Card Based Initiative

[dwayanu]

This may be a relatively quick and easy way to produce a random individual initiative order.

An ordinary deck of playing cards gives you 13 "face values." Two colors allow for 26 combatants (up to 13 per color-coded side), four suits for 52, plus two jokers = 54.

At the start of the session, assign each member of the players' party a card. Seating order around the table is easy to remember. Each time an encounter comes up, do likewise for the monsters (or maybe "squads" if the PCs face a veritable army).

Shuffle those cards and turn over one at a time to see "who goes next." You can add other events to the mix, for "what happens next" in special situations.

Now, how to introduce bonuses/penalties (less randomness) if one is of that mind?

[thorswulf]

How about giving characters more cards who have a high Dexterity? This way they could choose to play only one card, but they could do it when they wanted to do it. I've played lots of skirmish wargames that use cards for activation and it works pretty well. Your monsters might only get one card each or as a unit if they fight that way. I could see hobgoblins, and humanoid bodygaurds getting a card that let them attack as a unit. Small unit tactics should make them a little burlier! Fast monsters should get more cards to choose from, or maybe they could get one card per attack? Probably using all of these methods would work real well in a large combat with various foes vs. players. Great idea!

[dwayanu]

I figured it would seem so obvious in retrospect -- but that's no preparation for the actual epiphany. If you've got more cards, one of yours is likely to come up sooner rather than later!

The idea that combatants can choose to act on the same card to represent tactical cohesion is most interesting. The downside is that if they're outnumbered by enemy units then it's more likely more enemy will get to act first. (Unless the whole group can act on any member's card ... !?)

I exalt you, Gentleman and Scholar.

[blackbarn]

The Savage Worlds RPG uses a similar card-based initiative, and although I wasn't keen on the idea when I read it, in play it works fast and smoothly. I think it would be a great fit for OD&D if you didn't mind the feel of using cards in the game.

[Finarvyn]

It's a neat idea, but I'm not sure it does initiative that much differently than a die roll unless you allow players to have multiple actions.

In Star Fleet Battles there is a "phase" movement system where each turn is broken up into (making up a number, since it's been a while) ten phases. If your movement is 10 you might move in each phase, while if your movement is 5 you might move in odd numbered phases, or if your movement is 3 you might move in phases 3/6/9.

I suppose you could put together a similar thing based on DEX or movement, or whatever additional factors you wanted to incorporate into the system. For example, say 1 movement card per 3" of movement rate and another card for each DEX bonus point. Maybe a character with movement of 9" and a DEX bonus of +1 would get 4 cards.

Now, in the SFB model that character would always move in the same phases because there is a static chart, but with a card-based model perhaps that character would get four numbers assigned and would get to move as those numbers came up in the card flip.

Sounds complicated as I type it, but I'll bet it would play out smoothly once you got the hang of it.

[dwayanu]

One salient difference is that there's nothing to remember except who corresponds to which card. The card itself indicates who's next. It would be even slicker with custom cards indicating explicitly "Gutboy Barrelhouse" or whomever.

Lately I've been playing "4E" -- and finding the individual initiative system a drag. For those unfamiliar with that, it involves a modified d20 roll for each combatant (and then tie-breaking), higher acting sooner. This is done at the start of the encounter, not (thankfully!) per round. I understand that some folks like to "count down," but I find that even more tiresome than the method these fellows have adopted. They sort out the order and have someone write it on a note pad.

We always end up needing to ask the Keeper of the Order who's next, which means the Keeper must keep place in the list. It seems simple in theory, but (especially at the end of the night, when time is running short to finish the final encounter and brain power is at a low ebb) the practical result is choruses of, "Next! Next!" I think one reason is that people tend to get distracted while waiting for their turns.

Making the order unpredictable (with a shuffle each round) might help to keep people focused.

There are ways to make 4E more manageable, such as the DM rolling for and ordering the monsters' initiative scores ahead of time (something the RPGA designers could do right in the scenarios). Some other games, such as Villains & Vigilantes, make initiative easier by usually involving fewer combatants.

Beyond that, I just think the idea is nifty -- at least if one finds individual initiative at all appealing in the first place.

[dwayanu]

"Phase" systems similar to SFB's appear as well in Champions and in D&D's Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry.

Melding that with a card draw could produce startling results! Someone who would normally not get to act at all until later in the round might (once in a blue moon) get to act twice before Mister Speedy.

[drskull]

I'd second the motion on the Savage Worlds card-based initiative system. It's smooth as silk and allows some room for customization.

At the start of each round, the GM throws a playing card at each PC, and each group of similar monsters.

The highest card goes first and each card in descending order after that.

If you pull a Joker, you can go at any time you want in the round, and you get +2 to all your rolls.

If the numbers are tied (2 guys get an "8" or a "king") then you go in reversed alphabetical order by suite (Spades-Hearts-Diamonds-Clubs)

So, the Ace of Spades is the highest card, the 2 of Clubs is the lowest.

You can add other random events to the battle by linking them to a card.
For example, I have a "Battlefield Events Table" based loosely on the D&D2e skills and powers "tied initiative table" that I use whenever the 2 of Clubs is drawn.

If you want to reward high Dexterity or some kind of initiative-related power or spell, you can allow re-draws of low cards, or allow a character an extra draw and take the better card.

I've used the Card-based system for Savage Worlds, D&D3e, Conan, Traveller, and Castles and Crusades, and it works equally well in every system.

[drskull]

P.S. you only reshuffle the deck when someone draws one of the 2 jokers