House Rule: Dark Thrones Alternate Initiative

Summary of Steps

1. Announcement by each Actor of intended sequence of all Actions
2. Roll Base Initiative
3. Apply Modifiers
4. Map out Comprehensive Sequence List to include final Sequence Number of each Action for all Actors
5. Flow along sequence, Lowest to Highest Initiative, making adjustments as necessary

1. Announcement by each Actor of intended sequence of all Actions

Everyone announce what they will do IN ADVANCE OF ANY INITIATIVE ROLLS.

You don’t have to put in a full post, just explain what you would like to do if you could.

State plainly what you want to do as a first choice. Avoid "If … Then…" qualifiers (unless you are formalizing a trigger with a Ready Action option). Changed circumstances and adjustments will be dealt with mechanically (see Adjustment to Battlefield, Ready Action, etc. below).

Explain Actions (Attacks or otherwise), Movement, Bonus Action (if taken), Interact with Object/Environment – and a sequence of how you want those to go in what order.

Set Reaction as desired (more to follow below).

Example:
1. Action: Attack 1 of 2 (Fighter Extra Attack) against Uburatu with Short Sword
2. Interact with Environment: Kick Uburatu's sword away
3. Movement: Move 20’ to hounds near Thorn
4. Action (cont'd): Attack 2 of 2 against closest Hound
5. Bonus Action: Attack a different Hound with Off-Hand dagger
Reaction: Set to Uncanny Dodge at first Hit taken

2. Roll Base Initiative

A. Roll 1d10.
B. If you have any applicable capability that gives you Advantage on Initiative, roll twice and take the Lower number.
C. Subtract Proficiency
D. If you have Alert Feat, Subtract 3

Result is your Base Initiative.

Note: Negative Initiatives are possible, and "zero" counts as a Sequence Number.

This will be the very beginning of your possible Actions.

Note: Yes. It is true that DEX Modifiers do not apply in this system. It is experience and battlefield expertise, quantified by Proficiency Bonus, that is the main influencer here.

3. Apply Modifiers

This must be done for EACH ACTION.

Modifiers:

+0 Speed Factor for Unarmed Strike
+0 Speed Factor for Natural Weapons on Medium or smaller creatures
+1 Speed Factor for Natural Weapons on Large Creatures
+1 Speed Factor for 1d4 or 1d6 damage weapons and all Ranged Attacks
+2 Speed Factor for 1d8 damage weapons
+3 Speed Factor for 1d10 or higher or multi-dice damage weapons

+1 Between Martial Class Extra Attack 2nd Attack (speed Factor must be added again)

+3 Between multiple Attacks Natural Weapons or any other creature-related Multi-Attack features (speed Factor must be added again)

+4 Between Action and Bonus Action (either way on desired sequence, speed Factor or other applicable Mods must be added)

+1 For each 5 feet of Movement
+1 For each 10 feet of Movement if Dash Action is being used

+3 To Stow or Draw a weapon
+0 To drop a weapon

+5 Default Mod to Interact with Object / Environment. DM may vary depending on complexity of Interaction.

Note: Reactions are the exception. Because of their nature, they are exempt from normal timing and insert immediately at the sequence number of their applicable trigger.

End Product Desired: A layout identification of Initiative Sequence Number of Each Action

As example, if you have 2 Attacks as a Fighter plus are making a Bonus Action Off-Hand Attack, you will have 3 different Initiative Sequence Numbers for the Round. Movement would be incorporated within the desired order to finalize Sequence Number of each Attack.

4. Map out Comprehensive Sequence List to include final Sequence Number of each Action for all Actors

A comprehensive Sequence Layout for the Round will be published by the DM before all Actions are addressed.

5. Flow along sequence, Lowest to Highest Initiative, making adjustments as necessary

DM will make requests for incoming rolls and posts based on flow and sequence. Players post, roll, and report along the way.

This may require multiple entries (posts), which may be spread across at different times, or multiple entries may be asked for all at once in advance by the DM.

Ties can result. Different Actors can have Actions occurring on the same Initiative Sequence number. If so, they will be happening simultaneously.

The Reaction Wild Card: If you have Reactions set to OAs, Parry, Uncanny Dodge, Riposte, Sentinel Feature, or any similar Reaction option, you can begin applying them to triggers beginning at this sequence number and any higher sequence number.

Adjusting to Battlefield Change

There are inherent possibilities for someone to choose an Action initially that becomes impossible or irrelevant by the time their Initiative Sequence comes up. In some cases this may result in a lost Action, which could be frustrating. But in some cases the character can adjust Actions after taking a time-cost penalty to reassign to a different sequence number. A character can spend a Reaction to do so.

Adjust to a Changing Battlefield: Spend Reaction and add 10 to your sequence. Pick up remaining Actions from there using Modifiers as applicable, but with an overall limit that no Adjustment effort can move beyond Sequence Number 20.

The Variability of Reaction Use: Actors must set Reactions to some default during Announcement Phase, but they can elect to abandon that during the Action flow and convert to the Adjustment option for the Reaction instead if they have not already used their Reaction

Ready Action as Reaction Option: Another use of the Reaction that can be set during the Announcement Phase is the Ready Action. This is a purposeful delay of Action for a triggering event. The Ready Action is in play beginning at the Actor's Base Initiative. Any time in the sequence that the trigger happens after that, the Actor can insert his Action immediately at the same sequence number. This could be a way to avoid the time-cost penalty of the Battlefield Adjustment.