Keeping track of initiative..., A call to other GMs Options Track this topic Email this topic Print this topic Download this topic Subscribe to this forum Display Modes Switch to: Outline Standard Switch to: Linear+

[deek]

Just curious as to how other GMs are keeping track of SR4 initiative. I have run a few sessions and haven't yet found my comfort zone in easily keeping track of each combat turn and initiative pass...having multiple players with varying IPs plus opponents just tend to be a big jumbled mess on my note sheets...

So, I was just wanting to know what others are doing. Thanks!

[Demerzel]

I print out a matrix that includes my characters at the top with their drones/spirits, plus some extra space for on the fly spirits, etc.

Below that is just a large empty set of rows for any enemies I'd like to add.

Each row includes: Name, Initiative, IPs, then a series of empty boxes for me to write in each turns score.

If I have a planned encounter I expect a fight to occur in I prepare one with the known enemies in the bottom of the form so I don't have to write them in on the fly.

But some times my players do something I didn't really expect and we have to rumble....

[James McMurray]

We jot them down on the battlemat or have a player call them.

[Protagonist]

I just write down a column with names and the actual initiative score and a column for the IPs. I also only have people roll initiative once per combat, so it goes pretty fast.

[Kairo]

[Zen Shooter01]

I handle it like this:

Each NPC has a notation on their sheet that reads, for example, 8 =. This means their Initiative is 8, and they only get one pass. So I roll their 8 dice, get for example three hits, and write 8 = 11.

Let's say the NPC has Wired 1, making her notation read 10/2 (Initiative 10, 2 passes) =. I roll her initiative and get four hits, so now the notation is 10/2 = 13/13.

So you end up with something like this after everyone rolls intiative:

PC 1, 9 = 11
PC 2, 11/3 = 15/15/15
NPC 1, 7 = 10
NPC 2, 9/2 = 13/13

So at the top of the first pass, you know that PC 2 acts first, NPC 2 second, PC 1 third, NPC 1 fourth. As each character takes their actions, cross out their initiative results. Then move on to the second and third pass accordingly.

[Shrike30]

I do a quick "round the room" and figure out who's fastest. I've got the speeds for my NPCs jotted down on my notepad. I take the highest number I've got, and start counting down from there. "Anyone on 15? Okay, 14?"

[Dr. Dodge]

i get all the init scores and write it like this, sometimes in order, other times not (depending on how many people are involved)

[Geekkake]

I leave remembering initiative squarely on the players. I just call out "NEXT!" or describe an NPC action. If I don't remember when an NPC should act (I do roll, and just try to remember, "NPC A goes after PC C", etc.), then an NPC just goes whenever it would seem appropriate.

Luckily, none of my runners have multiple IPs, except the hax0r in hot sim. So it's relatively easy.

[Samaels Ghost]

I do it like Dr. Dodge except
X = actions taken
0 = held actions
- = no action, not enough IP's

I leave a margin next to the Init score so that modifiers can be written in after damage has been dealt. That's really important.

[GrinderTheTroll]

[deek]

Good stuff...

I ran another session yesterday, but no combat. Some more matrix stuff, but that is getting easier. Anyways, thanks for sharing and I am certainly going to try some of these methods...probably print up a generic form that I can use just for initiative.

[HullBreach]

This is one of those situations where a small dry-erase board with a grid is your best freind.

[deek]

True, I could see a dry erase board helping out...

Honestly, I just am trying to make things as simple as possible, without having the players have to worry so much about keeping track of so many things. At this point, I basically just take everyones modified initiative, and keep track of the turn and IP with two 6-sided dice...

But again, we haven't been in combat yet, so it hasn't been a major issue and as we continue to play, everyone starts getting more comfortable with the flow. I just know our first session seemed to grind ahead slowly, in big part due to me losing track of which pass and turn we were in:)

[Dashifen]

For those who game with laptops, a member of my round 3 tournament group at GenCon finally completed something that I hadn't thought of. I put all of the PCs' names into column C of an Excel chart (insert your favorite spreadsheet if you've no access to Excel). Then, if you put the initiative score in column A and the number of passes in column B and sort by column A, you have your initiative order right in front of you and you know the number of passes. Then, I just highlight the cell of the person who's acting so I can see who's next and who's coming up at a glance.

In third edition, I could get away with two columns because passes were determined by score. At GenCon, a player suggested that I add a third column to keep track of passes. I thought it a good suggestion.

I also put the PCs' names in bold so that when I add NPC to the sheet, I can easily delete them and re-sort to remove the blank rows.

[GrinderTheTroll]

[venenum]

I use last weeks character sheets :evil: Just kidding. The cheapest thing to use is a pad of note paper so you can keep track of init., goon health and ammo, plus notes about the session

[LilithTaveril]

My GM actually does use last week's character sheets. At least, from those that die. He figures the runners should contribute their percentage to the number of people who die per day.

[venenum]

All my players tend to make characters with abnormally high edge..... I wonder why.......