Initiative Tracker

What this tool does

The Initiative Tracker keeps the turn order for a tabletop combat so the game master does not have to juggle it on scratch paper. You add each combatant with a name, an initiative value and an optional pool of hit points, and the list sorts itself automatically from highest initiative to lowest. A “next turn” button moves the active marker down the order and rolls the round counter over when it reaches the bottom, while a built-in d20 helper rolls initiative for you.

During the fight you can nudge any combatant’s hit points up or down, remove anyone who drops out, and see at a glance whose turn it is. The whole encounter is saved to your browser, so an accidental refresh does not wipe the table’s progress.

When you’d use it

This is a running-the-game tool, used live at the table. The moment combat starts, you collect everyone’s initiative, add them here, and the order is sorted and ready. From then on you press “next turn” each time a combatant finishes, and the tracker tells you who is up and which round you are in — no re-sorting a list by hand, no losing your place when a player asks a question.

It shines in busy fights. When there are player characters, several enemies and a couple of bystanders all rolling initiative, a clear sorted list with HP read-outs prevents the small mistakes that creep in — skipping a turn, forgetting a creature is nearly down, or losing the round count. It is just as welcome in online play, where a shared physical tracker is not an option, and for new game masters who are still building the habit of running structured combat.

How to use it

1. Enter a Name for the combatant and an Initiative value. Add a number in the optional HP field if you want to track hit points.
2. To roll initiative, set the Initiative modifier to that combatant’s bonus and press Roll d20 + modifier — the result fills the Initiative box. Then press Add combatant.
3. Repeat until everyone is in. The list sorts by initiative automatically as you go.
4. Press Start combat, then Next turn to advance the active marker. When the order wraps around, the round counter goes up by one.
5. Use the −, −5 and + buttons on a row to adjust its HP, and the remove button to take a combatant out of the fight.
6. Restart resets the round and active marker but keeps the combatants; Clear all wipes the whole encounter after a confirm.

How to read the tracker

The list is your turn order, top to bottom. The number in the square on the left is that combatant’s initiative; the highlighted row is whoever is acting right now, marked “active”. A combatant with hit points shows a current / maximum read-out, and when their HP hits zero the row is struck through and flagged as down — a clear, colour-and-text cue so you never miss it. The round counter at the top tells you how many full passes through the order the combat has taken, which matters for effects that last a set number of rounds.

Tips for game masters

Add combatants in any order — the sort handles placement, so you do not have to collect initiative in sequence. For groups of identical enemies, give them distinct names like “Wolf 1” and “Wolf 2” so HP tracking stays clear. The tracker does not decide ties for you; apply your own rule, or simply drag your attention to whichever you prefer, since same-initiative combatants keep the order you added them. To roll the combatants’ attacks and damage once their turn comes up, keep the Advanced Dice Roller open alongside this, and for naming the creatures the party faces the RPG Name Generator is one click away.

Privacy

The tracker runs entirely in your browser. The current encounter is saved only to that browser’s local storage so a refresh does not lose it — there is no account, no server copy and no sync to other devices. Nothing you enter is uploaded or logged, the tool works offline once loaded, and clearing your browser data is all it takes to remove the encounter for good.