Basic Fantasy RPG Forums

Question regarding Initiative:

I run an every other Thursday game of BFRPG for about 18 months now. The group varies from 4 to 7 players. I initially was unintentionally running initiative incorrectly, and once I figured that out (about a month ago) I discussed how we were doing it vs by book.

How I was doing it was I had each player roll 1d6 with their dexterity modifier applying, I would roll 1d6 for each monster group. We would then keep that initiative count for the entire encounter.

I informed my players of the difference between what we were doing and the by-book version and the group decided to keep doing it the way we had been. It seemed like it would add a lot of rolling of dice (anywhere from 8 to 10 dice rolls) for not much gain.

Is there anything I'm missing in keeping the fixed initiative that would outweigh slowing the game down by rerolling initiative every round?

Nothing wrong with what you're doing.

In my regular in-person game, each player rolls a die for each character or creature he or she controls at the start of the round, and leaves those dice in front of the character sheet. I roll for each monster or group of like monsters and lay those dice on the battlemat near the figures. Then as characters and creatures act, we remove their dice.

How do you deal with the 2 attacks per round, like with the Scout bow?

If it works in your table then its an ok ruling

Seven wrote: ↑Thu Jul 23, 2020 1:20 pm How do you deal with the 2 attacks per round, like with the Scout bow?

I allow that PC to do 2 attacks, just like I would with a monster who does multiple attacks

Seven wrote: ↑Thu Jul 23, 2020 1:20 pm How do you deal with the 2 attacks per round, like with the Scout bow?

Some will let multiple attacks combine, other will make them after everyone acted.

I prefer to use the old-school one roll per side each round.
The rare times I do use individual initiative, I use a d12 or d20 rather than d6.

I apply subsequent attacks by the same weapon after everyone has acted, re-running initiative order (not re-rolling, just doing them in order again) if several combatants can do multiples.

chiisu81 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 23, 2020 4:45 pm I prefer to use the old-school one roll per side each round.
The rare times I do use individual initiative, I use a d12 or d20 rather than d6.

I swapped to this as well and really prefer it. It leads to the PC's acting more as a team to do an attack rather than just individual attacks.

Individual initiatives is probably more realistic but one roll per side seems to play better at the table.

It also might be cool to do one "one roll per side" initiative roll at the beginning and then all subsequent rolls be individual. That would probably be more how that an actually battle would play out -> initial teamwork breaking down into individual skirmishes and all sorts of other craziness

And a hasted party get their extra attack first?

First round group initiative than individual ones sounds intriguing.
At least when there is no surprise involved.
I'll have to give that a try.