This D&D 5e Initiative Calculator is a fast, table-ready tracker that rolls and orders combatants with precision. Add any creature, set DEX and misc modifiers, choose Normal/Advantage/Disadvantage, and use custom dice like 1d20 or 2d10-1. Hit “Roll All” to auto-sort the list, highlight the active turn, and advance rounds with one tap. Each entry shows a clear breakdown of rolls and modifiers for instant audit. Edit values mid-combat, re-roll individuals, copy the final order to clipboard, and keep the flow tight on mobile or desktop.

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Quick start

1. Enter a creature name.
2. Set DEX mod and any Misc mod.
3. Leave Dice as 1d20 or change it.
4. Pick Adv/Dis (Normal, Advantage, Disadvantage).
5. Select Add for each creature.
6. Select Roll All to create the initiative order.
7. Select Start combat implicitly by using Next Turn. The active entry highlights. When the list wraps, the round increases.

Inputs explained (roster row)

• Name identifies the creature in the list and order. Use any text.
• DEX mod is the creature’s Dexterity modifier. Positive or negative integers are valid.
• Misc mod is any additional modifier applied to initiative. Examples: the Alert feat (+5), a class or magic bonus, situational effects. Additive and can be negative.
• Dice is the expression to roll for initiative. Default is 1d20. You can include constants such as 1d20+2 or mixed terms like 2d10-1. The final total also adds DEX mod and Misc mod from the fields.
• Adv/Dis applies advantage or disadvantage to the whole dice expression. The tool rolls the full expression twice and keeps the higher (advantage) or lower (disadvantage) total.

Per-creature mini actions

• Roll rolls initiative for just that creature and refreshes the order.
• Delete removes the creature from the roster and the order.

Global controls

• Add adds the current inputs as a new creature card.
• Roll All rolls initiative for every creature in the roster and sorts the initiative order.
• Next Turn advances the active pointer to the next creature. When the end is reached, the pointer wraps to the top and the Round counter increases by one.
• Reset clears all previous rolls and resets the round to 1. The roster remains; only the results clear.
• Copy Order copies the numbered order with totals to the clipboard for easy pasting into notes or VTT chat.

What happens when you roll

1. The tool evaluates each creature’s Dice expression. It supports NdX groups and + or - constants, such as 1d20, 1d20+2, 2d10-1. It caps extreme inputs for safety (many dice or many sides are constrained internally).
2. If Adv/Dis is set to Advantage or Disadvantage, the entire expression is rolled twice and the higher or lower total is kept.
3. The tool adds DEX mod and Misc mod from the fields to the kept roll total.
4. The result saves as the creature’s total. A breakdown string shows the raw dice and the sum of modifiers.
5. All creatures sort from highest total to lowest total.

Tie-break rules

When two totals are equal, the tool breaks ties using:

1. Higher DEX mod goes first.
2. If still tied, higher Misc mod goes first.
3. If still tied, name alphabetical order decides.

This is a practical default. If your table re-rolls ties or uses DEX score, adjust your inputs to emulate those rules (e.g., temporarily reflect DEX score differences in Misc mod or rename temporarily to force alphabetical precedence).

Breakdown details

• The breakdown line shows each NdX group with its individual rolls in brackets and the signed modifiers. Example: 1d20 [17] +3 indicates a 17 on the d20 and +3 combined modifiers.
• Under Advantage or Disadvantage, only the kept roll’s breakdown displays, not the discarded one, to reduce clutter.

Rounds and the active turn

• After Roll All, the active index moves to the top of the order.
• Selecting Next Turn moves the active highlight down one. When it passes the last entry, the round increments and the highlight returns to the first entry.
• The round number is a simple counter for pacing. It does not enforce effects timing; use the highlight and round number to coordinate ongoing conditions.

Editing after rolling

• You can change a creature’s name, mods, dice, or advantage state at any time.
• Use the per-card Roll button to refresh a single creature’s total. The order re-sorts automatically.
• Use Roll All to refresh everyone together, for example when a new combat begins.

Modeling common table features

• Alert feat (+5): put +5 in Misc mod.
• Jack of All Trades or other proficiency-like bonuses: add the resulting number into Misc mod.
• Weapon of Warning (advantage): set Adv/Dis to Advantage.
• Tasha’s optional initiative using different ability: compute that ability’s modifier and place the difference in Misc mod to reach the total you want.
• Group initiative: create one entry per side (e.g., “Party”, “Bandits”), give each a dice expression and modifiers, then roll once per side.
• Lair actions at count 20: add a creature named “Lair (20)”. Manually place a total of 20 by entering Dice as 0 and setting Misc mod to 20 so it always sits at 20 in the order.

