Fixed Mode Initiative Guide¶

What is Fixed Mode Initiative?¶

Fixed Mode Initiative is a special initiative system designed specifically for Shadowdark RPG that simulates the natural flow of table play. Instead of everyone rolling for initiative and acting in random order, players act in the order they're seated around the table, just like in a traditional in-person game. This is referenced in the Shadowdark Core Rules p.83 and p.88.

Key Concepts¶

Turn Order vs. Turn Advancement¶

Fixed mode makes an important distinction between two concepts:

Turn Order (Display): The visual order shown in the initiative tracker
Turn Advancement (Gameplay): Who actually gets to take actions

How It Works¶

Player Characters: Each player character gets their own turn
DM's Turn: The DM controls all monsters and NPCs during their turn
Seating Order: Players act in the order they joined the initiative (simulating seating order)

Getting Started¶

Starting Fixed Mode Initiative¶

!init begin "Encounter Name" fixed

When you start fixed mode initiative, the bot automatically creates a "DM" placeholder character that represents the DM turn. This placeholder:

Cannot be removed until the initiative ends
Represents your ability to control all monsters and NPCs
Does not get an initiative roll when created and will not act first when combat begins

The Setup Phase (Round 0)¶

After starting initiative, you're in "Round 0" - the setup phase where players join:

Player1: !init join
Player2: !init join
Player3: !init join

During Round 0:

No one has taken a turn yet
Players are joining in their preferred order
The turn order is being established
You can add monsters and NPCs at this time, but it's better to wait until all players have joined.

Adding Monsters and NPCs¶

As the DM, you can add combatants to the initiative in two ways:

Manually Add Monsters: Use the !init madd command for quick, stat-block-only monsters.
```
!init madd "Goblin Warrior" --hp 15 --ac 14
```
Add Full Characters: You can also add any of your own characters (e.g., from a Shadowdarklings import) to the initiative using the standard !init join command. When a DM joins with one of their characters, that character is treated as an NPC and is grouped with the DM's turn.

To do this, you must follow the same process as a player: 1. Make sure the character has been imported to your character list. 2. Select the character you want to add (!char select <name>). 3. Join the initiative (!init join).

If you want to add multiple NPCs this way, you must repeat this process for each character: import, select, and then join.

Important Convention: For the best visual organization, add all monsters and NPCs after all players have joined. This keeps them grouped together with the DM in the turn order display.

Starting Combat (Round 1)¶

When you're ready to start structured play, use:

!init next

This advances from Round 0 to Round 1 and determines who goes first:

Only player characters are considered for the first turn
The player with the highest initiative roll goes first
The DM placeholder and monsters are ignored when determining who goes first.

Note: Round 1 is not necessarily combat - it's the start of structured play. If combat begins later, you can add monsters and reroll initiative to include them in the turn order.

Turn Order Display¶

The turn order is strictly determined by the order in which players join the initiative, simulating the seating order around a game table. You can think of this join order as a ring of players. When combat begins, this ring is rotated so that the player with the highest initiative roll is at the top of the list, but the relative order of all other players is maintained.

Here's how it works:

Join Order (Seating Order): The base turn order is strictly determined by when each player joins. The first player to join is first, the second is second, and so on. This creates a fixed list of combatants.
Starting Combat: To determine who goes first, the list is rotated to put the player with the highest roll at the top. A player will always go first in Round 1.
After a Reroll: The same rotation happens after a reroll, but this time the DM placeholder is included in the rolls, so the DM could potentially start first.

The initiative tracker shows the turn order like this:

Initiative Order: Round 1 (fixed)
=================================
# 18: Player2 HP: 30/30
  15: Player3 HP: 20/20
   0: DM
  12: Player1 HP: 25/25
    : Goblin Warrior HP: 15/15
    : Orc Shaman HP: 22/22

Understanding the Display¶

#: The # symbol indicates the current combatant's turn.
Roll: The number on the left is the initiative roll. In fixed mode, monsters and any characters the DM joins with do not show a roll, as they are all part of the DM's turn. The DM placeholder itself does show a roll, but no other stats.
Name & HP: Each combatant's name is followed by their current and maximum Hit Points.

Pro Tip: The initiative tracker message is a "living" document. It's good practice to pin this message so everyone can easily refer to it, as it will be constantly updated with the latest game state. You can also use !init list at any time to see the current order.

Turn Advancement¶

When the turn advances, the bot will post a new message in the channel with an @-mention to notify the next person whose turn it is.

Player Turns¶

When it's a player's turn:

They can take their actions
They use !init next to end their turn
The system automatically advances to the next player

DM Turn¶

When it's your turn (the DM placeholder):

You control all monsters and NPCs
You can act with them in any order you choose
You use !init next to end their turn
The system advances to the next player

Round Progression¶

The round number increases by one each time the turn order wraps around to the top of the list. This happens when the last combatant in the turn order finishes their turn and the turn passes to the first combatant, starting a new round.

Initiative Rerolling¶

You can reroll initiative when entering or exiting combat:

!init reroll

In fixed mode, the reroll process works as follows:

The DM makes a single initiative roll for the DM placeholder. This roll uses the highest initiative modifier (DEX modifier) from all monsters and NPCs currently in the initiative.
Player characters roll for initiative normally.
The existing turn order is then rotated so that the combatant with the highest new roll is at the top of the list for the next round. The relative order of all other combatants remains the same.

When to Reroll: You typically reroll when entering or exiting combat, or when the situation changes significantly (like new monsters joining the fray).

Best Practices¶

For DMs¶

Add Monsters After Players: Wait until all players have joined before adding monsters for cleaner visual organization
Use the DM Placeholder: Don't remove the DM placeholder - it represents your turn
Group Monster Actions: During your turn, act with all monsters/NPCs before ending your turn
Communicate Clearly: Let players know when you're acting with monsters vs. when it's their turn
Pin the Initiative Tracker: This initial initiative tracker message will always be updated. Pinning it makes it easy for everyone to see the current game state.

For Players¶

Join Order is Turn Order: The order you join the initiative sets your permanent "seat" at the table. This order doesn't change, even when initiative is rerolled.
Strategic Joining: Because the turn order is fixed, you can strategize with your fellow players about who joins when.
- The first player to join will always act after the DM's turn.
- The last player to join will always act before the DM's turn.
Pay Attention to the Tracker: The !init list command always shows the exact turn order for the current round. Remember that this order can rotate based on initiative rolls, but your position relative to other players will not change.
End Your Turn: Use !init next when you're done with your actions.

Troubleshooting¶

Common Issues¶

Q: Why are monsters scattered throughout the turn order? A: This happens when monsters are added before all players join. For cleaner organization, add monsters after all players have joined.

Q: Can I remove the DM placeholder? A: No, the DM placeholder cannot be removed and represents your turn. It's automatically created and managed by the system.

Q: What if no players have joined when I try to start combat? A: The system requires at least one player character to advance from Round 0 to Round 1. Have players join first.

Q: Can I change the turn order mode after starting? A: No, the turn order mode is set when the initiative begins and cannot be changed.

Summary¶

Fixed Mode Initiative provides a natural, table-like experience for Shadowdark games by:

Having players act in seating order
Grouping all monster/NPC actions under the DM's turn
Using initiative rolls only to determine who goes first
Maintaining a clear visual turn order for everyone

This system encourages the collaborative, narrative-focused play style that Shadowdark is designed for, while still providing the structure needed for organized combat.