Initiative Timing is everything in combat. Does a fighter try to get in a quick blow before his enemy can react, or does he wait for a better opening? Who gets to go first when a barbarian warrior is trying to cut down a mage casting a spell? The initiative structure presented here is designed to answer those questions and provide your character with better alternatives for combat.
The Initiative Roll[]
The Player's Option combat system resolves actions in five action phases: very fast, fast, average, slow, and very slow. A character's action phase is determined by his base initiative, modified by his weapon speed and the combat action he selects for the round. Striking at an opponent standing next to you doesn't take much time at all, but running halfway across the battlefield in a long charge will take a little more time.
At the beginning of each round of combat, both sides roll a d10. The side with the lowest roll wins initiative. In each action phase, the side that has won initiative attacks and moves first. In any given action phase for one side of a fight, attacks and spells occur before movement takes place. (In other words, if you and your companion both take an action in the average phase, your buddy gets to fire an arrow or cast a spell down that hallway before you actually begin running down it.) If there are fast creatures on both sides of the fight, the fast creature that won initiative strikes before the fast creature that lost initiative. Fast creatures strike before average creatures, even if the average creature's side won initiative.
Some initiative rolls provide unusual results:
- A roll of 1 accelerates the action phase of that side by one, so a slow character gets to go in the average phase;
- A roll of 10 slows the action phase of that side by one step;
- A tie results in a critical event. Reroll the initiative dice until one side or the other wins, and then consult the Critical Event Table below.
Base Initiative[]
A creature's base initiative is the time it begins to move or makes an attack if it attacks without weapons. Monsters that normally fight with natural weaponry are simply assigned a base initiative determined by their size and speed.
| Monster Size | Base Initiative |
|---|---|
| Tiny or Small | Very Fast |
| Man-Sized | Fast |
| Large | Average |
| Huge | Slow |
| Gargantuan | Very Slow |
Improve base initiative one grade for a movement rate of 18 or better, and reduce base initiative one grade for a movement rate of 6 or less. Also, moderately encumbered characters and monsters suffer a one-phase initiative penalty, heavily encumbered creatures are slowed by two phases, and severely encumbered creatures suffer a three-phase initiative penalty.
Note that most player characters have a base initiative of fast. Remember, this doesn't take into account weapon speeds or combat actions. Record the character's base initiative on the character sheet—it's used in each and every round of combat.
Weapon Speeds[]
Characters armed with weapons modify their base initiative with their weapon speed. All weapons are assigned a speed rating of fast, average, slow, or very slow. When the character makes an attack, his action phase is his base initiative or weapon speed, whichever is later. A fast human armed with a two-handed sword, a slow weapon, attacks in the slow phase of the round. The base initiatives of magical weapons are modified as follows:
| Magical Bonus | Base Initiative Modifier |
|---|---|
| +1 | none |
| +2 or +3 | one phase |
| +4 or more | two phases |
Thus, a human wielding a two-handed sword +2 gains a one-phase modifier, attacking in the average phase rather than the slow phase.
Critical Events[]
Strange things happen in the fog of war. Many battles hinge on a lucky break or an unforeseen complication. In the Player's Option combat system, this is reflected by the critical event roll.
Critical events are provided to add color and excitement to the melee. They create openings or opportunities that quick-thinking PCs can take advantage of. They also allow the DM to present a more active and visual portrayal of the characters in battle.
The DM is free to rule that the critical event does not occur, or even alter it to reflect the exact circumstances of the battle. For example, if the battle is taking place on a mountainside beneath an overhang of snow, the DM can decide that the critical event is an avalanche triggered by the fighting.
As a general rule, critical events should not directly inflict damage to a character or creature, although they can force saving throw rolls or ability checks to avoid damage. Use critical events to create chaos and disorder on the battlefield, but avoid favoring one side or the other.
Critical Event Table[]
| d20 roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Armor Trouble |
| 3–4 | Battlefield Damaged |
| 5 | Battlefield Shifts |
| 6 | Close Quarters |
| 7 | Item Damaged |
| 8 | Item Dropped |
| 9–11 | Knock Down |
| 12 | Lucky Break |
| 13 | Lucky Opening |
| 14–15 | Mount Trouble |
| 16 | Reinforcements |
| 17 | Retreat |
| 18 | Slip |
| 19–20 | Weapon Trouble |
Armor Trouble[]
A random combatant has trouble with his armor. Roll 1d6 for the exact problem. The character can remedy the situation by spending one round standing still and repairing his armor.
| d6 roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Helm lost, victim's head is exposed |
| 3–5 | Shield lost |
| 6 | Plate lost, +2 to AC (plate armor only) |
Battlefield Damaged[]
Something in or around the battlefield gets broken. If the fight occurs indoors, it might be a piece of furniture, a window, or a keg of ale.
Battlefield Shifts[]
The tide of battle carries all figures 1d6 squares in a random direction from their current location. Nobody gains any attacks of opportunity.
Close Quarters[]
Two enemies that threaten each other find themselves inside one another's reach and are effectively grappled.
Item Damaged[]
A random combatant has something damaged by a wild swing. Choose anything except a weapon and roll an item saving throw to see if it broke.
Item Dropped[]
As above, but the item is spilled, dropped, or cut free from the owner's person.
Knock Down[]
A random combatant engaged in melee is knocked to the ground by a collision with someone near him. The nearest figure (friend or foe) must roll a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation or fall down next to him.
Lucky Break[]
A random combatant is favored by fate and gains a +4 bonus to his Armor Class and saving throws for this round only.
Lucky Opening[]
A random combatant sees his chance. He gets a +4 bonus to the attack roll against whatever enemy he had planned to attack this round.
Mount Trouble[]
A random mounted combatant experiences difficulty with his animal. Roll 1d6:
| d6 roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 1–3 | Mount bolts. It sprints for 1d10 rounds in a random direction or until the rider rolls a successful riding proficiency check. |
| 4–5 | Mount rears. The rider must roll a successful riding proficiency check or fall off the mount. |
| 6 | Mount falls. The thrown rider must roll a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation or be stunned for 1d6 rounds. |
Reinforcements[]
Allies of the DM's choice show up for one side or the other.
Retreat[]
The press drives back all threatened figures of one side or the other. See Retreats, below.
Slip[]
A random combatant slips and falls, spending the round on his back.
Weapon Trouble[]
A random combatant experiences difficulty with his weapon. Roll 1d6:
| d6 roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Combatant disarmed unless a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation is rolled. |
| 3–5 | Hard parry may break weapon. Roll a successful item saving throw vs. crushing blow to avoid. |
| 6 | If the character killed an opponent last round, his weapon is stuck in the foe's body. Take a round to pull it out. |