[OOC] Table Talk

[PaleShadow]

Hey everyone sorry if my posting is a bit slow, just on the road but I'll try to keep up until I'm back home Wednesday!

[Goldmyr]

It’s all good. Drive safe

[FatherDondo]

Originally Posted by PaleShadow

Liking the template FatherDondo! Might just need to steal it at some point

Some things are meant to be stolen. Information wants to be free!

[Goldmyr]

I'm looking for opinions on whether you would prefer to group Initiative or do away with Initiative all together.

I feel like the main goal of Initiative in Pathfinder is to define turns where a more freeform conversation doesn't really work. Combat is the big thing. Initiative makes sure that everyone gets the actions they deserve without being interrupted by players, and it works great for tabletop. However, PBP already has a kind of turn based feel to it, such that I'm not sure Initiative is necessary. In fact, it might get in the way. If Player A has time to post, but it's Player B's initiative turn, then Player A feels like they shouldn't post now. However, by the time Player B has posted, Player A no longer has time. Obviously, this issue is exacerbated because it's five people instead of one waiting on one person before they can post again. If all the players can move at once, then it might mitigate the slowdown that combat causes.

I've previously tried grouping initiatives where all the players who rolled before a monster go at once, then the monster, then any players that go before the next monster, and so on. I feel like it's worked pretty well, if someone can't post for whatever reason, I can automate their turn when I post for the monsters. It's just a matter of deciding how long I should wait before posting for them. I feel like it alleviates the wait a bit.

Else we can get rid of Initiative all together. All the players go, then all the monsters. It loses a bit of nuance and monsters won't be able to interrupt PC plans by going inbetween them, but it gives players the most freedom time wise, and has the best chance of keeping the posting pace up.

Also, what is a good time to wait for a player before taking their turn for them.

[triedtherest]

I say we Roll for Initiateve, Post when we can even if it means we put down our actions before people who rolled higher than us.

If we have to post our actions in order of Initiative then we would take ages to get through even a single round of Combat.

I say that if a player hasn't posted after a week since the last DM post, then their Characters Actions can be NPC'd.

[DraconigenaArma]

I've been here for nearly 20 years and rolling for initiative to decide turn order has never worked on play by post. The following is what I use in my games, and it is the best compromise between table top and throwing initiative out completely. I used to just ignore it, but that does punish any character who is "better" at initiative than others, and while initiative focused builds are less important, there's at least some reason to care about that part of a character.

Originally Posted by Me

Initiative: characters roll initiative against a DC 10 to evaluate their readiness during the first round of combat, be it a full round or surprise round. Those who would not normally act in a surprise round suffer a -10 to their check. Success means the character acts normally. Failing the check incurs a -1 to attack, damage, and AC. For every 5 points the character fails the check they incur an additional -1. For every 5 points a character exceeds 10 they receive a +1 bonus to attack, damage and dodge AC (15 +1, 20 +2, 25 +3 etc.) These modifiers last for the first round of combat only.

Other than that, the monsters and PCs post in cohorts, all the PCs in the order they post, then the DM and all adversaries. Having actions happen in the order they post is important because everyone can post and react based on everything that has already been posted. Fewer vague maybe contingency posts.

A week is a good rule of thumb, especially in combat.

[Goldmyr]

Draco, do you generally roll the initiative checks for the players? I feel like that would be easier than just having the players make a separate post just for initiative.

[DraconigenaArma]

No, I have them roll it in their first combat post. They roll their initiative, see what their bonus is, then edit the post with more narrative and rolls and such. If it takes a while they usually say they're done in the OOC thread, otherwise it usually just works out. I also always post AC / HP / saves, etc. of the bad guys because I enjoy reading literary-rich posts from the players who know their characters better than me. The "suspense" of mystery loses its charm for me when the reveal can take days, and my DM posts don't have to be novels describing every PC's success and failure..

[Goldmyr]

Okay. That’s interesting.

[DraconigenaArma]

This is the entire play style / house rule section for my campaigns, it elaborates more if that helps. Not saying my style is your style, but if you're looking for outside opinions that's exactly what all those posts are (at length) about.

[PaleShadow]

Back home now! I don't mind much either way for initiative, I guess if I had to choose it would be whatever makes it easier for folks to be able to post when available.

[FatherDondo]

If you're worried about messiness, what if the PCs rolled initiative and took the mean average? Then whatever order the players post in, that's just how it happens.

20	Goblins 1
17	Goblins 2
10	PCs
4	Goblins 3

[DraconigenaArma]

Originally Posted by FatherDondo

... initiative and took the mean average?

The only stutter step, when it comes to post pacing, is if it's understood initiative may cut up the monster's initiative (they don't act as a cohort but the PCs do) then for the first round PCs don't know which monsters their actions are following and proceeding. Unless the DM rolls everyone's initiative for them when the fight starts and that info's available in the "round zero" post. If doing it that way, pacing isn't effected, but opinions vary on "player autonomy" and who rolls what for the PCs vs. DM.

[Clawsome]

I will do whatever the group decides but agree that taking those characters who set up to have high initiative are hamstringed if you don't allow individually.

[FatherDondo]

Originally Posted by DraconigenaArma

Unless the DM rolls everyone's initiative for them when the fight starts and that info's available in the "round zero" post.

That was my assumption in that case; I didn't think to add it.