Initiative: Getting it Just Right

As my (small handfull of) regular readers may have already noticed, a lot of the stuff I have posted on this blog is pretty derivative. I either take something that someone else has already posted somewhere else and just port it right into my own game, or I snag some little bit from an old manual and make it fit for my own game (usually by simplifying it little or making it fit better into my DIY/d20 game). This is a case where I have done both, take someone else's great idea and then hack it down to size. So, before I continue, I would like to thank Chris for another one of his great posts. We both have the old Judge's Guild Ready Reference Sheets but I have been missing the initiative system that is in there. Luckily, Chris picked up on it during a recent read through and posted, letting us know about this sweet little goody.

I have been using the d20 initiative system (roll 1d20 and add dexterity modifier) for years now and have become quite tired of it. It does not really leave characters the ability to speed things up by modifying how they choose to act. But unfortunately I have not been quite sure about what I wanted to do next. I wanted to keep with a descending system (higher results act earlier). I had been considering using weapon speeds and casting times (from AD&D/2e) but that seemed to require flipping initiative on its head; shifting to a ascending system (lower results act earlier). The RR Sheets flip the modifiers on their collective heads and thus I am able to stick with descending initiative while still adding in modifiers for weapon and casting speeds. I am also able to easily throw in modifiers for wearing heavier armors and for encumbrance (see an upcoming post). 

So, onto the big question... Initiative: individual, group, or something else? 

Individual, but also something else. Using the system in the RR Sheets as a foundation. The major addition I am making is rolling 1d12 and adding the relevant modifiers from the table below (my table is a bit different from the original), using dexterity modifiers as a base. The character/monster with the highest total goes first, with any others following in descending order. Character/monster dexterity modifiers will be the final final breakers. 

Roll 1d12, add dexterity modifiers, and then add in the appropriate modifiers from below:

Armor:
No Armor Worn           +4
Light Armor  Worn       +3

Medium Armor Worn   +2

Heavy Armor Worn      +1

Shield Carried              -1

Weapons:
Small (Dagger, Hand Axe, Short Sword, etc.)             +7
Medium (Mace, Long Sword, Touch Attack, etc.)        +5
Large (Flail, Morning Star, Club, etc.)                        +3
2-Handed/Long (Halberd, Great Sword, Lance, etc.)    +1
Polearms With Reach                                              +9
Missile, Simple (Sling, Dagger, Grenade, etc.)          +10
Bows (All)                                                               +8
Crossbows (All)                                                       +6
Magic:
Reading Scroll        +1
Spell, 7-9 lvl            +2
Spell, 4-6 lvl            +7
Spell, 1-3               +10
Breath Weapon      +10

I have made some adjustments to the modifiers that appear in the RR Sheets. I have attempted to account for weapons sizes a bit differently: smaller weapons act faster. I have also accounted for the different speeds of different types of missile weapons.