Initiative tracker

[torquemadaza 49]

I've made a light weight, low ink, initiative tracker. It'd work best if you got it laminated and used dry erase markers. 

 

You can find it here.

 

 

[eldath 201]

My one comment would be that you need to add a space for Triumphs as anyone with any ranks in either skill could well roll them and they should also count in the initiative order. Other than that, nice work.

 

Eldath

[torquemadaza 49]

Thanks.

 

I read and reread just to make sure, but I didn't read any rule related to triumph affecting initiative. Could someone point me to the RAW. thanks

[Rookhelm 116]

I don't think the rules say anything, exactly, but one could use triumphs as a tie breaker.

[torquemadaza 49]

Is that how all you guys are using it, like a competitive check?

 

As initiative favours PCs over NPCs when results are tied, and PCs don't need to compete with one another; they just get to choose in what order they act, I wonder if that additional level of fidelity is actually necessary and not a little time wasting.  By all means, the Triumph can be used to provide a one-off advantage for the encounter, but it is already a success, so why use it further to break ties. Shrug.

 

I like the simpler option. Am I all alone?

Edited August 30, 2013 by torquemadaza

[mrvander 83]

Read the skill section for Cool and Vigilance.

[Rookhelm 116]

Is that how all you guys are using it, like a competitive check?

 

As initiative favours PCs over NPCs when results are tied, and PCs don't need to compete with one another; they just get to choose in what order they act, I wonder if that additional level of fidelity is actually necessary and not a little time wasting.  By all means, the Triumph can be used to provide a one-off advantage for the encounter, but it is already a success, so why use it further to break ties. Shrug.

 

I like the simpler option. Am I all alone?

 

 

Yeah, you're right.  Triumphs aren't really necessary for tie breakers, but I just thought of something.  In the beginner box (or maybe it was an insert from the Core book) there's a mock gameplay session on one of the inserts.  With GM and player dialogue going through a sample session.

 

They role initiative when facing the gamoreans.  One of the players roles a triumph, so the GM gives them a Boost die on their first action.  Seems like a good way to use a triumph during initiative.  or maybe they were doing a surprise attack and got the boost that way, i can't remember lol.  Either way, i still think that's a good use of a triumph.  Or a free maneuver at the start of the round.

[torquemadaza 49]

So, is anyone here playing triumphs gained by Cool and Vigilance checks differently? Or all you simplifying and predominantly using the effects granted by vigilance even when asking for Cool initiative checks? And, how are you guys narratively increasing the difficulty to the initiative check, so as to possibly have a player throw a despair result? 

 

Is an initiative check a full Cool or Vigilance check, meaning that any result for a cool or vigilance check should be played out when checking for initiative, using ALL the symbols, not just those required to determine initiative slots. That's how I am reading it. 

 

Cool:

Success: not applicable, other than succeeding in the task or determining slot order

Advantage: Give the character additional insight to the situation.

Triumph: spend a triumph to recover 3 strain

Threat: Character misses a vital detail or event

Despair: Stun the character for a round

 

Vigilance:

Success: as cool, and extra successes may indicate readily available supply

Advantage: character notices something (cover, escape route, something that may distract a foe)

triumph: character can take an extra manoeuvre during the first round of combat (max of 2 as normal)

threat: character misses a key piece of information, blinding him to an advantage

despair: character can only perform one manoeuvre during the first turn.

 

I've read and re-read both skills, and also the initiative rule and nowhere do they say, "Use a triumph to break ties." You may do so naturally, but page 198 is pretty darn clear.

 

- - 

 

Edit: Thanks for the input guys. I've updated the pdf to reflect that all symbols are important.

Edited August 30, 2013 by torquemadaza

[Kallabecca 978]

IIRC initiative counts up the Successes as whole numbers, then counts Advantages for a fraction. So a Triumph would count as a Success and a certain number of Advantages (I think some people think it is worth about 3 Advantage).

[mrvander 83]

I think the thing to keep in mind here is that the uses for the results as listed in the Skills chapter are not the end-all, be-all, "that's all you can do with them" list. These are merely suggestions per skill. While the initiative rules don't state what to do with triumphs specifically, the vigilance suggestions do. By extrapolating, if someone who is unaware combat is beginning can generate a free maneuver by a good vigilance check, certainly someone who is expecting combat will be able to as well (even though that specific example is not listed under the Cool skill.)

 

When someone generates advantages and triumphs on an initiative check, I don't think they should be ignored or simply used as the initiative mechanic. The initiative rules do state that the check is a simple difficulty - so it is a skill check like any other and there is a difficulty associated with it.  The check will rarely generate threats or despairs since the base difficulty is simple, but conditions or other mechanics could potentially modify that.

[Rookhelm 116]

initative checks have no difficulty, so Despairs are never gained. 

 

if going by RAW, simply count successes and advantages.  Advatnages are used to break ties, if still a tie, PC gets the initiative.

 

 

However, one should decide how to handle triumphs because they will come up.  Do they count for determining initative?  Do you ignore them?  Do they give you a boost or free maneuver?  Do they recover x strain?  i say it's up to the group/GM

[eldath 201]

I've made a light weight, low ink, initiative tracker. It'd work best if you got it laminated and used dry erase markers. 

 

You can find it here.

Error 404 Initiative not found 

 

Seems like the file is missing or the link broken.

[torquemadaza 49]

re-uploaded just for you here

[QuinnDx 90]

Despair/Threat on initiative rolls? Up to the group/GM/whatever I suppose, but personally I've never seen the point of an upgraded/changed difficulty for an initiative roll. They are always Simple (ie, no negative dice).

 

If you're looking to complicate things for players during combat, do it the conventional way. Use Destiny against them, impose Setback die on them or throw a fear check their way instead of complicating the only Simple difficulty roll in the game (competitive checks DO have difficulty, however).

 

 

Is that how all you guys are using it, like a competitive check?

 

As initiative favours PCs over NPCs when results are tied, and PCs don't need to compete with one another; they just get to choose in what order they act, I wonder if that additional level of fidelity is actually necessary and not a little time wasting.  By all means, the Triumph can be used to provide a one-off advantage for the encounter, but it is already a success, so why use it further to break ties. Shrug.

 

I like the simpler option. Am I all alone?

 

 

Yeah, you're right.  Triumphs aren't really necessary for tie breakers, but I just thought of something.  In the beginner box (or maybe it was an insert from the Core book) there's a mock gameplay session on one of the inserts.  With GM and player dialogue going through a sample session.

 

They role initiative when facing the gamoreans.  One of the players roles a triumph, so the GM gives them a Boost die on their first action.  Seems like a good way to use a triumph during initiative.  or maybe they were doing a surprise attack and got the boost that way, i can't remember lol.  Either way, i still think that's a good use of a triumph.  Or a free maneuver at the start of the round.

 

 

The boost was because it was a 'sneak' attack. No Triumphs were rolled in those examples, but the example does cite the GM granting a player a maneuver for rolling two advantage on an Athletics skill check before combat began.

 

I would grant a free maneuver to a player who rolled a Triumph on an initiative roll, but I would count it before combat begins and not as part of their first turn.