SettembrINI

Template:Wilde Gestade Template:InfoboxRegel Courtesy of Settembrini, translation by Never_plays_elves:

The OSRIC rules, as well as the 1e rules that inspired them, for regulating initiative, i.e. for determining who does what and when in a combat round, are viewed by some as complicated or contradictory.

The reason for this is the way in which the original author presented the rules, in various places over three years. A collection of all sources and the attempt to bring them all into harmony has become known under the name ADDICT . These individual observations will not be repeated here. Instead, I will present my interpretations of the original rules, which I have developed over many years of experience as a game master and which I have found to be particularly conducive to the flow of the game.

The most important point is to understand what and how authors like Gary Gygax have written: using many examples and refinements, an ideal is outlined throughout. What does this look like in a concrete case?

During the one-minute combat round, many things happen simultaneously. The game master puts all the actions in a sequence. To do this, the game master utilizes all case studies and rule elements that can be found in the rule books. Since there can potentially be many different configurations of the possible sequences, the presence of a game master is needed who will implement this interpretation precisely, guided by the texts and the basic concepts.

Guidelines

• Spells take a certain amount of time to be cast, and they can be interrupted until the spell-casting procedure is complete. Segments are used to that end.

• Movement, as well as melee or other actions like opening doors, selecting another pieceof equipment, etc., basically occur throughout the entire round. In detail, however, they do happen at specific points in time before or after the action of another combatant.

• Multiple attacks must be distinguished from attack routines and are handled in different phases for both practical and balancing reasons.

• Ranged attacks can be faster than anything else if the shooter has a readied weapon andtheir target is clearly visible, and provided that the shooter does not have to move.

Achieving the highest level of implementation of FAG rules would require that all actions of each combatant are declared in advance, initiative is rolled, and then the actual course of the round is described, after the DM has sorted everything out and interpreted and modeled the combat situation using their imagination as guided by their experience. This is how the examples are implicitly presented in the original texts. However, not only is a mixed form more concrete and practical, but is also identifiable in actual game practice.

The hybrid form as a cooking recipe

1. You will be asked if you want to cast spells or use a scroll.
   1. Anyone who wants to make a charge or use their (pole) weapon against such a move must now announce this (or write it down). Players will not be asked individually to state their intended actions
2. Should you intend to cast a spell, such spell must be named (or written down)
3. Both sides roll a d6 for initiative. This roll is not modified.
   1. Spells cast by the side that has lost the initiative can always be interrupted,meaning the first series of attacks (1st melee phase) will be deemed to occur before the relevant spell casting procedure is completed.
   2. Spells cast by the winning side occur before the losing side's first melee phase if, and only if, the casting time is less than or equal to the result of the initiative die.
4. Charges are carried out. 7.3 applies in this case, mutatis mutandis:
   1. If the attacked figures already hold readied ranged weapons, loaded with ammunition and having their targets identified, the attacked figures may, at the GM's discretion and based on the GM’s overall assessment of the combat situation at hand, fire their projectiles once at these targets or at figures moving towards them.
5. The initiative winners perform their ranged attacks and 1 segment spells.
   1. Traditionally, magical missiles are deemed faster than arrows or projectiles, so they must be resolved before any others.
6. Other spells, spell cast from scrolls and wands, rods and staves (the later at segment 2) of the initiative winners are cast, up to the segment number of the initiative die (maximum 6).
   1. Simple spells, such as fireball, web, etc. also take effect immediately and are resolved
   2. other configurations, which, for example, require that another character has to move towards the spell-caster in order to take effect, or where the spell-caster waits for a certain moment, are not yet processed
7. Movement and 1st melee phase for the initiative winners are resolved
   1. Creatures with an attack routine (e.g. claw/claw/bite) perform it completely
   2. Combatants with multiple attacks (e.g. of high level fighters ) attack once
      1. Combatants with multiple attacks who have lost initiative attack once without moving.
   3. If the losers already hold readied ranged weapons, loaded with ammunition and having their targets identified, the initiative losers may, at the GM's discretion and based on the GM’s overall assessment of the combat situation at hand, fire their projectiles once at these targets or at figures moving towards them.
8. The regular ranged combat phase for the initiative losers is resolved.
9. Movement and the 1st melee phase for the initiative losers are resolved.
10. The spells of the initiative winners with casting times exceeding the result of the winning initiative die are resolved.
11. Most of the spells of the initiative losers are cast
    1. Exemptions are spells with casting times covering an entire round, or longer spells (7 segments +) if the initiative winners still have more than one multiple attack to deliver. In short: the GM decides how many of the multiple attacks can affect the spell-caster before the spell-casting procedure is completed.
12. The 2nd melee phase of the initiative winners is resolved
13. The 2nd melee phase of the initiative losers is resolved.
14. etc.
15. etc.
16. Spells and actions that have not yet been completed or interrupted take effect or are resolved.

It has proven useful to maintain a fixed announcement structure within this order. The actions are communicated to the GM either by a caller or alphabetically or based on the seating order or similar.

Combat maneuvers

The basic concept in the game, especially when miniatures are used, is that of the "in melee" status. Each combatant is in melee with all enemies located in adjacent squares. This can be understood like the zone of control in a strategy game. Anyone who enters this melee zone is subject to specific restrictions: There are only two ways to move while in melee:

• Fighting Withdrawal: The figure retreats in an orderly fashion, facing the enemy. The figure may move, but may not attack in this round. The enemy may advance up to the maximum of the enemy’s own movement range, even if it has already moved.
• Fleeing / Passing Blow: Whenever you flee from an enemy's melee range, the enemy may attack. These attacks are additional attacks that are not considered when counting the total number of attacks permitted per round and are treated as attacks against the moving figure's rear.
  • Option: If the passing blow is caused by running sideways past an opponent on the runner's shield side, the GM may decide to grant shield bonus to AC.
• Position swap: The interaction of the above rules means that if you are not alone in the front row, you can often swap positions with a combatant standing in the back row: the combatant who would like to get out of the melee zone uses the "fighting withdrawal" maneuver to get to the back. Their comrades, however, remain within their opponents' melee zone. If one or more of the withdrawing figure's direct opponents wishes to advance, such opponents would in turn expose themselves to passing blows from those who remained standing in their initial position. They usually do not want to be thus exposed and will remain in place, allowing the withdrawing person to get away. A combatant from the back rows could then close the gap and possibly even attack.

Further actions in combat

• Parrying or fighting defensively: Giving up your own attack in order to subtract your own strength bonus from the opponent's attack roll.
  • Option: Weapon specialization bonuses may also be deducted and/or the penalty applies to all enemies in the melee zone of the parrying figure.
• Turning Undead: In general, turning undead is treated like using ranged weapons. Normally, the character using such means is allowed to use their full movement rate.
• Using magic items: In general, wands and rods and other magic items are treated like ranged weapons. Normally, the PC who uses such items is allowed to use their full movement rate. Exceptions are:
  • Using a staff: Magical effects from staves requires 2 segments to take effect and also requires 8 segments of cooling down time. The respective effect does not have to be announced before rolling the dice and full movement is permitted.
  • Drinking potions and anointing with oils: Potions can be taken out and drunk at any point during the turn, requiring one segment, and oils can be spread on the face, arms, etc. The effect thereof takes 1-5 segments to materialize though. Being under the influence of several magical liquids can cause damage; ask your M-U or alchemist about risks and side effects.
  • Scrolls are a special case: scrolls require a reading time that corresponds to the spell's level. The casting of a spell from a scroll must be announced before the initiative roll. The figure reading it may move, however. The various protection scrolls require a reading time that is indicated in their respective descriptions.