I do initiative round by round AFTER all actions are declared. Here is how:
- everyone posts intended actions, and includes in the same post the links to their relevant rolls (if your action has no relevant roll, please just roll a d20 anyway)
- I narrate the outcome, arranging intended actions in descending order of the highest rolled number in each post, + Initiative bonus
Missile weapons
Missile weapons are deadly but chancy. Any hit will cause a wound (see below). A natural rolled 1 can be disastrous.
At "short range" < 5 x (prof bonus + DEX bonus) yards, roll a normal attack.
From short range out to medium range (2 x short range) you roll at disadvantage against moving targets.
Beyond medium range you roll at disadvantage against all targets.
Max range is a complicated function of the weapon build and (for regular bows) the shooter's strength. For crossbows not an issue.
Encumbrance
you only need to figure out these numbers once, and I'll be glad to do it for you
Not encumbered = load < (1/5 body weight*)*STR/8
Encumbered (-10 move) = load < 3 x Not encumbered
Staggering (-20 move, disad on ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws; attackers have advantage against you) = load < 5 x Not encumbered
Deadlift = 5 x Not encumbered <- this is truly heroic, like world record worthy, for a 20 STR ...
Height and weight
I insist you roll for these.
Size, and combat effectiveness
I've been going back and forth on this question for a long, long while. But after decades of running games, and thinking back on a couple decades of actual life experience, I'm gonna rule that whether a character is Small Medium or Large makes no difference how effective they might be in using their strength to effectuate harm.
Thus, although bodily size may affect carrying capacity, in my game it does not inhibit combat effectiveness. This is particularly true because of how I distinguish "hit points" from actual wounds.
hit points, crits, wounds, treating, healing, and expending kits
Hit points <- I think of these as your alertness, luck, vim and vigor ... you lose and regain exactly per PHB, however, loss of hp does not = physical injury but merely a wearing down of defenditude.
Crits <- these bypass hit points and cause a wound. No extra damage needs to be rolled.
Wounds <- these are what happen when an attack against you "hits" while you are worn out, beat down, out of breath, (all other ways of saying, "at zero hp") ... or hit by a crit ... these are BAD. Wounds = STR damage. Each wound is individual and has its own severity = rolled damage for the attack that caused it. Total wounds > STR = you die. So best lay down and pretend you have. Each wound that has not been treated, might cause you to lose hp = severity each time you take an action.
<- any round that you take an action while having any untreated wound(s), roll a single CON save against one or more DC(s) = 10 + severity of wound(s). e.g., regardless you have one, three, or more wounds, you roll only 1d20. Each failed save means that you lose hit points = severity of the wound. A roll < 10 means the wound severity increases by 1.
Treating <- a wound can be treated by successful use of a healing kit, DC = severity of wound, number of actions = severity of wound. This gets rid of the CON saves for taking actions.
Healing <- while you have a wound, after each long rest, roll a CON save DC = severity of wound, success reduces severity of wound by your CON bonus. Other players may aid your healing by rolling any of healing kit, herb kit, or Medicine checks, same DC = severity of wound. Each success reduces the severity of the wound by the other player's proficiency bonus. No more than one roll of each type, per each long rest.
Expending kits <- Healing and herbalism kits can get used up. For any such kit I will track how much it has been used (running total); if a use check is rolled less than that total, it is the last use of that kit.
Parrying weapons / shields
If you wield in your off-hand a weapon with which you are proficient, and if you could use it to attack under Two Weapon Fighting, then you may instead opt to add 1/2 your proficiency bonus to your AC in any round when you do not use the off-hand weapon to attack.
A shield is a non-light bludgeoning weapon, which can deal 1d4 damage. Because a shield is not a light weapon, -> PHB rules for two weapon fighting prohibit use of the shield as a parrying weapon <- unless you have taken the Dual Wielder feat. Nonetheless, it will add a flat +2 bonus to your AC.
If you are proficient in using a shield, and can attack with it, its AC bonus = your proficiency bonus in any round that you choose not to attack with it.
