The benefits of the right Initiative Tracker

We´ve all been there. Your players are infiltrating a bugbear infested castle ruin. The board is set. Tensions rise. One wrong move, and the whole covert operation goes tits up. Quite fast, this is exactly what happens. Like always, they argue too much and alert the nearest Bugbear with their bickering. And like always, you´ve prepared for this. Each round, more Bugbears will appear. Each round, the players should feel that running isn´t a bad choice. Sounds easy, right?

If only you could keep up with rolling Initiative in a flow state order each time. Without players (and yourself) not knowing anymore who goes when. And without having to cover up the whole GM screen with Post-it notes, or those dreadful clothing pegs.

Luckily, we´ve got you covered.

Now, before you read on. Yes, this is an ad. Not because we bluntly want your money, but because we’ve spent the better part of 4 (!) years perfecting our Initiative Tracker. And we are proud to say, it’s damn near perfect. Let me break it down for you, so you can decide for yourself.

 

The range of Initiative

Our Initiative Tracker is made up of four parts, showing the entire range of Initiative you can roll. These parts go on your official GM screen, on your homemade wooden screen, or even on the table if you don’t use a screen. We’re here for you.

 

How to track

Each player character gets their own Banner, to fit on the Initiative Tracker. The banners are decked out with whiteboard stickers, so you can reuse them with ease. Let them write out their character’s name or make a portrait. Since all banners are double sided, your side could also have their AC and HP on it.

 

Bonus rant!

“But Cacklin Slayers, what if two characters rolled the same Initiative?”

If we got a penny each time we were asked this question in the last 4 years, we’d buy Wizards of the Coast and make it good again. But I digress. RAW (rules as written) indicates that players look up their DEX score, and the player with the highest goes first. But at my table, I let characters go together, creating one epic 6 second double teamed up awesome maneuver. Or let them choose. Or make the choice as GM. Whatever you do, our Initiative Tracker has room for it, and the right banners or stackable cubes to track everything. Speaking of,

 

Conditions, Familiars, and other stuff

Once all Banners are put on the Initiative Tracker, combat can commence! During, all sorts of repercussions can take place. One player might be blinded, another could be one death save away from dying, and the bard could have given almost everyone a nice little buff. This is where our Combat Cubes come in. They work the same as a Banner, with double sided whiteboard stickers and all, but they are also stackable. The first one goes atop the specific banner; the rest goes up from there.

The ceiling is the limit. Or your spell slots.

 

GM surprises

As the GM, you could use the banners the same way. Write up what monsters you use and show them all to your players. Or you could use our GM banners, consisting of our famous Cackle on one side, and a roman numeral on the other. Use the numbers to track which monster is which, and let players just stare at the Cackle, forcing them to remember which monster goes when. Works perfectly to keep players on their toes, even 4 rounds in.

And don’t forget those new bugbears! At the start of each turn, roll up another Bugbear, and see players get surprised when you casually place another monster on the Initiative Tracker without slowing down the game, without changing up the order paper by paper.

 

So, tell us, are you convinced?