I was wondering how you guys handle initiative in combat when new participants enter.
Say I have a party of 4 players and 3 of them decide to attack the 2 goblin guards at the entrance to the dungeon. The 4th player is not involved with the combat and is off doing something else. Halfway through the battle the 4th player arrives and decides to help hij 3 friends defeat the goblins. Does he have to roll for initiative or does he get added to the end of the round automatically?
Rolling for initiative and adding him to the order would sound logical. But what if he rolls higher than the player's who's turn it is at the moment of entering combat?
For instance: The dwarf, halfing and human are fighting. It's the dwarf's turn and he attacks the goblins. The dwarf rolled a 13 initiative. When the elf joins the battle she rolls a 15. It's in fact a higher initiative than the dwarf, but as the dwarf has just finished his turn the elf now has to wait another round to join. Right?
The new addition rolls initiative. If they roll higher than whoever’s turn it is, it doesn’t matter. Initiative counts down in order. If they roll 18 for initiative but enter the combat on initiative count 12, they’ll take their turn when it’s next initiative count 18.
What you should probably do is have them roll at the beginning of the round. Since all turns in a given round occur simultaneously, there’s no reason for the new combatant to come in in the middle of a round unless they’re already acting on a specific initiative count anyway. If their entrance is only made possible by an action someone takes in the round (e.g. someone open a door for them), I probably wouldn’t let them act during that round even they rolled a lower initiative.
I do pretty much what Saga said. For me if any player in my campaign has to roll initiative, everyone does. For exactly the reason you're talking about. That way it doesn't matter what other players are doing, until the current initiative ends whomever joins is already locked in.
My judge decided to add a creature on it's best situation instead of using the next round after appearing. He said he gets to do this because he was in initiative on the DM's screen to keep us from being able to prepare. Is this legal rather than using the statement of when added to the initiative order and waiting until the next round.
My judge decided to add a creature on it's best situation instead of using the next round after appearing. He said he gets to do this because he was in initiative on the DM's screen to keep us from being able to prepare. Is this legal rather than using the statement of when added to the initiative order and waiting until the next round.
The DM determine when new creature joining an existing combat encounter are added to the initiative order unless the game feature specifically say so.
Some DM will have them roll when appearing, some will wait the top of a new round before doing so etc...
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Hey guys,
I was wondering how you guys handle initiative in combat when new participants enter.
Say I have a party of 4 players and 3 of them decide to attack the 2 goblin guards at the entrance to the dungeon. The 4th player is not involved with the combat and is off doing something else. Halfway through the battle the 4th player arrives and decides to help hij 3 friends defeat the goblins. Does he have to roll for initiative or does he get added to the end of the round automatically?
Rolling for initiative and adding him to the order would sound logical. But what if he rolls higher than the player's who's turn it is at the moment of entering combat?
For instance: The dwarf, halfing and human are fighting. It's the dwarf's turn and he attacks the goblins. The dwarf rolled a 13 initiative. When the elf joins the battle she rolls a 15. It's in fact a higher initiative than the dwarf, but as the dwarf has just finished his turn the elf now has to wait another round to join. Right?
Wondering how you approach this stuff.
Cheers!
The new addition rolls initiative. If they roll higher than whoever’s turn it is, it doesn’t matter. Initiative counts down in order. If they roll 18 for initiative but enter the combat on initiative count 12, they’ll take their turn when it’s next initiative count 18.
What you should probably do is have them roll at the beginning of the round. Since all turns in a given round occur simultaneously, there’s no reason for the new combatant to come in in the middle of a round unless they’re already acting on a specific initiative count anyway. If their entrance is only made possible by an action someone takes in the round (e.g. someone open a door for them), I probably wouldn’t let them act during that round even they rolled a lower initiative.
I do pretty much what Saga said. For me if any player in my campaign has to roll initiative, everyone does. For exactly the reason you're talking about. That way it doesn't matter what other players are doing, until the current initiative ends whomever joins is already locked in.
That's what happens when you wear a helmet your whole life!
My house rules
My judge decided to add a creature on it's best situation instead of using the next round after appearing. He said he gets to do this because he was in initiative on the DM's screen to keep us from being able to prepare. Is this legal rather than using the statement of when added to the initiative order and waiting until the next round.
The DM determine when new creature joining an existing combat encounter are added to the initiative order unless the game feature specifically say so.
Some DM will have them roll when appearing, some will wait the top of a new round before doing so etc...