(Layout optimized for Chrome and Opera browsers)

NARRATIVE INITIATIVE

Based (and building upon) Christopher Delvo's Narrative Initiative method. If a rule is not mentioned (e.g. surprise rules, Ready action), then it is unchanged from the standard initiative rules. This method greatly speeds up play.

Starting Combat and Taking Turns

Combat does not begin until someone initiates it. If there are surprised creatures, whichever character or creature initiates combat acts first. To find out who goes next (the second turn of combat), roll for initiative. You also roll for initiative if there are no surprised creatures (like a standoff situation, for example), or if both sides are equally surprised. The creature/character with the highest initiative result plays its turn. Ignore all other initiative results.

After that turn and for the rest of the encounter, DM and players take turns in whatever order they desire, whenever they think it would be most dramatically opportune. To speed up combat, players should only take their turn when they know exactly what they want to do and what their action does, game-mechanic wise (spellcasters: know your spells!)

The DM can take one or more turns, depending on the number of NPCs and monstrous creatures (usually one or two turns, to simplify things). The DM uses the average Dexterity modifier of a group of creatures as an approximate indicator of when to act in the round. Characters and creatures that would gain a second turn during a round of combat, such as characters with the Thief’s Reflexes class feature, take their second turn at the end of that round of combat. If you take the Ready action on your turn, you specify a trigger and use your reaction to act later in the round (as per normal rules). If a trigger isn't important, however, you can simply wait to act later in the round!

Turn Contest

Twice per combat encounter (but not a turn when the DM wins an initiative roll), players can choose to have a character's turn supersede the DM's turn. The contesting player knocks on the table (or rings a bell) and makes a DC 12 "initiative check" (d20 + initiative modifier).

On a success, the player takes its turn before the DM (DM plays immediately after). On a failure, the DM's turn isn't superseded and play continues as normal. (Alternatively, the DM can roll initiative for his creature(s) and compare the result to the player's initiative result. The side with the highest result wins that turn.)

Player Ties

If two players want to play at the same time-- and if the players can't speedily decide among themselves-- their characters act in order of Initiative modifier, with the highest Initiative modifier going first.

For the purposes of this tiebreaker, characters with advantage on their initiative roll add +4 to their modifier, while characters with disadvantage on their initiative roll substract 4.

If both characters have the same initiative modifier, the character with the highest Intelligence score goes first (representing tactical wit).

If a tie remains, it is resolved by action order (i.e. first action taken on a turn): 1) ranged weapon attack ; 2) melee weapon attack against target within reach ; 3) movement or any other action; 4) cast a spell.

The DM should take note of the "passive" initiative order to quickly resolve tie issues. The priority order can also be written on a board for all players to see.

Lair Actions

Lair actions that usually occur on initiative count 20 can be taken immediately after the first player has had its turn. Lair actions can't be contested.

Familiars and Beast Companions

The player rolls initiative once for its familiar, beast companion, or group of conjured creatures. 15 or more: take turn early each round. Between 8 and 14: take turns mi-round. 7 or less: take turn late each round.

Pre-Rolled Damage Dice

Attack rolls (rolls to hit) are always made visibly on the player's turn. If you see that the player acting just before you in the initiative is doing something that won’t have any impact on your actions, you can pre-roll damage of spells or attacks that deal a lot of damage and count the result before your turn to speed things up. The thrown dice have to remain on the table until your turn. If you choose to roll damage dice before your turn, you have to honor the dice rolls and the action linked to those dice. If the damage dice were dependant on a successful attack roll and that attack roll fails on the player's turn, the dice are immediately discarded.

Spells and Features Duration

Rules for spells and features duration aren't changed. If a spell or feature says "at the beginning/end of each of the creature's turns, this happens, then it happens at the beginning/end of that creature's turn, no matter when the creature (or character) acts in the round. This creates a certain duration randomness that will be at times beneficial and at other times somewhat detrimental. Party will learn to adjust tactics knowing effect duration may be unpredictable.

Ending the Round

After a player completes its turn (DM included), it hands in a token (e.g. a colored pebble) to the center of the gaming table. Once all tokens are handed over, the next round begins. At the end of its next turn, a player takes a token from the pool of tokens at the center of the gaming table. Once there is no token left at the center of the table, the next round begins, and this process starts over.

Variants

If numerous players are sitting around a large table, handing over tokens might not be convenient and visible enough. In this case, to avoid confusion and mayhem, we suggest giving each player a LED "push light" or "tea lights" (you can buy these lights at a dollar store, hardware store, or supply store). The player pushes (turns on) its light to announce it wants to take its turn. Once all players and the DM have had their turn (DM might have additional push lights for multiple turns), all the lights will be turned on. This means the current round is over. Players turn off their light and the new round begins.