Adventurers encounter many dangerous monsters and nefarious villains. In those moments, combat often breaks out. The Order of Combat A typical combat encounter is a clash between two sides: a flurry of weapon swings, feints, parries, footwork, and spellcasting. The game organizes combat into a cycle of rounds and turns. A round represents about 6 seconds in the game world. During a round, each participant in a battle takes a turn. The order of turns is determined at the beginning of combat when everyone rolls Initiative. Once everyone has taken a turn, the fight continues to the next round if neither side is defeated. Combat Step by Step Combat unfolds in these steps: 1: Establish Positions. The Game Master determines where all the characters and monsters are located. Given the adventurers’ marching order or their stated positions in the room or other location, the GM figures out where the adversaries are—how far away and in what direction. 2: Roll Initiative. Everyone involved in the combat encounter rolls Initiative, determining the order of combatants’ turns. 3: T a k e Tu r n s . Each participant in the battle takes a turn in Initiative order. When everyone involved in the combat has had a turn, the round ends. Repeat this step until the fighting stops.