Dice expression guidance

• Use NdX for dice and +/- for constants. Examples: 1d20, 1d20+1, 2d10-1.
• Spaces are ignored. Case is ignored.
• If you include a constant in the Dice box (like 1d20+2), remember the field modifiers also apply. Keep field modifiers for ability-based and feat-based bonuses, and keep dice box focused on the random component unless you want the constant to live with the dice.
• Exotic functions like keep-highest or parentheses are not parsed. Use the Adv/Dis selector for advantage or disadvantage on the whole expression.

Advantage and disadvantage

• Normal rolls the expression once.
• Advantage rolls the expression twice and keeps the higher total.
• Disadvantage rolls the expression twice and keeps the lower total.
• The comparison applies to the full expression result, not only the first d20 term. This mirrors most tables’ expectations for initiative when other dice appear.

Interpreting totals

• Total is the value used for ordering.
• Breakdown helps audit the roll, useful when multiple modifiers stack.
• Use Copy Order to paste a clear list into a chat or notes document.

Practical examples

Simple PC

• Name: Kallia
• DEX mod: +3
• Misc mod: +5 (Alert)
• Dice: 1d20
• Adv/Dis: Normal

Total equals d20 + 3 + 5.

Monk with advantage

• Name: Sora
• DEX mod: +4
• Misc mod: +1 (magic item)
• Dice: 1d20
• Adv/Dis: Advantage

Total equals best of two d20 rolls + 4 + 1.

Boss with odd dice

• Name: Hydra
• DEX mod: +2
• Misc mod: +0
• Dice: 2d10-1
• Adv/Dis: Normal

Total equals 2d10 – 1 + 2.

House-rule mapping

• Re-roll ties: if a tie occurs, adjust Misc mod temporarily by +0.1 steps is not supported; instead re-roll tied entries with their per-card Roll button until different totals appear.
• DEX score tie-breaker: place +0 or +1 in Misc mod for the higher DEX score to emulate precedence if needed.
• Side-based ties: prepend names with a letter (A Party, B Enemies) while tied so alphabetical order favors one side consistently.

UI and layout behavior

• Mobile-first single-column layout. On wider screens, inputs pack into a grid for compact use.
• Minimum font size is 15px for readability. Labels are bold to separate inputs and outputs.
• Primary controls and header use the accent color for quick visual targeting.

Data handling

• All rolls happen locally in the browser.
• No network calls are made by the tool.
• Clipboard copy requires user gesture and copies only the visible order and totals.

Accuracy notes

• Initiative in 5e is typically d20 + DEX mod + other bonuses. That is the default behavior here.
• Advantage and disadvantage apply to the roll part. Bonuses remain additive.
• If you include constants in the Dice box and in fields, you will stack them. Keep each bonus in one place to avoid double-counting.

Troubleshooting

• Order is empty after rolling: add at least one creature using Add before rolling.
• Dice error or strange totals: ensure the dice is in the form NdX with optional +K or -K. Remove parentheses or keep-highest syntax; use the Advantage selector instead.
• Ties not breaking as expected: the tool uses DEX mod, then Misc mod, then name. Adjust Misc or rename momentarily to enforce a table preference, or use per-card re-roll.
• Wrong creature is active: select Next Turn to advance, or re-roll to rebuild the order starting at the top.

Limits and safeguards

• Very large dice counts or sides are clamped internally to keep performance stable.
• Expressions with unsupported symbols are ignored. Stick to digits, d, +, and -.
• Advantage/disadvantage applies to the whole expression rather than a single die term. This is intentional and simple.

Glossary

• DEX mod: Dexterity ability modifier.
• Misc mod: any other situational or feature-based modifier.
• Advantage: roll twice, keep the higher total.
• Disadvantage: roll twice, keep the lower total.
• Round: a full cycle through the initiative order.

Best practices

• Add every combatant before rolling, including lair or environmental entries if used.
• Standardize where you place bonuses. Keep constants in fields and randomness in the dice box.
• Use the per-card Roll button for mid-combat additions or summons without disturbing other entries.