Initiative
At the start of a battle, each combatant makes an initiative check. An initiative check is an opposed D20 roll that adds either a character’s Dexterity modifier or Intellect modifier, whichever is higher. Each character applies their appropriate stat modifier to the roll, as well as other modifiers from talents, traits, spells, and other effects. Characters act in order, counting down from the highest result to the lowest. In every round that follows, the characters act in the same order (unless a character takes an action that results in his or her initiative changing; see Special Initiative Actions).
If two or more combatants have the same initiative check result, the combatants who are tied act in order of total initiative modifier (highest first). If there is still a tie, the tied characters should roll an additional initiative check to determine which one of them goes first.
Flat-Footed
At the start of a battle, before a character has had a chance to act, they are considered to be flat-footed. While flat footed a character is unable to perform certain actions and may lose various modifiers used to defend themselves as they are unprepared to fight. Flat Footed characters do not have the ability to take reactions, and are unable to use their Dexterity bonus or Dodge bonus to AC(Negatives from these still apply). Some abilities may make it so a character cannot be caught flat-footed. Characters with these abilities retain their Dexterity and Dodge bonus to their AC and can make attacks of opportunity before they have acted in the first round of combat.
Determining Awareness
When combat starts some characters may be unaware or unready for the combat. When starting combat the GM may call for various skill checks such as perception to determine what characters are aware of the impending combat. If there is even 1 character that is aware, they receive a special action during the surprise round while all unaware characters are flat footed and unable to act in the surprise round. Unaware character’s do not lose the flat footed penalty until they perform their first action. Surprise Round
At the beginning of the combat if there are characters who are unaware and characters who are aware the characters who are aware get to act in a surprise round. A surprise round acts similarly to a normal round of initiative with a few exceptions. Only characters who are aware during the surprise round are able to act in normal initiative order, They can only perform a single basic action unless they have an ability that says otherwise. If all characters in the combat are either aware or unaware, there is no surprise round. Inaction
Even if a character is unable to perform any actions they remain in the same spot of initiative unless they perform a special initiative action, or are affected by some other ability.Special Initiative Actions
The following lists special actions that if performed can alter a character’s position in the initiative order.
Delay
By choosing to delay, a character takes no actions and then may choose to act on whatever initiative count they decide on. When they delay, they voluntarily change their own initiative result to the new location in initiative for the remainder of combat or until they change it again. A character can specify this new initiative result or just wait until some time later in the round and act then, thus fixing their new initiative count at that point. A character can never get back the time they spent delaying initiative. They also can not interrupt another action, and may only undelay their initiative before or after another character’s turn. Initiative Consequences of Delaying
The character’s initiative result becomes the count on which they undelayed their action. If the character comes to their next action and has not yet undelayed and takes their turn, they do not get to take their delayed action though they can delay again. If they take a delayed action in the next round, before their regular turn comes up, their initiative count rises to that new point in the order of battle, and they do not get their original turn that round. Ready
The ready action lets a character take an action at a later time, after their turn is over but before their next one has begun. Readying is a basic action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, though the action that they ready might do so. A character can ready any action that can be taken with a single basic action. To do so, the character specifies the action they want to take and the conditions under which they will take it. Anytime before their next turn, they may take the readied action in response to that condition. The action occurs just before the action that triggers it. If the triggered action is part of another character’s activities, they interrupt the other character. Assuming they are still capable of doing so, the character continues their actions once the readied action is completed. The readied character’s initiative result changes to just before the character’s whose actions triggered the ready action. A character can take a 5-foot step as part of a readied action, but only if they did not otherwise move any distance during the round. Initiative Consequences of Readying
A character’s initiative result is changed to be the count just before the trigger on which they took the readied action. If they come to their next action and have not yet performed their readied action, they do not get to take the readied action, though they can ready the same action again. If they take their readied action in the next round, before their regular turn comes up, their initiative count rises to that new point in the order of battle, and they do not get their original action that round. Distracting Spellcasters
A character can ready an attack against a spellcaster with the trigger “if they start casting a spell.” If they damage the spellcaster, they may lose the spell they were trying to cast. See spellcasting rules for more information. Readying to Counterspell
A character may ready an attempt to counterspell a spellcaster (often with the trigger “if they start casting a spell”).See counterspelling rules for more information. Readying a Weapon
Some weapons may give the character the ability to ready against a specific action. For example some spears have the brace property, which allow a character to gain bonuses if they ready against a charge. Abilities such as these will be listed on the ability, talent, or item that grants them.
