Initiative
Initiative is the measure of the general awareness and response time of a creature or character. Having a high initiative value ensures one is quick to react if sudden danger makes itself known.
Those creatures or characters with high initiative scores are more likely to be able to act earlier than others within a game round.
Initiative rolls are used particularly at the start of a new encounter between the player party and other denizens of Fairyland, when there is an equal opportunity to react. In the case where a creature spots the players first (or vise versa), then no initiative rolls need be performed, and those at unawares are left at a disadvantage, only able to react after potential foes are perceived.
The standard initiative roll of a creature or character is '
- dPower + (d)Wisdom + (d)Sinew + [talent bonuses]
... where 'dPower' is the base dice as used in a standard power roll in the simplest form of the game.
See Size and Scale and Play Types.
One recommendation is that each time a new encounter or scenario begins, that all the players roll initiative, and re-seat themselves at the game table in descending order of their resultant scores. This means that the players take turns in a regular order around the table (be it clockwise, or counter-clockwise), this being much simpler than trying to keep track of who is going next otherwise. The new initiative and order of play then holds until the next major encounter requiring an initiative roll.
See also: