Tidal Initiative Reseach result 1

"End of Round Initiative"

This stand alone optional component for D20 strengthens the feel of simultaneous actions during a six second combat round.
It has not been playtested for safety.


A Review of Action and Initiative Terminology

A round is the collection of all the character's turns.

A turn is one character's part in the round.

Full actions require a character's entire turn.

Standard actions all a character to take a move action that turn as well.

A move action allows a character to take a standard action that turn as well.

A move action may be taken in place of a standard action, allowing two move action on a turn.

Each character gets one swift or immediate action per turn that can be taken with any action.

A swift action must be taken on the character's turn, and an immediate action can be taken at any time during the round.

Free actions do not take any time and may be taken whenever available during the round.

The Combat Initiative Check

Dex + Initiative + Highest Morale = The bonus you apply to your initiative check. At the start of a combat characters without a special initiative bonus will have a 0 initiative, but should an initiative check be called for during a round the character applies their current initiative count plus any special initiative bonuses to the check.


End of Round Effects

The result of all actions that occur during the round take effect simultaneously at the end of round.

Most specifically damage does not effect any character until the end of round. A successful skill action taken on the character's Initiative count does not produce a result on that Initiative count, but at the end of round instead. Combat actions such as disarm, trip, or pilfer do not take effect and interfere with the effected character's capabilities until their next turn. A character must make an action such as Aid or Interfer in order to attempt to prevent another character's action during the round.

Initiative Actions

Delay
A Delay allows the character to chose to have their action take effect after end of round and before the begining of the next Initiative countdown, or at any point in the round between their current round and the next. A triggering action, initiative count, or both (whichever comes first) should be declared with the Delay. If the Delay is triggered the character's new initiative count is the proceeding initiative count after the triggering action.

A Delay is a move action, and allows the character to declare their standard action on their new initiative count.

If two character are on the same initiative count for any reason (either beginning of combat, due to Delay, or any other initiative action) the characters make a Free action opposed initiative check. The winner is placed one higher on the initiative count or the loser is placed one lower; winner's option.

Ready
A Ready is a swift action that allows a character to prevent another character's action from taking effect at end of round. When a Ready is declared a triggering action is declared and the character's triggered actions must be declared. The triggered actions may be a full action, a standard and a move action, or a double move action. If the triggering action does not happen the Ready action returns the character to their original initiative count on the next round.

The Ready takes effect on the initiative count immediately preceding the triggering action, and if the Ready action is successful its effects take place instantly. The instant effect of a Ready action may prevent an effected character from taking actions during the round.

The Ready may or may not change the character's initiative count to the count on which the triggered actions took effect; character's option.

Aid
Aid is a standard action that allows a character to contribute to another character's success on an attack roll or skill check. The character must succeed at an initiative check with a DC equal to the targeted character's initiative count. If successful the character targeted by the Aid action gains a +2 circumstance bonus to any attack or skill roll on their round.

Interfere
Interfere is a standard cation that allows a character to detract from another character's success on an attack roll or skill check. The character must succeed at an initiative check with a DC equal to the targeted character's initiative count. If successful the character targeted by the Interfere action takes a -2 circumstance penalty to any attack or skill roll on their round.

Defend
Similar to a ready, a Defend action can prevent another character's action in the round. Delay is a move action that triggers whenever a character's declared allies are attacked. A character that declares a Delay is allowed to attempt an opposed initiative check with the attacking character in order to take a standard action that may prevent the attacking character's action. If the defender wins the character's Defend action takes effect instantly and Defend resets the character's initiative count to the count immediately preceding the attacker's initiative count. If the attacker wins the check Defend resets the character's initiative count to the one immediately proceeding the attacker's, and the defender does not have the ability to interrupt the attacker's action. They do however have the ability to react before end of round.

Unlike Ready Defend does not give the character the option of choosing what initiative count they are placed on. If there are no triggering actions the Defend action returns the character to the original initiative count that the Delay was declared on.

Movement and Attacks of Opportunity

Since movement happens simultaneously with all other actions in the round a character may declare their actions to take effect at any point in the round and therefore at any location along their movement path. Movements that provoke attacks of opportunity do so normally and those attacks are resolved as are other actions; at the end of round.

The Spring Attack feat and similar abilities are no longer needed or function differently with these rules.

