Thoughts on Initiative?

moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:10 am

Hi, I've just joined the Crusade and I'm loving everything so far. However, I do have some questions as I ease into the system. I was wondering, for those who left D&D 3.X behind, how you're running Initiative.

In the C&C PHB, Initiative is resolved by rolling a d10 and, in the event of ties, a higher Dex will win.

In D&D 3.5, a d20 is used with the Dex modifier (with other possible modifiers... bla bla bla).

It's clear that either will work just fine, a d20 may help with a bit more variety of rolls (and less tie situations).

Any thoughts?

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:48 am

Your right. Mathematically you would have fewer ties on a d20. Personally I do the d10 with dex modifier and break ties based on stats.

DangerDwarf · Post by **DangerDwarf** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:45 am

Quote:
In the C&C PHB, Initiative is resolved by rolling a d10 and, in the event of ties, a higher Dex will win.

That's how I handle it. Never really felt the need for a mathematically diverse initiative. It tends to throw off my 3e players who always reach for the 20-sider come initiative time though.

Arioch · Post by **Arioch** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 10:17 am

We pretty much play it by the book, though we did try out one of my players different initiative systems with weapon speed length and such being taken in to account

ken
_________________
Gygax is to Gaming what Kirby was to comics

Alas poor Elric I was a thousand times more evil than you

Slice N Dice: Game and Pizza Parlour

WWBYD What would Brigham Young do ?
http://www.geocities.com/J_Elric_Smith/Index.html

Dragonhelm · Post by **Dragonhelm** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:21 am

Treebore wrote:
Personally I do the d10 with dex modifier and break ties based on stats.

I do the same. This is how I've done it since my AD&D days.

It's a little weird going back to a d10 after using a d20 in D&D for a while. Then again, it's like seeing an old friend again.
_________________
Trampas Whiteman
---DragonHelm--->
Dragonlance Nexus

Maliki · Post by **Maliki** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 1:40 pm

Dragonhelm wrote:
I do the same. This is how I've done it since my AD&D days.

It's a little weird going back to a d10 after using a d20 in D&D for a while. Then again, it's like seeing an old friend again.

Same here, I find myself reaching for the d20 once in a while.
_________________
Never throw rocks at a man with a Vorpal Sword!

Omote · Post by **Omote** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 1:42 pm

I roll up initiative in C&C BTB, just tend to like it that way. Ties go to the better DEX mod. Love it.

.............................................Omote

FPQ
_________________
> Omote's Advanced C&C stuff <
Duke Omote Landwehr, Holy Order of the FPQ ~ Prince of the Castles & Crusades Society

meepo · Post by **meepo** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 1:49 pm

I do d10, PC's win all ties, and the PC's decide who goes first on their own ties. If this fails, DEX wins out. And if their DEX scores are the same, flip a coin.

serleran · Post by **serleran** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 1:53 pm

I play:

Declare actions (some cause delays automatically, like "if that Orc moves, I shoot him".)

Roll 1d10.

Highest resolves first.

Ties are simultaneous actions, though the players resolve their actions first (that is, they roll their dice before I do.)

Nelzie · Post by **Nelzie** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 2:01 pm

I see a tie in initiative as a simultaneous action. This can cause times when a PC and an NPC/Monster may well strike eachother down at the same time.

Combat_Kyle · Post by **Combat_Kyle** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:26 pm

I go by the book, players break ties by dex, players always go before monsters in case of ties. It has worked just fine.
_________________
CK the CK
"My goddess touched me at an early age."

-Grikis Valmorgen, Paladin

The beginnings of my homebrew campaign world and info for my play by chat game:
http://kbdekker.googlepages.com/home

moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:29 pm

Thank you for your feedback...

I was initially leaning towards a d20 based initiative allowing the addition of DEX modifiers to the roll. This would be closer to the D&D 3.x system which is good but only in the sense of all the other players who are familiar with that system... Some of the players I know have not had the joy of knowing AD&D and I'm trying to make a possible transition from D&D 3.x for those players as easy as possible.

