unfair initiative

14 Nov, 2025

Add to your turn-based combat system of choice. Roll 1d10:

1. Opposition goes only. Advantage on next initiative.
2. Party can elect to flee, then opposition goes only. Advantage on next initiative.
3. Party declares actions, then opposition goes, then party resolves actions.
4. Phased (bias towards opposition.)
5. Opposition goes, then party goes.
6. Party goes, then opposition goes.
7. Phased (bias towards party.)
8. Opposition declares actions, then party goes, then opposition resolves actions.
9. Opposition can elect to flee, then party goes only. Disadvantage on next initiative.
10. Party goes only. Disadvantage on next initiative.

Apply advantage or disadvantage as contextually appropriate (having the high ground, etc.)

simpler version

1. Opposition goes only.
2. Party declares actions, opposition goes, party goes.
3. Opposition goes, then party goes.
4. Party goes, then opposition goes
5. Opposition declares actions, party goes, opposition resolves actions.
6. Party goes only.

phased initiative

If phased with bias towards party, go in following order:

1. Opposition declares spells
2. Party declares spells
3. Opposition declares ranged attacks
4. Party declares ranged attacks
5. Opposition declares all other actions
6. Party declares all other actions
7. Party resolves all other actions.
8. Opposition resolves all other actions
9. Party resolves ranged attacks
10. Opposition resolves ranged attacks
11. Party resolves spells
12. Opposition resolves spells

If phased with bias towards opposition, reverse all relevant terms above.

bibliography

• Craig, Initiative Should Kill You
• Necropraxis, Overloading the Encounter Die
• Prescott, Nothing at the bottom: MOSAIC Strict RPG Design¹