How does Initiative & Phases work in CRAWL!?

Question

Complete rules for Initiative & Phases in the CRAWL! tabletop RPG system, covering all mechanics and procedures.

Iron Brothers Games · Accepted Answer

Fast Phase (Movement and Missiles): Ranged attacks   Movement   Quick actions like drawing a weapon or dropping a torch Initiative Example: The round starts. Everyone rolls their dice toward chosen zones.   Fast Zone: Jana's red d20 (18), Carl's blue d20 (15), GM's black d20 for goblins (12)   Slow Zone: Bob's green d20 (14), GM's white d20 for ogre (8) Fast Phase: Jana (18) → Carl (15) → Goblins (12) Slow Phase: Bob (14) → Ogre (8) Note: Jana chose Fast for her ranged attack, Carl for movement, while Bob waited in Slow to make a melee attack. The physical placement of dice determines both when you act and what phase you're in.  No changing your mind after the roll! Initiative Procedure: 1. Everyone rolls at once. Toss your initiative die into one of the two zones: Fast or Slow. Your toss declares your intent.   Where it lands = your phase.   The number showing = your initiative rank. 2. Resolve in order.   Fast phase first (highest to lowest).   Then Slow phase (highest to lowest).   Ties in the same phase act simultaneously.  If both hit, both take damage. 3. Out of Bounds (Optional Rule).   If your die misses both trays or lands cockeyed: you lose your action.   Yes, it’s slapstick. Yes, it’s terrifying. That’s the point. 4. Repeat each round.  Initiative resets every round. Initiative Setup: Combat rounds are split into two phases: Fast and Slow. Each character takes one action per round. Which phase you act in depends on where your die lands.  The Fast phase is for quick, decisive actions (Movement and Missiles), while the Slow phase is for deliberate, more powerful actions (Melee and Magic).  Two zones on the table labeled Fast and Slow (boxes, trays, taped-off areas). Sided containers are best.  One unique d20 per player (red, metal, whatever). The GM uses distinct dice for NPCs and monsters. Order of Actions: Within each phase, Player Characters, NPCs and Monsters act in initiative order (highest die to lowest). Slow Phase (Magic and Melee): Melee attacks   Spellcasting   Second Wind   All other actions

Iron Brothers Games · Answer

Unlike D&D 5e's static initiative order rolled once per combat, or OSE's simple individual/group initiative, CRAWL! uses a dynamic Fast/Slow phase system that creates tactical decisions every round. Fast Phase (Movement and Missiles): Ranged attacks   Movement   Quick actions like drawing a weapon or dropping a torch Initiative Example: The round starts. Everyone rolls their dice toward chosen zones.   Fast Zone: Jana's red d20 (18), Carl's blue d20 (15), GM's black d20 for goblins (12)   Slow Zone: Bob's green d20 (14), GM's white d20 for ogre (8) Fast Phase: Jana (18) → Carl (15) → Goblins (12) Slow Phase: Bob (14) → Ogre (8) Note: Jana chose Fast for her ranged attack, Carl for movement, while Bob waited in Slow to make a melee attack. The physical placement of dice determines both when you act and what phase you're in.  No changing your mind after the roll! Initiative Procedure: 1. Everyone rolls at once. Toss your initiative die into one of the two zones: Fast or Slow. Your toss declares your intent.   Where it lands = your phase.   The number showing = your initiative rank. 2. Resolve in order.   Fast phase first (highest to lowest).   Then Slow phase (highest to lowest).   Ties in the same phase act simultaneously.  If both hit, both take damage. 3. Out of Bounds (Optional Rule).   If your die misses both trays or lands cockeyed: you lose your action.   Yes, it’s slapstick. Yes, it’s terrifying. That’s the point. 4. Repeat each round.  Initiative resets every round. Initiative Setup: Combat rounds are split into two phases: Fast and Slow. Each character takes one action per round. Which phase you act in depends on where your die lands.  The Fast phase is for quick, decisive actions (Movement and Missiles), while the Slow phase is for deliberate, more powerful actions (Melee and Magic).  Two zones on the table labeled Fast and Slow (boxes, trays, taped-off areas). Sided containers are best.  One unique d20 per player (red, metal, whatever). The GM uses distinct dice for NPCs and monsters. Order of Actions: Within each phase, Player Characters, NPCs and Monsters act in initiative order (highest die to lowest). Slow Phase (Magic and Melee): Melee attacks   Spellcasting   Second Wind   All other actions

Initiative & Phases

Fast Phase (Movement and Missiles)

Initiative Example

Initiative Procedure

Initiative Setup

Order of Actions

Slow Phase (Magic and Melee)

Experience the Unified d20 Roll