>TLDR: I combine ideas from a few editions into something I can use in 5.5eGoal: Make combat more interactive, reactive, and granular in ways that improve feedback; while streamlining the speed and pace of combat.Method: Emulate some of the segment and speed factor of OSR/OSE without using any of the clunky recordkeeping. Get more actions declared in advance so there is less delays thinking about what to do next and more accurately portray the fast pace of combat. Resolve non spellcasting actions before spells complete to introduce more interrupt opportunities. Increase the number of times a player is called on in a round to make combat choices and keep them engaged while reducing the time between how often they get to participate by breaking combat down into three chunks: before main attacks, the main attacks, and after the main attacks, which goes through the initiative order for all participants each time.Pre-combat:Any surprised creature does not get to participate in the first round of combat.Surprising creatures must declare and enter combat to begin performing the surprising hostile actions, which are performed in the first round for all creatures not surprised. If all surprising creatures are allied, they may freely choose in which order their actions take place at which initiative count, else if there is any contest or creatures not allied acting in the round, proceed by rolling initiative.
Combat:Combat proceeds in 15 steps divided into 5 phases. The triggering actions of readied actions or reactions are assumed to either interrupt or follow the triggering action in the manner its described. Each creature's turn begins by initiative order with a choice made in step 2. Each creature's turn officially ends in the earliest step where all their available actions have been exhausted or where declared.Any choice to skip an action during a step, means that action is unused and is lost, except where another chance to take the unused action is offered again (see steps 10, 11, and 12).Any choice to hold an action will resolve after whatever action is taking place at the time it is un-held, no other actions can be taken while holding, after resolving a held action a creature may only participate in whatever step is taking place and the rest of the turn order if their initiative has not been passed for that step and if they have unused actions applicable to the phase and step.Any choice to ready an action will resolve interrupting the trigger action when it takes place in the manner described, no other actions can be taken while readying, after resolving a ready action a creature may only participate in whatever step is taking place and the rest of the turn order if their initiative has not been passed for that step and if the have unused actions applicable to the phase and step.
Phase 1: Round Upkeep.1. Perform top of the round effects or actions, such as Lair Actions (per DM discretion, reccomended to resolve per-round environmental effects such as hazard damages here)Phase 2: Movement and bonus actions taken before attacks.2. Perform move actions: take, skip, hold, or ready, in initiative order.3. Declare the start of casting bonus spells or declare the beginning of any bonus action which can fail if interrupted (per DM discretion).4. Perform all other bonus actions that do not need to be declared and started during step 2: take, skip, hold, or ready, by initiative.5. Resolve anything declared during step 3, such as spells that finish casting, in initiative order.Phase 3: Attacks and main actions.6. Declare the start of casting spells of action casting length or greater, or any other action assumed to require the entire round to perform (per DM discretion, it is reccomended that the dash action fall under step 5 for example)7. Perform all other actions that do not need to be declared and started during step 6 (such as regular attacks): take, skip, hold, or ready, by initiative.8. Legendary Actions may also be taken after any action during step 7 whenever and wherever applicable, as if that was the end of a creature's turn, even if it was not.9. Resolve anything declared during step 6, such as spells that finish casting, in initiative order.Phase 4: Movement and bonus actions taken after attacks.10. Perform move actions if not taken during phase 2 in initiative order.11. Declare the start of casting bonus spells or any bonus action which can fail if interrupted (per DM discretion) if not already done during phase 2.12. Perform all other bonus actions that do not need to be declared and started during step 10 in initiative order.13. Resolve anything declared during step 11, such as spells that finish casting, in initiative order.
Phase 5: End the Round14. Confirm the status of any held or readied actions, resolve anything still unresolved in initiative order, perform end of the round effects or actions15. End the round and begin next round.>The End, hope you find it useful.
>>97340508>without using any of the clunky recordkeepingYou say this and then proceed to recreate priority/phase-step system from MtG.If you want fast combat, you need players who know what they're doing and know the rules of the game. There's no shortcut for that.
>>97340525Just to be explicitly clear, this isn't a list of what one person does on their turn.This is how everyone takes their turn semi-simultaneously.