Special Initiative Issues

When one character is attempting to catch another character without a sufficient movement rate that would allow the character to outclass the target's manoeuvrability that character may make a contested Initiative check with the targeted character in order for the chasing character's movement to take precedence over the chased. If successful the character is allowed to take twice their full movement action and end their turn with an attack check. Chasing in this fashion does not effect either character's initiative count.

Dueling may also be resolved using a special Initiative Action. Both dueling characters must declare that they are dueling. The dueling characters apply their base attack bonus to the special opposed initiative check, and the winner's attack action takes effect instantly while the loser's action takes effect at the end of round if at all. The character that looses the duel may loose their action if the instant effects of the winner's action prevent the loser's action.

Counterspelling can be treated as a Ready action or a Defend action in accordance with the setting.

Communication

Communication between characters may be instantaneous, or a character may be forced to wait until the next round in order to react to information conveyed from one to another on any given turn in the round. Abilities such as Telepathy, Hivemind, and Empathic Link may be considered to happen instantly while speaking require a Listen check during a round to be understood by other characters.

Another option is to add "handle and push" actions to all of the social skills. Between intelligent creatures the handle and push actions are slightly more complicated. Each skill has its own adjustments and modifiers listed below.

Bluff
Handle: a Bluff DC 15 allows you to communicate normally as a standard action.
The Feint, Diversion, and Secret Message actions are "Push" for Bluff.
Epic: a Bluff DC 30 allows for normal communication over the round as a move action.
Epic: a Bluff DC 60 allows for normal communication over the round as an immediate action.
Epic: a Bluff DC 90 allows for normal communication over the round as a free action.

Diplomacy
A combat Diplomacy Action is usually a full defensive action and has a DC of 10.
"Handle" allows for normal communication over the round as a standard action.
"Push" allows the character to maintain a 10 round attitude adjustment check as a move action.
Epic: a Diplomacy DC 20 allows for normal communication over the round as a move action.
Epic: a Diplomacy DC 40 allows for normal communication over the round as a swift action.
Epic: a Diplomacy DC 80 allows for normal communication over the round as a free action.
Epic: apply a +30 to your attitude adjustment check if you make a hostile action during the 10 rounds.
Epic: apply a +50 to the DC of your attitude adjustment check to reduce the time taken to 2 rounds.

Handle Animal
Handling an intelligent character can convey information in so much as those concepts can be conveyed as tricks.
Pushing an intelligent character is treated as a demoralise opponent Intimidate check of the same result.
Handling is a move action DC 15, and Pushing is a standard action DC 20.
Epic: a Handle Animal DC 30 allows for trick communication as a move action.
Epic: a Handle Animal DC 60 allows for trick communication as an immediate action.
Epic: a Handle Animal DC 90 allows for trick communication as a free action.
Epic: apply a +20 to the DC of a handle check to convey complicated concepts to intelligent creatures.

Intimidate
"Handle" is a move action DC 15 that allows you to give trick style orders to already intimidated characters and allies.
"Push" is the standard action demoralise opponent option.
Epic: a Intimidate DC 30 allows for trick communication as a move action.
Epic: a Intimidate DC 60 allows for trick communication as an immediate action.
Epic: a Intimidate DC 90 allows for trick communication as a free action.
Epic: apply a +10 to the DC of a "handle" check to convey complicated concepts to intelligent creatures.

Perform
A Perform Action is usually a full defensive action, and a performance must be maintained at least 10 rounds to produce gold.
Every 10 rounds of maintaining the performance the character makes an overall check to determine the gold produced.
The "handle" action is a DC 10 move action that allows the character to maintain a performance while taking other actions.
A "push" DC of 20 allows the character to include communication within the performance, but applies a -20 to the overall check to produce gold.
Epic: adding +30 to the DC of the perform check allows a performance to be maintained as a swift action.

Profession
Handling is a DC 10 move action that conveys the necessary directions to maintain a group check like Craft or Heal in combat.
Pushing ia a DC 20 standard action and allows for normal communication over the round while taking other actions.
Epic: a Profession DC 40 allows for normal communication over the round as a move action.
Epic: a Profession DC 60 allows for normal communication over the round as a swift action.
Epic: a Profession DC 80 allows for normal communication over the round as a free action.
Epic: apply a +20 to the DC of a "handle" check to provide a +2 Aid bonus to a character maintaining a group check like Craft or Heal.