Initiative Variant: Chain Initiative

With chain initiative, all combatants are grouped into “sides”. When a creature finishes a turn it makes a check to see if the next turn will go to another creature on the same side, or if it will go to the opposing side. This system is designed to speed up gameplay by reducing the number of initiative rolls that need to be made at the start of combat.

Side Initiative. In this system, initiative counts correspond to a “side” rather than an individual creature. Each “side” consists of a group of creatures with shared alignment or affiliation, such as player characters, allied NPCs, or monsters from the same faction. At the outset of each combat turn, the currently active side designates a single creature from their group to take their turn. Once a creature has had it’s turn it cannot take another until the start of the next round. The first turn of each round always goes to the player characters.

Initiative Checks. At the end of a creature’s turn, that creature makes an “initiative check” with a DC of 8. On a success, the creature can select another creature from their side to act next. On a failure, a creature from the opposing side gains their turn. The DC for this check increases by 2 with each successful use, resetting to 8 when a new side takes its turn.

When a side that is hostile to the player characters fails the check, the next turn goes to the player characters’ side. If the players fail the check and multiple enemy sides vie for the next turn, the Dungeon Master determines which side takes the next action.

At the conclusion of a creature’s turn, if no other creatures from its side have yet to act in the current round, the check automatically fails. A surprised creature also automatically fails the check.

Party Initiative Bonus. The party’s initiative bonus is the modifier that is added when a player character or an NPC on the side of the player characters makes an initiative check. The party’s initiative bonus is equal to the average number that each party member and allied NPC would add to a standard initiative roll. The party cannot have an initiative bonus lower than +2.

NPC Side Initiative Bonuses. Sides that do not consist of player characters or allied NPCs have an initiative bonus of +2.

Lair Actions. Lair actions occur after the first player character’s turn of each round.

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App

You can use this tool to help run this system at your table. You can also see just the app here.

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Credits

• Thumbnail Art - “You Come To The Gnoll Camp” By Billy Christian

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Todo

• Consider lair actions
• Change the wording of “NPCs” when talking about how the active side changes on a failed check; Its possible the party will have an allied NPC acting on their side, and with the current wording if such an NPC failed the initiative check then the next turn would still go to the party.
• Credits (find the video you got the idea from (if that even exists, I haven’t been able to find it))
• Think about a benefit to give the players if any of the characters would normally roll for initiative with advantage (e.g. Barbarian with Feral Instinct)