Initiative

Before combat, the party should have a marching order showing who is where.

Starting Combat

If one side is unseen by the other, the unseen side cedes initiative.

Torchlight can be seen in darkness from 1320 feet away, about a quarter mile, if it is in a straight line and there are no other light sources at the viewer's location.

When combat begins and both sides see one another, the lead person, usually the first in marching order or the vanguard, chooses either to take initiative or cede initiative.

If the lead character takes initiative, the players act first in marching order.

If the lead character cedes initiative, the monsters act in order, starting with the ones closest to the PCs.

Acting Together

If two characters act simultaneously, this is allowed. They must choose whether to act or move first.

If both move at the same time, resolve movement 5 feet at a time. If movement conflicts, resolve it as an overrun.

Attacks made simultaneously generally take effect simultaneously unless a feature gives one combatant an advantage.

Delaying

If a party member delays too long, initiative passes to the next person in line, then to the monsters, then back to them. Initiative resets as normal at the beginning of the next round.

Seizing Initiative

If two parties act nearly simultaneously and order matters, each may make an AGL check to spend their reaction and seize initiative.

• If both succeed, the lowest successful die result acts first.
• If both fail, the lowest die result acts first.
• If one succeeds and one fails, the success acts first.
• If both roll the same, resolve simultaneously unless only one succeeded.

Combat Order

Take turns from the point of contact closest to the target, radiating outward clockwise in a spiral.

On your turn, you may use your primary action, move action, and reaction if you wish.

At the end of your turn, any condition you have advances by 1 round.

The next individual clockwise then takes their turn.

Surprise

Surprise does not grant an additional full round of attacks. It allows you to catch opponents as impaired:

• +2 to hit them
• target suffers -1 AGL checks/saves

Frantic Combat

If the table is moving too slowly, the GM may switch to frantic combat.

In frantic combat, each player has six seconds to announce an action and six seconds to execute it, including dice rolling and result announcement.

If you are too slow, you lose that action. If you miss all actions, you take Consider Options by default.