Re: Good initiative mechanics?

On Apr 24, 7:03=A0am, gleichman <fox1_...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> On Apr 22, 7:44=A0pm, Magister <magis...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
> > In each round, every character on each side attacks simultaneously;
> > so the player characters cannot concentrate fire on one target
> > and then switch in the same round if it is defeated.
>
> <snip>
>
> > To simplify, assume that the player characters have sufficient
> > resources (hit points, healing, etc) to avoid any deaths (so they
> > always get ten attacks each round),
>
> <snip>
>
> > The example is somewhat (that is, very) contrived,
>
> Indeed. The requirement of simultaneous attacks alone makes it so,
> very few games use that mechanic and for good reason. And as a very
> core element of the example, it required targets that basically
> benefited little from the HP system.
>
> At best, this is the exception that proves the rule.

I could sort of duplicate the effect described in a "standard"
initiative based system with a simple rule that you don't evaluate
damage and actually fall down till your own next action. (This has at
least one other minor advantage, it makes FAKING that you've been
taken out MUCH easier since either way you fall down on your own
action with no need for a special interrupt ability.)

But making the example work still requires that many targets can be
taken out in one round WITHOUT concentration of fire, and as I already
commented much earlier in the thread there's no problem with
convincing characters to not concentrate against enemies they can take
out in one shot, the real problem is against PC level foes.

DougL