Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
How to run side initiative in Old School Essentials without slowing combat: Moldvay Basic page B23 makes one d6 per side the default — and most dungeon master tips miss that individual initiative was the optional Pair Combat box. This old school essentials breakdown covers the B24 declaration rule, the halfling's +1 on B10, and why side-based combat runs faster.
Side initiative isn't nostalgia — individual initiative is what's slowing your B/X combat down, and the 1981 rules put it in an optional box. Here's the case, with the pages, in 2026.
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One d6 per side, rerolled every round. That's the printed B/X rule, page B23. Individual initiative is in there too — under the name Pair Combat, with the word optional in the heading — and the halfling's +1 on B10 is written as an ability that only functions when you switch that option on. This video walks through the actual combat sequence on B24, the declaration rule sitting in the prose underneath it, what that does to a spellcaster who commits before the roll, why a side-based round lets four players plan as a unit, and why the simultaneous-death result on a tie cannot survive the conversion to individual turns.
Then a stopwatch challenge for your next session.
The Tavern Rules: We're here for B/X and OSR gaming. I use AI as a tool to help organize and format my notes, but every ruling and opinion is 100% Tenkar. Keep it civil, keep it old-school, or the bouncer will show you the door.
Basic Rules (Moldvay) PDF & Print - drivethrurpg.com/en/product/110274/d-d-basic-set-rulebook-b-x-ed-basic?src=newest_print&affiliate_id=1446
Expert Rules (Marsh/Cook) PDF & Print - drivethrurpg.com/en/product/110792/d-d-expert-set-rulebook-b-x-ed-basic?affiliate_id=1446
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0:00 Individual Initiative Makes Combat Longer, Not Fairer
1:01 Why B/X Prints Individual Initiative as the Option
2:00 Moldvay Basic Page B23: The Side Initiative Rule as Written
2:17 Pair Combat — Individual Initiative Was the 1981 Option
2:54 The Halfling +1 on B10 That Only Works If You Switch It On
4:16 B24 Combat Sequence: Morale, Movement, Missiles, Spells, Melee
5:01 The Declaration Rule Hiding in the Prose on B25
6:28 What 12 Declarations Per Round Does to Your Bookkeeping
8:39 The Tie Result: Both Sides Can Be Killed in the Same Round
10:25 Two-Handed Weapons, Zombies and Giant Shrews on One Die Roll
11:38 Fast vs Fair: What the Modern Default Actually Costs a Table
11:58 Run It Next Session: The Stopwatch Challenge
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Master Minion: mortgagemike77, Randt Chrockett, Eric Fox, The Veteran DM, Cathulhu17, Don Bakke, DoubleDeuce, skink, Kore44, Louis Feurino, Craig Aylward, Anthon Kron, Ijimisan, Terry Taylor, blahlbinoa, Arbiter's Archive, Dean Salsberry, DM Angelo, Douglas Pearson, James Spahn, Mathew Sherman, Agile Monk
Companion Minions: Andrey Zharinov, Brett C, Spode Racing, Tacoloco787, Adam Lovell, Plush Cthulhu, DM_Sahrenyth, Gabe Guerrero, Chris Charlton, Chris Blatnick, Nicodemus ShadowCaster, Christopher Beattie, No one, Stephen Klow, Mark the Shark, Eupolemos, Jay, Martin Penny, tim cafferty, Rubens Barrichello, Curt Gould, Estaban Vasquez, Glen K. Amo
youtube.com/channel/UCIdpAASpAI7vu-bZx6pP_mQ
How to run side initiative in Old School Essentials without slowing combat: Moldvay Basic page B23 makes one d6 per side the default — and most dungeon master tips miss that individual initiative was the optional Pair Combat box. This old school essentials breakdown covers the B24 declaration rule, the halfling's +1 on B10, and why side-based combat runs faster.
Side initiative isn't nostalgia — individual initiative is what's slowing your B/X combat down, and the 1981 rules put it in an optional box. Here's the case, with the pages, in 2026.
