I run all my monsters at the same time. Rather than trying to sift through all the monsters for initiative in b40, I'm just going to throw a DM token on the board (player category).
Thoughts?
jh
Simple Initiative Solution
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emirikol
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Simple Initiative Solution
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OMGIzAToken
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I always find it easier to run like monsters together. For example, if I was running D&D 4e and I had:
6 Kobold Minions
2 Kobold Dragon Shields
1 Kobold Slinger
I would have all the minions have their own initiative, the Dragonshields have their own, and the slinger would go by himself. Makes it easier to run their abilities in groups like that even though you'd be tracking a few more initiatives. Also if I have a solo or a "boss" monster out on the board I always give him his own initiative too.
Although running them all on the same initiative and doing the whole "mob the players" thing can be fun too.
[Edit] man my grammar sucks
6 Kobold Minions
2 Kobold Dragon Shields
1 Kobold Slinger
I would have all the minions have their own initiative, the Dragonshields have their own, and the slinger would go by himself. Makes it easier to run their abilities in groups like that even though you'd be tracking a few more initiatives. Also if I have a solo or a "boss" monster out on the board I always give him his own initiative too.
Although running them all on the same initiative and doing the whole "mob the players" thing can be fun too.
[Edit] man my grammar sucks
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emirikol
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I've been having some "slowing" issues with the combats in 4e, perhaps breaking them up might speed things along, because it gives players more reaction opportunities.
jh
jh
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OMGIzAToken
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Well if you want to give your players more of an idea what they want to do you can always have the slowest to fastest commit actions and then run the actions fastest to slowest.
Example:
Player 1 and player 2 both roll initiative in which player 1 rolls an 11 and player 2 roles an 18. Before actions start you would have player 1 say what he is going to do first (since he's the slowest) and then have player 2 say what he going to do. Then player 2 can act knowing what player 1 is going to do because essentially he's more reactive and would see it coming.
This might make combat run slower but it adds more strategy. I know you said you have slowing problems but I thought I'd just throw this idea out there.
Example:
Player 1 and player 2 both roll initiative in which player 1 rolls an 11 and player 2 roles an 18. Before actions start you would have player 1 say what he is going to do first (since he's the slowest) and then have player 2 say what he going to do. Then player 2 can act knowing what player 1 is going to do because essentially he's more reactive and would see it coming.
This might make combat run slower but it adds more strategy. I know you said you have slowing problems but I thought I'd just throw this idea out there.
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UntoldGlory
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That's kind of neat but horribly slow.
A nice fast option is to use static initiatives. Like Passive Percetion or passive Insight. Everybody's init just equals 10+bonus. Then monsters of the same type automatically go at the same time, but different types of monsters will be sprinkled around the player inits.
A nice fast option is to use static initiatives. Like Passive Percetion or passive Insight. Everybody's init just equals 10+bonus. Then monsters of the same type automatically go at the same time, but different types of monsters will be sprinkled around the player inits.
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OMGIzAToken
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That's a pretty cool idea too (and fast) but I'd hate to be the players with a low initiative mod.
Also why does everyone have "dragon" or "Great Wyrm" written under their name and I have to be a freaking Kobold...it's not fair I tellz ya!
Also why does everyone have "dragon" or "Great Wyrm" written under their name and I have to be a freaking Kobold...it's not fair I tellz ya!
The invention of the flamethrower means that someone, somewhere thought, "There has to be an easier way to set someone on fire."
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UntoldGlory
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Actually, having a low init is not nessicarily a bad thing for many classes/people. Like, last night my cleric in a game rolled a 3 for init. By the time it got to my turn my options had increased drastically, since if I had gone earlier I'd have had to spend all my movment closing to firing range etc.OMGIzAToken wrote:That's a pretty cool idea too (and fast) but I'd hate to be the players with a low initiative mod.
Also why does everyone have "dragon" or "Great Wyrm" written under their name and I have to be a freaking Kobold...it's not fair I tellz ya!
And yeah. If you want a cool title you just have to not shut up. Just do what I do and type any drivel or random thought that happens to cross your mind.
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jfrazierjr
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You said it, I didn'tUntoldGlory wrote: Just do what I do and type any drivel or random thought that happens to cross your mind.
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UntoldGlory
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I think D&D 4e is fundamentally built to divide up the bad guys.
It's more cinematic in theme.
MapTools makes it so much more possible. Esp. b40.
You can Roll initiative ahead of time and save it in the properties.
Then when combat comes around, you round them up and add them to the InitTool.
I love it.
If I was playing Table Top, I might consider going with static numbers for monsters just to speed it up a bit. But with automation, it make the fights more dynamic.
It's more cinematic in theme.
MapTools makes it so much more possible. Esp. b40.
You can Roll initiative ahead of time and save it in the properties.
Then when combat comes around, you round them up and add them to the InitTool.
I love it.
If I was playing Table Top, I might consider going with static numbers for monsters just to speed it up a bit. But with automation, it make the fights more dynamic.