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What is your way for doing Initiative?
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<blockquote data-quote="WhosDaDungeonMaster" data-source="post: 7555128"><p>Ok, I see your issue. That was one of the tweaks I've already added. My first thought is this:</p><p></p><p>You can always change your first action from <em>attack</em> or <em>cast a spell</em> to a move or some other action (other than attacking or casting a spell, unless it is a cantrip). Your first action roll is then bumped up by 1 and you take your changed action. You can later take your new action by rolling again using the die required and adding it to your new total.</p><p></p><p>In your example:</p><p>Suppose your rolled an 6 for your attack initiative.</p><p>The monster rolled a 4 on the d6, planning to move first, and then a 3 on the d8, for a total of 7 for the attack initiative total.</p><p>The monster moves away on 4. (You will probably still get an OA, which as I understand it the system allows as is, but I could be wrong.)</p><p>Your turn comes on 6, but no monster to attack!</p><p>So, you change your <em>attack</em> to a <em>move</em> to pursue and you are bumped +1 to 7 total.</p><p>On 7, the monster attacks and you move to re-engage it.</p><p>You arrive and still want to attack, so you roll <em>another</em> d8, say getting a 6, making your total now 13 for your new attack.</p><p>When 13 comes and the monster is still alive (or another target is within reach), you get to make your attack roll.</p><p></p><p>Now...</p><p></p><p>If the monster is killed before 13 and nothing else is in reach, you can move again <em>IF</em> you have movement left to engage a new target and possibly attack it. Alternatively, with my tweaks you could also change your <em>attack</em> to a <em>cantrip casting</em> (only cantrip!). If you did, the scenario would continue thus:</p><p></p><p>When 13 arrives you have no target in reach to attack but see a monster threatening your ally 40 feet away. You decide to change your attack to a cantrip casting, causing another +1 bump.</p><p>On 14, you begin casting your cantrip, rolling 1d4 (my die type for cantrips) and get a 3, bringing your total to 17.</p><p>On 17, you cast your cantrip at any target within sight and range as usual.</p><p></p><p>Whew! LOL!</p><p></p><p>Now, this is an extreme case scenario, so I know it looks rather comical at first, but think of it narratively:</p><p></p><p>Mordinak (your cleric) is attacking a Gnoll with his war pick. (You roll a 6 on the d8.)</p><p>Before you can get into position to strike a powerful blow, the Gnoll turns to attack Fiona (the Bard) and moves away! (On its turn of 3.)</p><p>You swing wildly (Opportunity Attack also on 3), but miss.</p><p>The Gnoll rushes over to attack Fiona.</p><p>So you decide to pursue (on 6, add 1 to make it 7 for changing actions) and give chase!</p><p>Just before you arrive the Gnoll attacks Fiona (on 7), but misses. You are hot on its heels and close in.</p><p>(You roll for your attack initiative and get a 6, so you will attack on 13.)</p><p>As you feint, and shift, trying to find your place to strike, Rogdin (the Rogue) hits the Gnoll with his Sneak Attack (on 10) and kills it!</p><p><em>Curses!</em> you cry out. But then you see another Gnoll battling Ovain (the Fighter), but it is too far away to engage.</p><p>You decide to call down a Sacred Flame. (Your 13 is bumped to 14.)</p><p>(You roll the d4 for a cantrip and get a 3, bringing your total to 17.)</p><p>Finally (on 17), you call down a searing burst of sacred energy on the other Gnoll (who failed his Dex save!) and watch it howl in pain.</p><p></p><p>The short version is this: Monster moved, can't attack; switch to move; monster attacks; ally kills monster; can't attack again; switch to cantrip; cast cantrip.</p><p></p><p>So, what was a situation where in the other system as is, you would do nothing once the monster moved away, you can now still act instead of just stand there. I think it will keep players more active as people don't just go and stop, go and stop, but will likely have "partial" actions intermixed with each other. Tomorrow I am meeting one of my players and if I finish the tweaks tonight (there aren't too many of them), we'll try it out.</p><p></p><p>Now, to everyone else who read all this (thank you for your dedication! