Savage Worlds PbP Combat
I do a lot of SW on site and first [reference to other game removed].
Second to tackle this particular problem I've seen it done four ways:
1) Everyone draws their own cards (prompted by the Gamemaster). So the first thing in every combat is a purely OOC post where you draw your card. The GM then makes another post, putting everyone in order, and everyone posts in turn.
Then, as you take your actions, you end your action by drawing your card for the next round, like it's the last thing you do and add to your combat post. This in turn lets the GM organize all of that into the next round and the cycle repeats until combat ends.
Pros: Takes all the headache off the GM to remember who has initiative enhancing edges, facilitates mechanics like use a benny to redraw a card, etc.
Cons: Delays resolution, you have to wait for everyone to post. This isn't such a bad thing if yours is a slower paced game.
2) GM draws all initiative cards. You get what you get.
Pros: Easier for players, game moves noticeably faster. I don't say this as a negative criticism but some GMs hate it when players make any more rolls than are absolutely necessary and this helps them curb that.
Cons: More on the GM, effects of initiative modifying abilities or mechanics likely to be overlooked.
3) Hybrid method: The GM pulls all cards on the first round just to get things going, and then expects the players to pull them as they go past that. Rarely used but I've seen it. I think it's not used that much because you get none of the benefits and all of the drawbacks at the same time plus it confuses people.
4) Hardcore method: I have seen this only once, but some mathematically astute people are quick to point out that using the dice roller is not the same thing as using an actual deck of cards due to the inherent "replacement" for lack of a better word of cards already drawn. So in this case, the GM actually kept a physical deck of cards at home and physically shuffled and drew from it and simply informed us of the results to preserve the probabilities the game is based on. This however is surely an absolute pain in the rear end.
This message was last edited by a moderator, as it was against the forum rules, at 17:27, Sat 22 June 2019.