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ShortQuests -- Pocket Sized Adventures! An all-new collection of digest-sized D&D adventures designed for 1-2 game sessions.

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Primitive Screwhead" data-source="post: 2190417" data-attributes="member: 20805">Initiatives...IMCI apply a rule I heard from an Anime game. There is a 'Speak-out' moment outside of time before combat begins... that does not make much sense does it? Basically:Phase 0:  2 potentially hostile groups meet.Phase 1:  between the start of the encounter and the start of combat, the characters are allowed to talk, diplomancy, bluff, etc... but... any action that the other side starts to take as 'initiating combat' causes the encounter to go to the next phase.   {Example actions are drawing a weapon, moving into a favorable position, casting a spell, etc.. all dependant on the specifics of each encounter}Note, some 'threatening' actions such as readying a weapon may not be taken as such as action, depending on circumstances and opponents. Generally the characters just talk until one side decides to attack.Phase 2: Surprise round. Spot/Sense Motive/or other appropriate skill based on what the action starting combat is.Phase 3: Normal combat rounds.Initiative can be rolled at either Phase 0 or Phase 2.. I use sets of prerolled initiatives in order to keep things as seamless as possible. This allows for an ambusher to try to talk the ambushee into forfeiting treasure for safe passage.. or the ever famous 'dont move or I will shoot!' ...or at least have the bad guy have enough time to say how horrible the good guys are <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />Of course, there are times where one side has no desire to talk to the other, so Phase 1 ends up being virtualy non-existant. This system has worked well for me in my last game, and is being well received in the new campaign I just started.Vurt, I like your description, however it looks like you are saying Snape gets a surprise round action after combat started, which is not true. He would have been in normal combat rounds and simply delaying each round until he chose to fire from his hiding position. The only time you get a surprise round is at the start of the combat encounter.</blockquote>

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