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Pen and Paper Roleplaying Games (RPGs) Discussion / Re: 'Everyone Moves At Once' Grid/TOTM Combat - Can it be done?
« on: March 05, 2021, 01:17:39 AM »
There are a number of ways to work initiative, but I do think that a system needs to be built with the initiative system in mind from the ground up rather than slapping a new initiative system into a already made game.
But if you're looking for ideas of how to make movement more fluid, here's the initiative system for the "swashbuckling space western RPG" that I've been working on. (Space Dogs RPG) It's basically a side-based phase system.
A Full Turn –
1. Initiative/Morale Phase: Each side rolls a 3d10 to decide order of action and on a tie the one with a character with the highest Sharpness score chooses initiative order. If the NPCs’ roll fails their Morale Test then they break.
2. Movement Phase: In initiative order each side moves and chooses their Action(s).
3. Ranged Phase: Every character who is not in melee and chose a ranged Action acts in initiative order.
4. Melee Phase: Every character who chose to Run acts in initiative order. Then all melee attack rolls are rolled at the same time. (melee is basically opposed attack rolls)
Then you start over with the next round, re-rolling initiative/morale. It doesn't technically have everyone move at once, but everyone moves before the next phase of the round. (Also note: between needing to declare your action and melee happening all at once, going first isn't always advantageous.)
It's a bit slower than D&D style initiative, but going side-based makes it at least as fast as going individual initiative with a more default initiative.
I'm not 100% that it'd work as well with as much movement as D&D generally gives you. The standard human movement in Space Dogs is just 2 squares/round (more if you give up your attack to run) - which works since the focus is more on ranged combat with melee being secondary. Likely wouldn't want to go that slow in a fantasy game where melee is primary.
But if you're looking for ideas of how to make movement more fluid, here's the initiative system for the "swashbuckling space western RPG" that I've been working on. (Space Dogs RPG) It's basically a side-based phase system.
A Full Turn –
1. Initiative/Morale Phase: Each side rolls a 3d10 to decide order of action and on a tie the one with a character with the highest Sharpness score chooses initiative order. If the NPCs’ roll fails their Morale Test then they break.
2. Movement Phase: In initiative order each side moves and chooses their Action(s).
3. Ranged Phase: Every character who is not in melee and chose a ranged Action acts in initiative order.
4. Melee Phase: Every character who chose to Run acts in initiative order. Then all melee attack rolls are rolled at the same time. (melee is basically opposed attack rolls)
Then you start over with the next round, re-rolling initiative/morale. It doesn't technically have everyone move at once, but everyone moves before the next phase of the round. (Also note: between needing to declare your action and melee happening all at once, going first isn't always advantageous.)
It's a bit slower than D&D style initiative, but going side-based makes it at least as fast as going individual initiative with a more default initiative.
I'm not 100% that it'd work as well with as much movement as D&D generally gives you. The standard human movement in Space Dogs is just 2 squares/round (more if you give up your attack to run) - which works since the focus is more on ranged combat with melee being secondary. Likely wouldn't want to go that slow in a fantasy game where melee is primary.