Action Declaration/Resolution Question

[imported_Rasyr]

Novus already has a Dodge mechanic built into it. You only Dodge once per round, but you can abort other actions to Dodge, and it offers more than a single +1 to DEF.

[samwise7]

Here is a video on this sort of discussion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N844CkZ07A&feature=feedu

[Darkmage]

It may just be a personal preference but I really dislike the declaring then waiting to do your declared action.  It just seems like you are going twice and seems redundant.  Just my viewpoint on it.  I know it is a real sticking point for me but it won't stop me from playing Novus if it is there but I will always be thinking about it.

Matt

[Meerling]

In most of the groups I've been in, it almost always ends up being a case of act on your init without making declarations of intent.

The declaration phase in games takes time, sometimes as much as the action phase itself. Besides, after the first couple of participants go, everything everyone else had declared has been foobar'd completely so they end up having to do something else. Not to mention those times they forgot what they declared, which happens often and can be easily avoided by writing it down, which takes even more time. (I have each person do their own writing, saves me from hand cramps.)

Essentially tossing the Declaration Phase has been argued as being unrealistic, and sure, it doesn't give hyperboy the advantage of knowing what everyone else is planning, however it does let slowguy respond to the changing battlefield in ways hyperboy never could because he's always jumping in headfirst without thinking. In a number of ways, it's just as realistic without declaring what you want to do. (On the fairness argument, the fast one got to go first, why should the slow guy get penalized because his original declaration is now invalid. After all, it's a game for fun, not for screwing the other guy.) Besides, if your group is anything like mine, you always have one guy that does everything he can to max initiative so he (almost) always gets to go first. That same person usually has no idea what tactics and strategies are, and doesn't care.

Just a note, I'd totally leave 'Step 2: Declare Actions' in the standard rules, but just know that a lot of people will completely toss that out as a waste of time.

Just my 2 bits.

[imported_Rasyr]

Oh, I fully expect that many people will change the initiative system to suit their own needs and playing styles.

The true purpose of having it laid out so neatly is two-fold. First, it provides a clear and well defined method of handling initiative for those who might not be quite as confident (or as well versed in multiple game systems).

Secondly, there are some features of the system, such as Fighting Defensively, or Canceling an Action that are written specifically to go with those rules (i.e. with the declaration of actions before the resolution), and changing that might cause a bigger headache than leaving it be. In fact, any variant that we might consider would need copious amounts of playtesting before being released to the public, in an attempt to find all of the possible spots where such a change would have an impact.