[C4] Combat Sequence


There are 10 segments per round. A round is 1 minute; a segment is 6 seconds.
Each segment consists of 2 "halves", one for the PCs ("top of the segment") and one for the monsters ("bottom of the segment").
You can only act on your half of the segment. Exception: You may use Opposing or Zero actions on the enemy half of the segment.
Follow this sequence each combat:
1. Surprise: Any monster or PC which is surprised does not get to act on segment 1 of the round.
2. Initiative: If it is unclear which side should go first, each side rolls 1d12 and applies their average initiative adjustment. If the PCs win, proceed as normal. If the monsters win, they get a segment of actions before segment 1.
3. Round sequence (repeat this as long as combat occurs):
     A. Beginning of Round: Actions that automatically take place at the beginning of the round occur. (regeneration, etc.)
     B. Segment sequence (repeat this 10 times):
         i. Top of Segment: The PC's side perform their actions. What you can do in a segment is explained in [C3] Action Types.
         ii. Bottom of Segment: The monsters perform their actions.
     C. End of Round: Actions that automatically take place at the end of the round occur. (spells ending due to duration, etc.)
If a monster switches to the PCs side (due to charm or whatever), they do not go on their next segment of actions, instead, they switch to the PCs actions on the following segment.
If a player (or NPC) switches to the monsters side, they must skip their actions during the Top of segment, then act during the Bottom of segment. If this would "give away" that the PC or NPC is about to betray the party, we roll for iniative during the middle of the round, the winner gets to act first.
If two PCs attack each other, the initiator of the attack gets to attack first, as if he was a monster who won initiative (see step 2 above). Combat proceeds normally, with the initiator being on the monster's half of the segment.
In the rare case of a 3-way fight, there is a "Middle of Segment" for the extra third side (the DM determines which of the two non-PC sides goes on "Middle" and which goes on "Bottom").
An action can be responded to using an Opposing or Zero actions (or Borrowed or Held actions if you have those sorts of abilities). In this case, a "stack" (similar to the Magic the Gathering stack) is created, with the most recent effects added resolving first. "Stacks" are nowhere near as common in the Collective as in Magic, due to a lack of Opposing actions (and meaningful things to do with Z actions).