However, having it given more thought, the DEX modifiers would only really benefit the players... the stat blocks in the M&T book don't actually detail the creature attribute scores which means that these monsters would be at a constant disadvantage in initiative. I suppose I could easily come up with a way to figure out a DEX bonus for creatures on the fly... ie) certain Small Creatures get a +2 and certain Large Creature (or larger) a -2... etc. I think it might be just simpler to do the straight roll at this point (whether it be a d10 or d20).

In the event of a tie... I think I will go with what has been suggested and consider them simultaneous actions but allowing the players to resolve their actions first. The possibility of a monster and character striking each other down would be too fun to describe!

Dragonhelm · Post by **Dragonhelm** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:48 am

Or you could roll 1d10 plus the Dex modifier for the players, then roll a d12 for the monsters.

No need to tell the players, of course...
_________________
Trampas Whiteman
---DragonHelm--->
Dragonlance Nexus

Traveller · Post by **Traveller** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 1:01 am

I don't use C&C initiative at all. However, what I do use apparently is almost the exact reverse of the C&C system, something I did not realize until rewriting my CK screen for the 2d Printing. I tend to keep my initiative as diceless as possible. If you go to the link in my signature, I have my house rules available for view. You can see exactly how I do it.
_________________
NOTE TO ALL: If you don't like something I've said, PM me and tell me to my face, then give me a chance to set things right before you call a moderator.
My small homage to E.G.G.

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 2:16 am

I give monsters an initiative bonus of 1/3 their HD, when I want them to have a bonus.

magehammer · Post by **magehammer** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 2:18 am

I use the 3.X system for initiative, including cyclical initiative. d20 + Dex mod. for characters. Monsters: d20 + Hit Die / 3 rounded down.

C&C is an incredibly fast combat system, but it really flies with cyclical. Plus, my players are conditioned to the cyclical. Combat absolutely flies.
_________________
If you are looking for something to read:
http://bit.ly/QOfso

Visit magehammer's Keep on the Weblands at http://magehammer.googlepages.com

moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 2:36 am

Traveller wrote:
I don't use C&C initiative at all. However, what I do use apparently is almost the exact reverse of the C&C system, something I did not realize until rewriting my CK screen for the 2d Printing. I tend to keep my initiative as diceless as possible. If you go to the link in my signature, I have my house rules available for view. You can see exactly how I do it.

Thanks, I've taken a peak and it looks interesting... Your CK Screen also looks very nice.

moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 2:38 am

Treebore wrote:
I give monsters an initiative bonus of 1/3 their HD, when I want them to have a bonus.

Actually that's something I haven't even considered... Brilliant! Thanks again!

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 7:27 am

Another thing is STR. You can/should give the giant types STR bonuses based on the Belt STR bonus (in the M&T, magic treasure section) for the respective giant types.

I give +3 to the ogres and the weaker Troll, +4 to the stronger troll type (hill?), then the bonus for the respective giants.

I also up the xp reward by increasing the effective HD of the creature by the STR bonus. They are considerably deadlier with the bonus, especially the Trolls. the basic write-ups of these creatures don't appear to give the bonus, nor to take it into account for the xp calculations, so that is how I ad lib the xp's for giving the STR bonus.

moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:32 am

Treebore wrote:
Another thing is STR. You can/should give the giant types STR bonuses based on the Belt STR bonus (in the M&T, magic treasure section) for the respective giant types.

I give +3 to the ogres and the weaker Troll, +4 to the stronger troll type (hill?), then the bonus for the respective giants.

I also up the xp reward by increasing the effective HD of the creature by the STR bonus. They are considerably deadlier with the bonus, especially the Trolls. the basic write-ups of these creatures don't appear to give the bonus, nor to take it into account for the xp calculations, so that is how I ad lib the xp's for giving the STR bonus.

Thanks Treebore... that's another excellent idea; I've only started thumbing through the M&T and that was something I hadn't noticed. I'm going to have to check some of the old monsters from AD&D and see how those were handled with regards to the damage they dished out.