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Initiative in Warcrow Adventures

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Initiative in Warcrow Adventures

Initiative is a key factor for engagements in Warcrow Adventures, they mandate the action order for characters and enemies. 

In Warcrow Adventures, Initiative is managed in a swiveling circular piece: the Initiative Tracker. Initial Placement - Warcrow Adventures Initiative

The first thing we should point out is that the lowest the Initiative value of a Character, the more chances of activating they'll have. Let's see why: 

INITIAL PLACEMENT 

When our characters are exploring new territories, interacting, or conducting business in Hawthorn Point, the action order is chosen by the players, but things change when enemies show their face during a match. At that moment, a battle ensues and we, therefore, use the Initiative Tracker. 

For starters, we must place the Initiative tokens of all characters and enemies on the table. 

Begin with the enemies' Initiative tokens. Each of them has a card of their own in which the Initiative value is shown. That number is the position in the wheel in which we must place them. For example, the Marked has a value of 4, so the token is placed in position 4. The Kipleacht has a value of 3, so the token is placed in position 3. 

Enemy initiative cards in Warcrow Adventures

Once all attackers are in position, it's turn for the heroes. 

They have their Initiative value shown on the upper left side of their Character sheet and we'll use it in the same way as the enemies'. Ludivine has a value of 4 and Darach of 3, so their respective positions are 4 and 3. 

Warcrow Adventures hero initiative

As you may see, the order of the tokens is important and must not be modified. In case an Initiative token was already in the same position in which yours should be, you must simply place your Initiative token on top of it. 

If two heroes have the same value: During the initial placement, players may decide how to stack their tokens. Only their tokens, however; enemy tokens cannot be moved. 

Characters are activated from the top down, following the stack order until there're no tokens left in that position. As the tokens advance through the Tracker, new stacks are created. Said stacks will form naturally.

ACTIVATIONS

The pointer of the Tracker begins by pointing at number 1 and it'll spin clockwise to activate the miniatures. 

The initiative in Warcrow Adventures - Sphere turns clockwise

Should there be a token in the first position, the corresponding miniature would become active, but since there's none, we move forward. 

We go through number 2, in which there's no token either, so we advance further and we stop at number 3, which features Darach atop the stack. Darach is activated, he performs his actions on the game table and once his activation is over, his token advances as many positions as indicated by his Initiative value. In this case, he'll move 3 positions to number 6. 

The Warcrow Adventures Initiative - Darach

Once this displacement is complete, we move proceed to the next miniature. As long as there are tokens on position 3, the pointer remains fixed there. 

By moving Darach, we reach the Kipleacht's token, so it's the creature's turn. It activates just like Darach, and since it has the same Initiative value, it'll move 3 positions to position 6 when its activation ends. Since Darach's already in position 6, the Kipleacht's token is placed on top of the one already there. 

Place the tab above - Initiative in Warcrow Adventures

Going back to the pointer, and given that we've run out of tokens in position 3, we advance to the next. In position 4, Ludivine activates and advances 4 positions. The Marked becomes active, finishes, and advances 4 positions, placing her token on top of Ludivine's. 

The Marked - Initiative in Warcrow AdventuresLudivine - Initiative in Warcrow Adventures

ROUNDS

The Initiative Tracker's positions range from 1 to 10, but what happens when the pointer reaches the end? 

The initiative in Warcrow Adventures - TabletAlthough the shape of the piece may indicate an infinite run, number 10 marks a Round change. Every time the pointer reaches 10 and all Initiative tokens in that position have been activated past that position, we must mark the end of the Roundon the app. 

At that point, a number of things may occur: 

  • The app may notify you of different events, for example: When you reach Round number X, enemies withdraw; a new creature appears; you receive an advantage... 

  • The app invites you to keep playing. The pointer moves normally and characters commence the second Round in the positions they currently are. Activations carry on and tokens keep moving, giving you the opportunity to continue fighting. 

CHANGES TO INITIATIVE 

The Initiative value is not fixed, it can change or be modified. 

  • The energy control panel can cause this value to change. If you place an Energy Cube in one of the spaces with this symbol [símbolo iniciativa], you'll immediately have to move the token of the Character you're playing one position in the Initiative Tracker. If that were to happen, at the end of your activation, your token would advance through the Tracker, as usual, moving a number of positions equal to your Initiative value. 
    You can perform more actions by using those spaces, but that'll mean that you'll activate them much later. This is one of the reasons why strategy and energy management are so important during your activation. 

Warcrow Adventures Initiative - What you need to play the game

  • The initiative may also vary depending on skills or states. For example, we have the Slowed State. 

    This state will cause the character or enemy to advance two extra positions in the Initiative Tracker at the end of the activation. 

  • Yet Initiative can also be modified by effects caused by enemies, character skills, or even consumables. The Naurlynn Nayra places around cause the Slowed State in adjacent miniatures and the Balm consumable reduces your Initiative value by 1 for one activation (allowing you to act again earlier). 

To summarize, Initiative is an element that modifies the action rhythm during combat, making it more interesting. It's also quite intuitive, you'll see when you try it!  

If you want to know other Warcrow Adventures mechanics, you can access these articles: 

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