[UA] Unsuck

[Chris Milne]

On Wednesday, April 25, 2001 9:58 PM, holycrow at mindspring.com 
[SMTP:holycrow at mindspring.com] wrote:
> Okay, the initiative system currently used in UA sucks.  (I can say
> that, since it's my sucky design.)  I'd like to fix it, but at the
> same time I want to keep things as simple as possible.

Oooohhh. You're just fishing here, aren't you? You really want us all 
to say "No, Greg, it's the greatest initiative system since that cool 
game with the perfect initiative system."   ;-)


> Currently GMCs go on their Speed, either as a success or as a fail.
>  This saves the GM a LOT of die rolling, but it's also pretty bogus
> that all GMCs are either absurdly, reliably fast or absurdly,
> predictably slow.

Agreed. I think that suits a pulp/action style game quite well (all 
the goons are crap, all the villains are serious challenges), but it 
ain't suitable for a lot of other games.


> So here's my thought for a fix.  (This thought came to me within 
the
> last 10 minutes, so it's pretty raw.)  Every character -- PC or GMC
> alike -- can either roll for initiative as usual OR -- or! -- they
> can act on HALF their Speed score as if they'd rolled it.

Well, it would get rid of the dice-rolling aspect. Anyone in their 
right minds would take the half Speed option. Even if you've got a 
Speed of 80, you've only got a 41% chance of doing as well or better 
than if you chose the half Speed option. It might be worth it if you 
really really need to act first, but...

IMUAC, I've also changed the initiative system, but because the PCs 
don't really go in for combat too often, it hasn't been tested too 
often. Essentially, I've abandoned it. Everyone acts simultaneously 
unless they're in a one-on-one fight. In that situation, or if 
someone really feels the need to act before anyone else, they can 
"sacrifice" some of their skill to do so. By knocking 10% off the 
appropriate skill for that round, they get to go first, unless 
someone else does the same. If they want, they can knock off 20% or 
30% (and so on) in an attempt to guarantee the initiative. It has to 
be done in multiples of 10%, though, and you have to say you're doing 
it before everyone else declares their action (and the action is 
resolved before others declare as well). To keep things simple for 
the GMCs, I restrict their ability to those that would normally 
succeed on their initative roll. And the rule only applies if the 
action could conceivably be completed in a very short time (so not 
for running away, or untying the captured maiden).

I have to confess that the rules are pretty fuzzy, and they're 
probably full of loop holes, but so far my players haven't 
complained...   :)



Chris Milne




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