robbie374
2017-07-12, 11:05 AM
The UA:Greyhawk Initiative sounds like a lot of fun! Here are my thought on how to adjust it.
This would be rather complicated at first, but I think it simplifies quickly when you play with it and makes everything more realistic overall.
What might be ways to simplify it?
Summary:
Surprised: Roll as normal. Unsurprised competitors go first.
Ties: roll d20s. Higher goes first.
+/-: Initiative Adjustments (e.g. Alert)
d100: Talking for more than 20 words.
0: Movement, Reaction, Disengage, Dodge, Free Object Interaction
d2: Dash, Cantrip (No Damage)
d4: Help, Generic Bonus Action, Healing Class Feature (No Damage)
d6: Hide, Use an Object, Class Feature (No Healing, No Damage)
d10: Search, Damaging Class Feature
d(X): Weapons, Damaging Cantrips: base non-magical/1st level damage dice
d6+d(2X): Spells: d6+d(Spell Level*2)
d(X-2): Bonus Action: As an Action, but one die size lower. (minimum d2)
+2X: HP Penalties: If you took damage last round, add a d(2X), where (2X) is twice the number of sources of damage
-2X or -d6: HP Bonuses: If you gained HP or THP last round, cancel any HP Penalties or subtract a d6.
+dX: Gained Options: Add any used but unrolled dice from the previous round. (e.g. BAs gained during round)
Ready: Roll as normal. You may Ready remaining activity at any time on your turn. You stay Ready until the start of your next turn.
Substituting Actions: Any option of equal or lesser dice, or one size greater with successful DC 15 ability check
Initiative Dice:
Here is how to determine what dice you roll:
[* ]Weapon attack: the base non-magical damage dice of your weapon. E.g. a longbow+1 is a d8.
Weapons without rolled damage (e.g. blowgun): dice with twice as many sides as the fixed damage amount
Spells: Casting spells can be a complex process. A spellcaster must carefully remember and interact with various components. The more powerful the spell, the more difficult it is to cast. When rolling initiative to cast spells of 1st level and higher, you must roll a d6 for component interaction plus dice with twice as many sides as the spell's level. The total roll according to spell level is as follows:
0 (non-damaging): d2
0 (damaging): the damage dice of your cantrip at 1st level
1: d6+d2
2: d6+d4
3: d6+d6
4: d6+d8
5: d6+d10
6: d6+d12
7: d6+d14 (d6+d8)
8: d6+d16 (d6+d10)
9: d6+d18 (d6+d12)
Bonus Action: As an Action, but one die size lower (minimum d2). For bonus actions that lack a clear roll, roll a d4.
Disengage, Dodge, Free Object Interaction: 0
Dash: d2
Help: d4
Movement, Hide, Use an Object: d6
Search: d10
Ready: At any time on your turn you may Ready your remaining unused rolled abilities and stay Ready until the start of your next turn. You roll initiative for your next turn as normal.
Gained Options: If after rolling initiative you gain an option for which you haven't rolled, you may use it, but you must add its dice to the next round
Other actions and class features:
Damaging: d10
Healing, Non-damaging: d4
Neither: d6
Reaction: 0
HP change effects:
If you take damage during a round, add a d(X) to your initiative roll for the next round, where (X) is twice the number of sources of damage. A source of damage is a player, competitor with a stat block (includes conjured creatures), trap, or battlefield obstacle (e.g. fire pit), not the results of an action, bonus action, or reaction. For example, if you took damage from (1) a fighter with extra attack, (2) a dragon, (3) a mephit, (4) two of a wizard's Magic Missiles, (5) a trap, and (6) falling, you would add a d12 to your roll.
If you gain HP or THP during a round, either cancel all damage penalties or subtract one d6 from your initiative roll for the next round.
Talking:
Talking amongst players before the round is limited.
Questions about game mechanics are allowed unrestricted.
Discussion about game plans is limited:
The PCs of the players spoken to must be able to hear the PC of the speaking player.
A player may say up to approximately 20 words for free.
A player may talk at length at the expense of adding a d100 to that PC's initiative roll.
Substituting Actions:
Circumstances frequently change during battle. At the beginning of your turn, you may decide to change your planned activity. For any roll you made as a part of your initiative roll, you may freely substitute for that activity any available activity requiring the same or smaller dice. You may attempt an action up to one die size greater than your roll, but you would have to succeed on a DC 15 ability check using the activity's primary ability score, or a similar penalty (DM's discretion). You cannot use this substitution to gain activities above or beyond your normal turn.
For example, a fighter who rolls a d8 to strike with a rapier can opt instead to strike with a dagger (d4) or to Dash (d2). However, that same fighter rolling a d6 to strike with a shortsword cannot attack with a greataxe (d12), but could attempt to use a rapier (d8) at disadvantage.
Adjustments to Initiative:
If you are granted a fixed bonus or penalty from any other game feature, subtract it from your initiative roll if it is a bonus, and add it if it is a penalty. For example, if you had the Alert feat you would subtract 5 from your initiative rolls.
Your Dexterity bonus is no longer used in determining your initiative.
Initiative Ties:
If two competitors tie for initiative, they each roll a d20. The higher roller goes first. On a tie, reroll.
Surprise:
Surprised characters roll initiative for the first round of combat but act after all unsurprised for that round.
Keen Mind Feat Upgrade:
Having mastered the art of recalling information about available spells, casting spells takes less effort than expected:
When you cast a spell, subtract half your spellcasting ability modifier (rounded down) from your initiative roll for the next round. You can do this once per round.