🔥 JOIN THE MINIONS: youtube.com/@TenkarsTavern/join
One d6 per side, rerolled every round. That's the printed B/X rule, page B23. Individual initiative is in there too — under the name Pair Combat, with the word optional in the heading — and the halfling's +1 on B10 is written as an ability that only functions when you switch that option on. This video walks through the actual combat sequence on B24, the declaration rule sitting in the prose underneath it, what that does to a spellcaster who commits before the roll, why a side-based round lets four players plan as a unit, and why the simultaneous-death result on a tie cannot survive the conversion to individual turns.
Then a stopwatch challenge for your next session.
The Tavern Rules: We're here for B/X and OSR gaming. I use AI as a tool to help organize and format my notes, but every ruling and opinion is 100% Tenkar. Keep it civil, keep it old-school, or the bouncer will show you the door.
Basic Rules (Moldvay) PDF & Print - drivethrurpg.com/en/product/110274/d-d-basic-set-rulebook-b-x-ed-basic?src=newest_print&affiliate_id=1446
Expert Rules (Marsh/Cook) PDF & Print - drivethrurpg.com/en/product/110792/d-d-expert-set-rulebook-b-x-ed-basic?affiliate_id=1446
Join The Tavern's Discord Server (It's Free):
discord.gg/fReGmuD
Buy me a Beer!
ko-fi.com/tenkar
0:00 Individual Initiative Makes Combat Longer, Not Fairer
1:01 Why B/X Prints Individual Initiative as the Option
2:00 Moldvay Basic Page B23: The Side Initiative Rule as Written
2:17 Pair Combat — Individual Initiative Was the 1981 Option
2:54 The Halfling +1 on B10 That Only Works If You Switch It On
4:16 B24 Combat Sequence: Morale, Movement, Missiles, Spells, Melee
5:01 The Declaration Rule Hiding in the Prose on B25
6:28 What 12 Declarations Per Round Does to Your Bookkeeping
8:39 The Tie Result: Both Sides Can Be Killed in the Same Round
10:25 Two-Handed Weapons, Zombies and Giant Shrews on One Die Roll
11:38 Fast vs Fair: What the Modern Default Actually Costs a Table
11:58 Run It Next Session: The Stopwatch Challenge
The Tavern uses affiliate links - using our affiliate links supports the channel without costing you anything extra.
Humble Bundle: humblebundleinc.sjv.io/da4WJ2
The Tavern's Amazon Storefront: amzn.to/41Jm0oG
DriveThruRPG: drivethrurpg.com/en/?affiliate_id=1446
Fantasy Grounds VTT: affiliates.fantasygrounds.com/388855/15958
The Tavern uses Restream for its livestreams and its long-form videos. You can too! restream.io/join/g5Qpgr
The Tavern also uses VidIQ: vidiq.com/TenkarsTavern
Master Minion: mortgagemike77, Randt Chrockett, Eric Fox, The Veteran DM, Cathulhu17, Don Bakke, DoubleDeuce, skink, Kore44, Louis Feurino, Craig Aylward, Anthon Kron, Ijimisan, Terry Taylor, blahlbinoa, Arbiter's Archive, Dean Salsberry, DM Angelo, Douglas Pearson, James Spahn, Mathew Sherman, Agile Monk
Companion Minions: Andrey Zharinov, Brett C, Spode Racing, Tacoloco787, Adam Lovell, Plush Cthulhu, DM_Sahrenyth, Gabe Guerrero, Chris Charlton, Chris Blatnick, Nicodemus ShadowCaster, Christopher Beattie, No one, Stephen Klow, Mark the Shark, Eupolemos, Jay, Martin Penny, tim cafferty, Rubens Barrichello, Curt Gould, Estaban Vasquez, Glen K. Amo
youtube.com/channel/UCIdpAASpAI7vu-bZx6pP_mQ
