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Initiative Tracker Guide
The Roll Dyce initiative tracker keeps combat moving at the table. Pick a system, drop your party and monsters in, and the tracker handles the die, the modifier, and the turn order. Whether you're running a classic OSR dungeonwhere everyone rolls a fresh d6 each round, a D&D 5e encounter against a dragon, or a WFRP 4e brawl, the presets line up with how the system actually plays. Pair it with the dice roller for attacks and damage, or start the night with the character generator to roll up replacements.
How to Use the Initiative Tracker
- Pick your game system from the tabs at the top of the tracker.
- Type a combatant's name, set an initiative modifier (e.g.+3 for a D&D character with 16 Dexterity), pick PC or NPC, and clickAdd.
- Use the Count field to add multiple copies at once, so five goblins become Goblin #1 through Goblin #5.
- Click Roll All to roll initiative for the whole group, or a row'sRoll button to roll one combatant. For manual-entry systems, type the value directly.
- Step through turns with Next / Prev. The active combatant is highlighted; dimmed rows have already taken their turn this round.
- Switch between Individual and Side mode at any time. HitReset to clear the board when the session ends.
Supported Systems
D&D 5e / Pathfinder 2e
Individual turn order with 1d20 + initiative modifier. The default flow for modern d20-system games. Everyone rolls once at the start of combat and keeps that slot until the fight ends.
OSR / B/X
Side initiative on 1d6, re-rolled every round. The classic Old School Revival style where the PCs or monsters go first as a group. Modifiers stick, so a DEX bonus still tilts the roll.
AD&D 1e/2e
Side initiative on 1d6, re-rolled each round. Same rhythm as B/X: declare intentions, roll the die, and one side's actions resolve before the other's.
WFRP 4e
Individual turn order with 1d10 + your initiative characteristic. The Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay approach, where initiative is its own stat separate from agility or dexterity.
Call of Cthulhu 7e
Descending DEX order with no die roll. Type each investigator's DEX and the tracker sorts the turn order. Fast and bloodless, much like CoC combat tends to be.
Manual
Bring your own numbers. Enter any initiative value for any combatant, in any order, for homebrew systems or house rules the presets don't cover.
Individual vs Side Initiative
Individual mode is the D&D 5e / Pathfinder 2e default: every combatant gets their own slot in the turn order, and you cycle through them highest-to-lowest. It's precise, but slower with large groups.
Side mode groups PCs and NPCs together and resolves one side before the other. It's how OSR / B/X and AD&D play, and it keeps a ten-goblin fight from crawling. Tap a group header to collapse a side while the other is acting. Combatants who've already taken their turn this round dim out, so you can see at a glance who still has actions.
Tips for a Smooth Session
- Pre-load recurring NPCs before the session starts; the tracker remembers them across refreshes.
- Rolling new characters mid-campaign? Add them with a fresh PC tag and roll a single initiative without disturbing the existing order.
- For surprise rounds, add the ambushers first with a higher modifier and roll only their side.
- Encounter went sideways? Hit Reset and start the next one clean, or keep the old one around by not resetting and just adding new combatants.
Roll Details and Re-rolls
The number next to each combatant is the total initiative - the die result plus the modifier. The smaller +N shown next to the total is the modifier that was applied, kept visible so you can audit a roll at a glance. Modifiers are preserved across re-rolls, so systems like OSR/BX that roll new initiative every round keep each combatant's bonus applied to the new result.
For systems without a die (CoC 7e DEX order, Manual), type the initiative value directly - there's no Roll button. The tracker saves your encounter automatically: refresh the page and it will be right where you left it. Hit Reset to clear everything and start a new encounter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which RPG systems does this initiative tracker support?
The tracker ships with presets for six systems: D&D 5e and Pathfinder 2e (d20 + modifier, individual order), OSR / B/X (d6 per side, re-rolled every round), AD&D 1e/2e (d6 side initiative), Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4e (d10 + initiative characteristic), Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition (DEX order, manual entry), and a Manual mode for any other system. Each preset configures the right die, modifier behavior, and default turn structure automatically.
What is the difference between Individual mode and Side mode?
Individual mode steps through each combatant in descending initiative order, which is the standard D&D 5e and Pathfinder 2e flow. Side mode groups combatants into PCs and NPCs and resolves a whole side before the other acts, matching how OSR / B/X and AD&D handle a combat round. You can switch modes at any time, and the tracker keeps your combatants in place.
How do I add multiple enemies at once?
Use the Count field when adding a combatant. Setting count to 5 on a goblin produces Goblin #1 through Goblin #5, each with its own initiative to roll. This makes it fast to set up mook-heavy encounters without retyping the same name six times.
Does the tracker handle re-rolling initiative each round for OSR games?
Yes. When you pick OSR / B/X or AD&D 1e/2e, the tracker is configured to re-roll per round. Each combatant's modifier is preserved across re-rolls, so any Dexterity or class bonus that applies to your old-school game still lands on top of the new d6. Hit Roll All at the top of a new round to reshuffle turn order.
Is my encounter saved if I refresh the page?
Yes. The tracker automatically persists your combatants, round number, active turn, and mode to your browser. Close the tab, refresh, or come back after dinner and your encounter is exactly where you left it. Hit the Reset button when you want to clear everything and start fresh.
How are the initiative dice rolled?
Every die roll uses cryptographically secure random number generation via the Web Crypto API (crypto.getRandomValues) with rejection sampling to eliminate modulo bias. The result is fair, unpredictable, and suitable for session play where people actually care whether the d20 is honest.