This would be rather complicated at first, but I think it simplifies quickly when you play with it and makes everything more realistic overall.
What might be ways to simplify it?
Summary:
Surprised: Roll as normal. Unsurprised competitors go first.
Ties: roll d20s. Higher goes first.
+/-: Initiative Adjustments (e.g. Alert)
d100: Talking for more than 20 words.
0: Movement, Reaction, Disengage, Dodge, Free Object Interaction
d2: Dash, Cantrip (No Damage)
d4: Help, Generic Bonus Action, Healing Class Feature (No Damage)
d6: Hide, Use an Object, Class Feature (No Healing, No Damage)
d10: Search, Damaging Class Feature
d(X): Weapons, Damaging Cantrips: base non-magical/1st level damage dice
d6+d(2X): Spells: d6+d(Spell Level*2)
d(X-2): Bonus Action: As an Action, but one die size lower. (minimum d2)
+2X: HP Penalties: If you took damage last round, add a d(2X), where (2X) is twice the number of sources of damage
-2X or -d6: HP Bonuses: If you gained HP or THP last round, cancel any HP Penalties or subtract a d6.
+dX: Gained Options: Add any used but unrolled dice from the previous round. (e.g. BAs gained during round)
Ready: Roll as normal. You may Ready remaining activity at any time on your turn. You stay Ready until the start of your next turn.
Substituting Actions: Any option of equal or lesser dice, or one size greater with successful DC 15 ability check
Initiative Dice:
Here is how to determine what dice you roll:
[* ]Weapon attack: the base non-magical damage dice of your weapon. E.g. a longbow+1 is a d8.
Weapons without rolled damage (e.g. blowgun): dice with twice as many sides as the fixed damage amount
Spells: Casting spells can be a complex process. A spellcaster must carefully remember and interact with various components. The more powerful the spell, the more difficult it is to cast. When rolling initiative to cast spells of 1st level and higher, you must roll a d6 for component interaction plus dice with twice as many sides as the spell's level. The total roll according to spell level is as follows:
0 (non-damaging): d2
0 (damaging): the damage dice of your cantrip at 1st level
1: d6+d2
2: d6+d4
3: d6+d6
4: d6+d8
5: d6+d10
6: d6+d12
7: d6+d14 (d6+d8)
8: d6+d16 (d6+d10)
9: d6+d18 (d6+d12)
Bonus Action: As an Action, but one die size lower (minimum d2). For bonus actions that lack a clear roll, roll a d4.
Disengage, Dodge, Free Object Interaction: 0
Dash: d2
Help: d4
Movement, Hide, Use an Object: d6
Search: d10
Ready: At any time on your turn you may Ready your remaining unused rolled abilities and stay Ready until the start of your next turn. You roll initiative for your next turn as normal.
Gained Options: If after rolling initiative you gain an option for which you haven't rolled, you may use it, but you must add its dice to the next round
Other actions and class features:
Damaging: d10
Healing, Non-damaging: d4
Neither: d6
Reaction: 0
HP change effects:
If you take damage during a round, add a d(X) to your initiative roll for the next round, where (X) is twice the number of sources of damage. A source of damage is a player, competitor with a stat block (includes conjured creatures), trap, or battlefield obstacle (e.g. fire pit), not the results of an action, bonus action, or reaction. For example, if you took damage from (1) a fighter with extra attack, (2) a dragon, (3) a mephit, (4) two of a wizard's Magic Missiles, (5) a trap, and (6) falling, you would add a d12 to your roll.
If you gain HP or THP during a round, either cancel all damage penalties or subtract one d6 from your initiative roll for the next round.
Talking:
Talking amongst players before the round is limited.
Questions about game mechanics are allowed unrestricted.
Discussion about game plans is limited:
The PCs of the players spoken to must be able to hear the PC of the speaking player.
A player may say up to approximately 20 words for free.
A player may talk at length at the expense of adding a d100 to that PC's initiative roll.
Substituting Actions:
Circumstances frequently change during battle. At the beginning of your turn, you may decide to change your planned activity. For any roll you made as a part of your initiative roll, you may freely substitute for that activity any available activity requiring the same or smaller dice. You may attempt an action up to one die size greater than your roll, but you would have to succeed on a DC 15 ability check using the activity's primary ability score, or a similar penalty (DM's discretion). You cannot use this substitution to gain activities above or beyond your normal turn.
For example, a fighter who rolls a d8 to strike with a rapier can opt instead to strike with a dagger (d4) or to Dash (d2). However, that same fighter rolling a d6 to strike with a shortsword cannot attack with a greataxe (d12), but could attempt to use a rapier (d8) at disadvantage.
Adjustments to Initiative:
If you are granted a fixed bonus or penalty from any other game feature, subtract it from your initiative roll if it is a bonus, and add it if it is a penalty. For example, if you had the Alert feat you would subtract 5 from your initiative rolls.
Your Dexterity bonus is no longer used in determining your initiative.
Initiative Ties:
If two competitors tie for initiative, they each roll a d20. The higher roller goes first. On a tie, reroll.
Surprise:
Surprised characters roll initiative for the first round of combat but act after all unsurprised for that round.
Keen Mind Feat Upgrade:
Having mastered the art of recalling information about available spells, casting spells takes less effort than expected:
When you cast a spell, subtract half your spellcasting ability modifier (rounded down) from your initiative roll for the next round. You can do this once per round.