When a fight starts, initiative decides the order everyone acts in. Getting it right — and keeping track of it quickly — is the difference between tense, fast combat and twenty minutes of “wait, whose turn is it?”
Rolling initiative
Everyone in the fight rolls a d20 and adds their Dexterity modifier (plus any bonuses from class features or feats). The DM usually rolls once for each group of identical monsters. Highest total goes first, then down the list.
Ties: the rules let the DM decide, and a common approach is that the creature with the higher Dexterity score goes first. Many tables simply let players go before monsters on a tie.
Turns and rounds
On your turn you can move up to your speed, take one action (attack, cast a spell, dash, dodge, help, hide…), possibly a bonus action if a feature gives you one, and interact with one object for free. You also have one reaction per round, which you can use outside your turn — the opportunity attack is the most common. A round is everyone taking one turn, which represents about six seconds in the story.
Surprise
If one side is caught completely unaware, the 2014 rules say the surprised creatures can’t move or act on their first turn and can’t take reactions until that turn ends; the 2024 rules instead give them disadvantage on their initiative roll. Either way the DM decides who is surprised, usually by comparing Stealth checks against passive Perception.
Keeping combat fast
- Write the order where everyone can see it, and announce who is up next (“Mira, you’re on deck”).
- Track monster hit points privately but tell players how hurt enemies look — bloodied, barely standing.
- Roll damage with the attack so the result is ready.
- Use conditions sparingly and track them visibly so nobody forgets that the ogre is prone.
The free Initiative Tracker does all of this: it sorts the order, tracks hit points and conditions, pulls monster stats from the compendium, and can show the fight live on your campaign page so players follow along on their phones. Plan the fight first with the Encounter Builder and send it straight to the tracker.