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> ), I <em>know</em> this is a lot and <em>some of you</em> won't like the ideas. Frankly, I don't care, it isn't for you. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="WhosDaDungeonMaster, post: 7555128"] Ok, I see your issue. That was one of the tweaks I've already added. My first thought is this: You can always change your first action from [I]attack[/I] or [I]cast a spell[/I] to a move or some other action (other than attacking or casting a spell, unless it is a cantrip). Your first action roll is then bumped up by 1 and you take your changed action. You can later take your new action by rolling again using the die required and adding it to your new total. In your example: Suppose your rolled an 6 for your attack initiative. The monster rolled a 4 on the d6, planning to move first, and then a 3 on the d8, for a total of 7 for the attack initiative total. The monster moves away on 4. (You will probably still get an OA, which as I understand it the system allows as is, but I could be wrong.) Your turn comes on 6, but no monster to attack! So, you change your [I]attack[/I] to a [I]move[/I] to pursue and you are bumped +1 to 7 total. On 7, the monster attacks and you move to re-engage it. You arrive and still want to attack, so you roll [I]another[/I] d8, say getting a 6, making your total now 13 for your new attack. When 13 comes and the monster is still alive (or another target is within reach), you get to make your attack roll. Now... If the monster is killed before 13 and nothing else is in reach, you can move again [I]IF[/I] you have movement left to engage a new target and possibly attack it. Alternatively, with my tweaks you could also change your [I]attack[/I] to a [I]cantrip casting[/I] (only cantrip!). If you did, the scenario would continue thus: When 13 arrives you have no target in reach to attack but see a monster threatening your ally 40 feet away. You decide to change your attack to a cantrip casting, causing another +1 bump. On 14, you begin casting your cantrip, rolling 1d4 (my die type for cantrips) and get a 3, bringing your total to 17. On 17, you cast your cantrip at any target within sight and range as usual. Whew! LOL! Now, this is an extreme case scenario, so I know it looks rather comical at first, but think of it narratively: Mordinak (your cleric) is attacking a Gnoll with his war pick. (You roll a 6 on the d8.) Before you can get into position to strike a powerful blow, the Gnoll turns to attack Fiona (the Bard) and moves away! (On its turn of 3.) You swing wildly (Opportunity Attack also on 3), but miss. The Gnoll rushes over to attack Fiona. So you decide to pursue (on 6, add 1 to make it 7 for changing actions) and give chase! Just before you arrive the Gnoll attacks Fiona (on 7), but misses. You are hot on its heels and close in. (You roll for your attack initiative and get a 6, so you will attack on 13.) As you feint, and shift, trying to find your place to strike, Rogdin (the Rogue) hits the Gnoll with his Sneak Attack (on 10) and kills it! [I]Curses![/I] you cry out. But then you see another Gnoll battling Ovain (the Fighter), but it is too far away to engage. You decide to call down a Sacred Flame. (Your 13 is bumped to 14.) (You roll the d4 for a cantrip and get a 3, bringing your total to 17.) Finally (on 17), you call down a searing burst of sacred energy on the other Gnoll (who failed his Dex save!) and watch it howl in pain. The short version is this: Monster moved, can't attack; switch to move; monster attacks; ally kills monster; can't attack again; switch to cantrip; cast cantrip. So, what was a situation where in the other system as is, you would do nothing once the monster moved away, you can now still act instead of just stand there. I think it will keep players more active as people don't just go and stop, go and stop, but will likely have "partial" actions intermixed with each other. Tomorrow I am meeting one of my players and if I finish the tweaks tonight (there aren't too many of them), we'll try it out. Now, to everyone else who read all this (thank you for your dedication! :) ), I [I]know[/I] this is a lot and [I]some of you[/I] won't like the ideas. Frankly, I don't care, it isn't for you. ;) [/QUOTE]
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