Group Initiative - how the .....

[Azgeroth]

Hello playgrounders!

ok so i have seen this on a few threads now, and its finally peaked my curiosity enough to ask..

okay, so how does this actually work?? both in terms of mechanics, and play.

does a player roll for the group? does the DM? whos initiative is added? doesn't this make Alert redundant (or at least the +5)?

how does it work at the table? does the party take a minute to discuss what they are all doing and then declare it? or do they all just talk at once and you have to figure out what the hell is going on??

[Lunali]

Determining group initiative is usually just a d20 for each side of the fight, whoever wins goes first. This does make initiative bonuses redundant so it should be established ahead of time. Alternately, the DM can just decide who goes first based on the situation, such as in the case of an ambush, though if you do that, you should probably let the ambushed side act on their first turn.

With group initiative everyone on one side of the fight will take their turn in whatever order they want, then everyone on the other side. Most groups I've played with don't have much trouble deciding who goes first for their side as it rarely actually matters and when it does the players usually agree.

[Pharaon]

Hello playgrounders!

ok so i have seen this on a few threads now, and its finally peaked my curiosity enough to ask..

okay, so how does this actually work?? both in terms of mechanics, and play.

does a player roll for the group? does the DM? whos initiative is added? doesn't this make Alert redundant (or at least the +5)?

how does it work at the table? does the party take a minute to discuss what they are all doing and then declare it? or do they all just talk at once and you have to figure out what the hell is going on??

I only run group/block initiative in play by post games (I play on Role Gate, which is pretty great) but I keep it dead simple.

Everyone roles initiative like normal, adding mods as they would. The end result might look like:

Alice: 17
Bob: 4
Carry: 12
Doug: 7
Monster: 6

In this case, Alice, Carry, and Doug would go together, in any order, before the monster. Then the monster goes. Then Bob goes. Then back to Alice, Carry, and Doug, in whatever order.

Some people might make it a single block after the monster goes, but I don't like the chance of Bob not acting at all if the other three go twice before he gets a chance. Not something to worry about at a table, but it can happen with asynchronous play by post.

[Black Jester]

Group Initiative I used:

The designated leader of each side rolls, adding their Charisma or Wisdom bonus. Alternatively. arriors (all characters with proficiency in martial weapons and Extra Attack) might add their Proficiency bonus, if that is beneficial. The initiative winner determines which faction can - or has to - act first. The players can then freely decide in which order their characters add. It hadn't been relevant in the one-shot we played, but if any character would have an initiative-boosting ability, I would either allowed the highest of these boni to apply to the team roll.
Groups without designated leaders automatically lose initiative. Big, mean monsters count as a group of their own.
This method adds a very small, but sometimes relevant tactical layer to the initiative. It is fun when you can create a 'double turn' (let the opposition act first in turn one, than seize initiative in turn 2, so that all chracters have two consecutive actions without interruptions) but doing so also opens the exact opposite opportunity against your foes, so timing is all-important. And it still feels somewhat faster than rolling for each player (and sometimes several monsters).

[Tanarii]

It's worth noting that if the DM follows DMG advice and groups similar enemies into a single initiative roll, combats against one type of creature will always be alternating sides. It's just that some PCs will get one extra turn before the monsters go.

I've also encountered plenty of DMs that used the same d20 roll for all enemies, then modified that single roll by enemy modifiers. So alternating PCs /monsters was still common.

That last would work for PC group Init too. One player rolls, everyone modifies by their modifier. Generally it'll be all PCs then all monsters go, or vice versa. But sometimes there might be a few ties or mixed orders, if either PCs or monsters have a wide range of modifiers.



Some people might make it a single block after the monster goes, .
Sometime I do exactly this in Easy combats, or at the tail end of a more difficult battle, once initiative order has devolved into alternating PCs/monsters. It keeps the pace up.the other advantage is hesitating players can take a second to think what they want to do, while players who already know what they want to do can act right away.

[Azgeroth]

thanks for the replies guys, that cleared it up nicely :smile:

[Bjarkmundur]

I only run group/block initiative in play by post games (I play on Role Gate, which is pretty great) but I keep it dead simple.

Everyone roles initiative like normal, adding mods as they would. The end result might look like:

Alice: 17
Bob: 4
Carry: 12
Doug: 7
Monster: 6

In this case, Alice, Carry, and Doug would go together, in any order, before the monster. Then the monster goes. Then Bob goes. Then back to Alice, Carry, and Doug, in whatever order.

Some people might make it a single block after the monster goes, but I don't like the chance of Bob not acting at all if the other three go twice before he gets a chance. Not something to worry about at a table, but it can happen with asynchronous play by post.

This is how I do it. Usually I just slap my monster right in between two of my players. So half my group usually goes before enemy group 1, then the enemy, then the second half of my group, then enemy group 2.

Makea everything twice as quick without introducing to much "declaring then acting" confusion. It's especially fun when the rogue and the fighter take their turn together, then my two Warlocks.

[bc56]

When I've used group initiative, I rolled once for each team, adding the average initiative bonus of the team. Advantage on initiative is worth +5, disadvantage (I don't think it can happen, but I don't know for sure) is a -5.

For the most part, I use block initiative though. It's not simpler, but it rewards high initiative bonuses more.

[Psikerlord]

With group initiative everyone on one side of the fight will take their turn in whatever order they want, then everyone on the other side. Most groups I've played with don't have much trouble deciding who goes first for their side as it rarely actually matters and when it does the players usually agree.
This is one of the best things about side initiative. The players who are raring to go jump in and go, while the ones who like to look up 3 spells before deciding which to use sit back and do that, while the eager ones go. Works well.

[JakOfAllTirades]

When I use group initiative, I let the PCs (and monsters) keep their initiative modifiers. Each side gets one d20 roll for initiative, and everyone adds their initiative mods to their side's roll. PCs who get advantage on initiative rolls can roll an extra d20 for themselves if they desire.

If I really want to speed things up, I skip the d20 roll and have everyone "take 10" for initiative. They have a new stat, Initiative, which is 10 plus their initiative mods. Those with advantage on initiative can take a d20+mods roll to see if they get a higher result, as before. Monsters get the same treatment.

[Chronos]

Disadvantage on initiative can in principle happen, if (for instance) someone is under a Hex (Dexterity), or they're frightened, or poisoned, or exhausted. Initiative rolls are checks, and so anything that affects checks affects initiative rolls. Most things that would hamper initiative rolls would happen during combat, so it doesn't come up much, but the condition could be left over from a previous encounter.