DabblerWizard
2009-12-12, 05:14 PM
I was thinking about initiative rolls and their mechanical and role play ramifications. I stumbled upon a way to differentiate between types of initiative rolls.
I would appreciate any comments the Playground has concerning this topic.
What is initiative for?
Initiative rolls (IR) are meant to signal the start of combat. It's the DM's job to ask players to roll for initiative. Yet it's not necessarily a DM's job alone, to decide when a combat situation actually comes about.
When should initiative be rolled?
My sense is that, IR come about when some character (either PC or NPC) decides to make a threatening gesture, such as pulling out a sword, or saying something like "Let's end this now!"... etc.
What happens when initiative is rolled?
Even among my role play heavy group, whenever I call initiative, it's as though the players' characters have their mouths duct taped shut. People suddenly stop talking, and act as though it's a forgone conclusion that combat has to take place.
I don't think this is especially reasonable, or necessary. Even when swords are drawn, a few well placed words among sentient beings can halt, or at least forestall battle. Among my friends, who have created characters that don't care to just randomly slaughter other beings, this point is especially meaningful. This kind of simulationism can be achieved through a change in how players and DMs understand the initiative roll mechanic.
Reactive (or passive) Initiative Rolls
Players wait for the DM to create a situation where combat will take place: A monster jumps out of the shadows, thugs threaten to flay players, a general yells out "charge!"
In all of these kinds of cases, players have to react to the DM's will. Even if they are in the middle of a heated argument with a duchess, once the DM tells the players to roll for initiative, it would appear that all bets are off, the conversation is over.
Sometimes, this kind of state is appropriate, and the players can't expect to control every situation.
Other times though, there's another way to think about initiative.
Proactive (or active) Initiative Rolls
The DM is still the one calling for initiative, but the players have a chance to direct the story, and have a say in whether combat will take place: A player makes a threatening remark, a player fires an arrow, a king tells his guards to seize the players but the cleric pc (maybe through a diplomacy check) asks the king to have patience.
In this scenario, players are more in control of their own story. They feel that they aren't just leaves in the wind, but do in fact have the potential to change a seemingly predetermined situation.
Except in the case of players who receive the most enjoyment from sitting back and enjoying a story, players will feel in control of how a story unfolds (by having a chance to effect whether combat takes place) and this will make them happy.
Making players happy is a good goal to have.
The Bottom Line
Players can enjoy a gaming table more, if they can effect whether combat will take place.
PCs that take initiative as a forgone conclusion leading to battle, and wait for the DM to decide the fate of any given PC-NPC interaction, won't enjoy the story as much, as PCs that don't duct tape their character's mouth just because a Queen is having a hissy fit.
I would appreciate any comments the Playground has concerning this topic.
What is initiative for?
Initiative rolls (IR) are meant to signal the start of combat. It's the DM's job to ask players to roll for initiative. Yet it's not necessarily a DM's job alone, to decide when a combat situation actually comes about.
When should initiative be rolled?
My sense is that, IR come about when some character (either PC or NPC) decides to make a threatening gesture, such as pulling out a sword, or saying something like "Let's end this now!"... etc.
What happens when initiative is rolled?
Even among my role play heavy group, whenever I call initiative, it's as though the players' characters have their mouths duct taped shut. People suddenly stop talking, and act as though it's a forgone conclusion that combat has to take place.
I don't think this is especially reasonable, or necessary. Even when swords are drawn, a few well placed words among sentient beings can halt, or at least forestall battle. Among my friends, who have created characters that don't care to just randomly slaughter other beings, this point is especially meaningful. This kind of simulationism can be achieved through a change in how players and DMs understand the initiative roll mechanic.
Reactive (or passive) Initiative Rolls
Players wait for the DM to create a situation where combat will take place: A monster jumps out of the shadows, thugs threaten to flay players, a general yells out "charge!"
In all of these kinds of cases, players have to react to the DM's will. Even if they are in the middle of a heated argument with a duchess, once the DM tells the players to roll for initiative, it would appear that all bets are off, the conversation is over.
Sometimes, this kind of state is appropriate, and the players can't expect to control every situation.
Other times though, there's another way to think about initiative.
Proactive (or active) Initiative Rolls
The DM is still the one calling for initiative, but the players have a chance to direct the story, and have a say in whether combat will take place: A player makes a threatening remark, a player fires an arrow, a king tells his guards to seize the players but the cleric pc (maybe through a diplomacy check) asks the king to have patience.
In this scenario, players are more in control of their own story. They feel that they aren't just leaves in the wind, but do in fact have the potential to change a seemingly predetermined situation.
Except in the case of players who receive the most enjoyment from sitting back and enjoying a story, players will feel in control of how a story unfolds (by having a chance to effect whether combat takes place) and this will make them happy.
Making players happy is a good goal to have.
The Bottom Line
Players can enjoy a gaming table more, if they can effect whether combat will take place.
PCs that take initiative as a forgone conclusion leading to battle, and wait for the DM to decide the fate of any given PC-NPC interaction, won't enjoy the story as much, as PCs that don't duct tape their character's mouth just because a Queen is having a hissy fit.