tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4235572328009577701.post4495634452697019255..comments2024-03-22T05:09:24.512-04:00Comments on Spells and Steel: Talking about Initiative AgainCharles Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00941603544547428940noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4235572328009577701.post-30720584917855867032014-10-01T17:39:09.797-04:002014-10-01T17:39:09.797-04:00There was no initiative roll in OD&D. Why use ...There was no initiative roll in OD&D. Why use one now?JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4235572328009577701.post-65601837871816111092014-01-25T01:22:31.747-05:002014-01-25T01:22:31.747-05:00"La pointe d'une épée est une realite qui..."La pointe d'une épée est une realite qui fait disparaitre bien des fantomes." (the point of a sword easily dispels fantastic notions.) - Baron Bazancourt<br />MCPlanckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09239576472889126413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4235572328009577701.post-79189980871878314142013-12-09T11:51:15.021-05:002013-12-09T11:51:15.021-05:00But even in a round-to-round initiative system, it...But even in a round-to-round initiative system, it's more or less impossible to say (after round one) whether you acted first in the round, before everyone, or last in the previous round.<br /><br />I like that point about the knife-wielding army. A little look at history often puts things in perspective.Charles Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00941603544547428940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4235572328009577701.post-58849968730486688972013-12-09T11:09:47.963-05:002013-12-09T11:09:47.963-05:00Fixed repeating cyclic initiative is pretty much p...Fixed repeating cyclic initiative is pretty much pointless after round one. I must admit I do favor a round to round initiative system that embodies an opportunity to advantage or misfortune of disadvantage that isn't simply "reaction speed" to shake things up a bit and reflect uncertainties of combat beyond those expressed by the attack and damage rolls.<br /><br />The quick lightly armored knife fighter (usually "dual wielding") being able to strike 3 or times per axe-blow meme is amusing, any time someone raises the point to me I'm always quick to ask "why has there been no armed force in the history of the world to deploy legions of lightly armored soldiers fighting with a pair of knives?"JDJarvishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07691101939920824546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4235572328009577701.post-74556684095632243862013-12-09T09:38:30.178-05:002013-12-09T09:38:30.178-05:00In the first instance, it seems to me that the at...In the first instance, it seems to me that the attack roll handles that just fine - if the archer hits, then he obviously hits before the character closes to melee range.<br /><br />And in the second case, it seems like movement rates is the stat in question. In the case of a tie, you can just flip a coin (so to speak).<br /><br />You're right - it does *very occasionally* come up that one action must happen before or after another and it's not obvious which, but in those cases what you need is a tie breaker, really, not an initiative roll.Charles Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00941603544547428940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4235572328009577701.post-90875134636061623622013-12-09T08:31:38.803-05:002013-12-09T08:31:38.803-05:00I've largely gotten rid of initiative yet ther...I've largely gotten rid of initiative yet there are still situations I find that something like it is required. For example, if one character is rushing an archer, an initiative roll is used to see if he makes it. Or if one group of monster is trying to cross a bridge or go through a door and the PCs are trying to cut them off to negate the monster's advantage of numbers. That sort of thing. <br /><br />Empire of the Petal Throne was smart to call these rolls Reaction Time rolls. Hedgehobbithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17606283586332210195noreply@blogger.com