Initiative Timescale
Each round is a 10 second block in which all creatures in initiative act in order based on their initiative, however all actions taken happen within the same 10 second timespan. These rounds are further broken up into time based on actions taken, with basic actions taking 4 of the 10 seconds, quick actions taking 2 seconds, free actions taking no time, and immediate actions taking an amount of time based on the action they are taking during.Flat-Footed
At the start of a battle, before a character has had a chance to act, they are considered to be flat-footed. While flat footed a character is unable to perform certain actions and may lose various modifiers used to defend themselves as they are unprepared to fight. Flat Footed characters do not have the ability to take reactions, and are unable to use their Dexterity bonus or Dodge bonus to AC(Negatives from these still apply). Some abilities may make it so a character cannot be caught flat-footed. Characters with these abilities retain their Dexterity and Dodge bonus to their AC and can make attacks of opportunity before they have acted in the first round of combat.
Determining Awareness
When combat starts some characters may be unaware or unready for the combat. When starting combat the GM may call for various skill checks such as perception to determine what characters are aware of the impending combat. If there is even 1 character that is aware, they receive a special action during the surprise round while all unaware characters are flat footed and unable to act in the surprise round. Unaware character’s do not lose the flat footed penalty until they perform their first action. Surprise Round
At the beginning of the combat if there are characters who are unaware and characters who are aware the characters who are aware get to act in a surprise round. A surprise round acts similarly to a normal round of initiative with a few exceptions. Only characters who are aware during the surprise round are able to act in normal initiative order, They can only perform a single basic action unless they have an ability that says otherwise. If all characters in the combat are either aware or unaware, there is no surprise round. Inaction
Even if a character is unable to perform any actions they remain in the same spot of initiative unless they perform a special initiative action, or are affected by some other ability.
Special Initiative Actions
The following lists special actions that if performed can alter a character’s position in the initiative order.
Delay
By choosing to delay, a character takes no actions and then may choose to act on whatever initiative count they decide on. When they delay, they voluntarily change their own initiative result to the new location in initiative for the remainder of combat or until they change it again. A character can specify this new initiative result or just wait until some time later in the round and act then, thus fixing their new initiative count at that point. A character can never get back the time they spent delaying initiative. They also can not interrupt another action, and may only undelay their initiative before or after another character’s turn. Initiative Consequences of Delaying
The character’s initiative result becomes the count on which they undelayed their action. If the character comes to their next action and has not yet undelayed and takes their turn, they do not get to take their delayed action though they can delay again. If they take a delayed action in the next round, before their regular turn comes up, their initiative count rises to that new point in the order of battle, and they do not get their original turn that round. Ready
The ready action lets a character take an action at a later time, after their turn is over but before their next one has begun. Readying is a basic action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, though the action that they ready might do so. A character can ready any action that can be taken with a single basic action. To do so, the character specifies the action they want to take and the conditions under which they will take it. Anytime before their next turn, they may take the readied action in response to that condition. The action occurs just before the action that triggers it. If the triggered action is part of another character’s activities, they interrupt the other character. Assuming they are still capable of doing so, the character continues their actions once the readied action is completed. The readied character’s initiative result changes to just before the character’s whose actions triggered the ready action. A character can take a 5-foot step as part of a readied action, but only if they did not otherwise move any distance during the round. Initiative Consequences of Readying
A character’s initiative result is changed to be the count just before the trigger on which they took the readied action. If they come to their next action and have not yet performed their readied action, they do not get to take the readied action, though they can ready the same action again. If they take their readied action in the next round, before their regular turn comes up, their initiative count rises to that new point in the order of battle, and they do not get their original action that round. Distracting Spellcasters
A character can ready an attack against a spellcaster with the trigger “if they start casting a spell.” If they damage the spellcaster, they may lose the spell they were trying to cast. See spellcasting rules for more information. Readying to Counterspell
A character may ready an attempt to counterspell a spellcaster (often with the trigger “if they start casting a spell”).See counterspelling rules for more information. Readying a Weapon
Some weapons may give the character the ability to ready against a specific action. For example some spears have the brace property, which allow a character to gain bonuses if they ready against a charge. Abilities such as these will be listed on the ability, talent, or item that grants them.
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