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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Man in the Funny Hat" data-source="post: 5605490" data-attributes="member: 32740">It is somewhat up to the DM to determine when intiative should be rolled, but if combat is essentially imminent and both sides are aware of each other I don't see a reason why initiative shouldn't be rolled as soon as the combatants enter the arena in the OP's gladiators example. It is then up to the players to best determine what actions their characters should take or not take based on their initiative results. If they can't figure out how to get close to their opponent without "being snaked" well... that's just how the game works. It IS possible to ready an action and thus resolve your own action first, even when your opponent "won" intiative. Initiative is weighted because normally acting first is the advantage everybody wants. But the purpose of initiative is not just to see who goes first - that's just a side effect. The purpose is more accurately said to be to determine the ORDER in which actions are to be resolved. Initiative sets up the order in which characters take their turns but it doesn't guarantee them that their actions will resolve first.</blockquote>