really be what 5E is about. I don't see the benefit over the base system honestly.

I was hoping his system was more about declared actions and resolution choice or something. A system like that would be much more cooperative.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

Makes actions that last a round a little wonky.

Example: A monk stuns an orc who is then stunned for its' turn at the end of the round. In the next round the orc goes before the monk and is still stunned, losing two actions to a single stun.

 

[JohnnyZemo]

I run a couple of larger groups (5-6 players), and rolling for initiative every round would slow combat down significantly. I'm okay with the current system.

 

[CydKnight]

Am I reading this right? This sounds like you will have to know your action before each initiative roll. If this is the case, what happens if circumstances change before your turn in that round effecting what action you want to take? What else could you do but continue in the same order regardless?

On the surface, that doesn't seem any better to me than one 20-sided die roll for initiative at the start of combat. It's more die rolls and more for a DM to track with negligible benefit in my humble opinion.

I welcome any corrections if my interpretation is in error.

 

[kenmarable]

Interesting system, but one odd side effect (as presented) is that you need to know your actions before you roll initiative for that round. You need to know if you are gong to take a bonus action, or swap gear, etc. Quite often you do already know, but you would be less able to react to things that happen in the same round. Maybe that's a feature and not a bug for some, but it is an interesting side effect hidden in there. Once you roll initiative, you are committed to the kinds of actions you will take.

(As an aside, my first thought was that it would help speed up indecisive players by making them decide ahead of time what they would do. But really it just moves that problem, so rather than waiting for them to decide when it's their turn, you instead wait on them to decide so that they can roll initiative. So no real benefit there.)

 

[jasper]

...Interesting system, but one odd side effect (as presented) is that you need to know your actions before you roll initiative for that round.....
So instead of waiting on Kenmarble to declare if he going to swing a sword or cast a spell at Init 12, we now have to wait on Kenmarble (and the rest of people who take 5 minutes to decide an action) to decide on which die he throwing.

 

[jasper]

...Interesting system, but one odd side effect (as presented) is that you need to know your actions before you roll initiative for that round.....
So instead of waiting on Kenmarble to declare if he going to swing a sword or cast a spell at Init 12, we now have to wait on Kenmarble (and the rest of people who take 5 minutes to decide an action) to decide on which die he throwing.