MST-1: Initiative

The initiative system requires a deck of cards: playing cards,
tarot cards, or any other cards that can be shuffled.

Each actor in the conflict chooses a card to represent them.
One additional card (the delimiter) is also chosen. 

The cards are shuffled and then drawn one-by-one:

 * If an actor's card is drawn, they may act.

 * If the delimiter is drawn, then all cards are
   shuffled back into the deck.

If an actor is not prepared to act when their card is drawn
they may hold their action by choosing another actor's cards
to act as a trigger. When a trigger card is drawn, they may
act immediately, or after the trigger is resolved. However,
when the delimiter is drawn any held actions are lost.

An actor may be granted additional cards to represent an
increased capacity to act. For example:

 * use 1 card for a heroic character
               or a dangerous opponent
               or a handful of flunkies
               or several slow-moving zombies
               or a swarm of bees

 * use 2 cards for a famous duelist
                or a gang of hooligans
                or a poltergeist
                or a pack of wolves
                or a large group of zombies

 * use 3 cards for an elder vampire
                or a fairy queen's unpredictable glamors
                or a wizard's magical duplicates
                or a malevolent haunted house
                or a zombie horde

 * use 4 cards for a dragon's huge size and fiery breath
                or a demon prince
                or an eye tyrant's deadly gaze attacks
                or a hail of arrows from an enemy army
                or a kraken's many grasping arms

Cards may also be used to represent events, such as a raging
inferno, a bomb's timer, or the completion of a dark ritual.
Drawing this card may mean that the event occurs, or that it
draws closer. For example, a ritual to summon an elder god may
require four draws to complete.

Initiative ends once there are no more threats, or if there
is a significant break in the action.

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(This initiative system was inspired by Troika.)

MST-1: Initiative
© 2021 by Eiríkr Åsheim
licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Questions or comments? Email mst@poly.hedron.club.

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