Deck Initiative

Initiative Deck (Simple)

Instead of rolling for initiative, take a deck of cards and separate out all the hearts, so you have thirteen cards. At the start of combat and after each round, shuffle the hearts and deal them out to each player and monster(-group). Combatants take turns, starting with Ace, two, three, up to Jack, Queen King.

If you initiative bonus is +4 higher than your level, you draw an extra card and pick which one you want, after seeing all the cards for the round. If you have Quick to Fight, you draw an extra card and pick which one you want. The two can stack together, letting you draw up to three cards.

Initiative Deck (Crazy)

During each round of combat, each combatant will get two turns.

Doubled Rounds Instead of rolling for initiative, take a deck of cards and separate out all the hearts and spades, so you have twenty-six cards. Separate out the jokers and give one to each player with Improved Initiative. At the start of combat and after each round, shuffle the hearts and spades together and deal two of them out to each player and monster(-group). Combatants take turns, with hearts going before spades, starting with Ace, two, three, up to Jack, Queen King.

For example, the player with the Ace of Hearts goes first, then Eight of Hearts, then the Three of Spades, and so on.

Modifiers

Some feats and attributes effect initiative.

If you initiative bonus is +4 higher than your level, you draw an extra card and pick which two you want, after seeing all the cards for the round. If you have Quick to Fight, you draw an extra card and pick which two you want. The two can stack together, letting you draw up to four cards, but still keeping only two.

If you have Improved Initiative, start the combat with one joker. After any other turn, you may use your joker and one of your dealt cards to take a turn out-of-order.