How to Set a Turn Order for an Asynchronous RPG Group That Posts at Different Times

Decide what the order needs to do

A turn order solves two separate problems: who acts first in the fiction or under the game rules, and how long the group waits before the scene moves. At a live table, fixed initiative can settle both questions quickly. In play-by-post, each sequential turn may instead add a real-world wait. An RPGnet guide illustrates how a combat with several player and nonplayer turns can take multiple days per round when players post daily, and discusses simultaneous resolution, side-based turns, general orders, and deadlines as alternatives. RPGnet’s guide to action scenes in play-by-post

For your first decision, ask: Does each character need to react to the exact result of the character before them? If yes, preserve individual initiative and make its pacing workable. If no, consider letting several characters submit actions before the game runner resolves them together. This distinction is a practical design choice, not a universal rule: the right format depends on your RPG’s mechanics and how much tactical sequencing your group wants to keep.

Choose one of three workable formats

Individual initiative keeps a ranked list of characters and opponents. It fits systems that rely on each participant acting at a specific point in a round. In Dungeons & Dragons’ Starter Set rules, for example, participants roll initiative, act in that order, and keep the same order from round to round. D&D Starter Set Basic Rules, “The Order of Combat” The cost in asynchronous play is that one delayed post can hold up everyone listed after it.

Side-based rounds split the scene into phases such as player characters, then opponents. Each player posts once in the player phase; after the deadline, the game runner resolves those actions and posts the opposing side’s response. This reduces the number of handoffs while leaving the order within a side flexible. RPGnet describes “you go, they go” as a way to reduce the chance that the scene stalls because one player has not posted, while noting that it may reduce the value of mechanics that reward high initiative. RPGnet’s guide to action scenes in play-by-post

Open or simultaneous action lets players post in any order during a round, often with actions resolved together. It suits scenes where exact sequencing matters less than everyone stating an intent. The trade-off is that players may have fewer chances to change an action in response to another player’s post. State clearly whether posts are tentative declarations or final actions before the round closes.

Set the posting window and the round boundary

Pick a posting window that matches the group’s usual availability, then write down when a round starts and ends. For example: “Post one action by Thursday at 20:00 UTC; I’ll resolve the round by Friday evening.” That is an illustrative schedule, not a recommended universal cadence. The important operational detail is a visible cutoff: without one, players may not know whether the scene is waiting for another action or ready to advance.

Define the group’s clock and the game runner’s responsibility. Use a shared time zone or a clear reference such as UTC, and say where the current deadline will appear. At the cutoff, the game runner should post a short status update: which actions were received, what happens to unresolved turns under the group’s policy, and when the next round begins. A visible update prevents a quiet thread from being mistaken for a finished scene.

Agree on what happens when a player is late

Choose a default before play begins. RPGnet’s guide recommends agreeing on initiative handling ahead of time, since changing how initiative works can affect player choices and mechanics. RPGnet’s guide to action scenes in play-by-post A simple policy might say that an absent character holds position for one round, takes a previously approved defensive action, or is skipped until the next round. Those are examples for the group to choose from, not rules that apply to every game.

Keep the policy narrow and predictable. A missed post should not silently authorize the game runner to make a consequential choice on a player’s behalf. If an action would require a decision—such as choosing between two targets—pause that character’s action or use an option the player approved ahead of time. When a player gives notice they will be away, the group can decide whether to hold their turn, use a stated fallback, or temporarily remove the character from the scene.

Make the order visible and easy to update

Pin a compact tracker in the campaign’s shared space. Include the current round, whose phase it is, the cutoff, and any unresolved action. For individual initiative, list participants in order and mark who has posted; for side-based rounds, list the sides and the action window. Keep it in one reliable place so that a new post does not leave players guessing whether it changes the current round or the next one.

A virtual tabletop can help display a conventional initiative list, but the tool does not decide your asynchronous policy. Roll20’s Turn Tracker, for example, displays a shared list, allows turns to be reordered, and advances the top entry to the bottom when the next-turn control is used. Its documentation describes it as a tool for turn-based games and initiative checks, with the GM opening the tracker for players to see. Roll20 Help Center: Turn Tracker For a side-based or simultaneous procedure, a pinned text post or shared note may be simpler than a tracker built around one-at-a-time turns.

Use a fictional example to test the procedure

Suppose Mira, Oren, and Sol are exploring a clockwork garden. A bronze guardian blocks a gate, but the group does not need to resolve every move in a strict order. The game runner sets a two-day action window: each player posts one intent, then the runner resolves the group’s actions and the guardian’s response in one update. Mira says she distracts the guardian; Oren tries the gate; Sol watches the vines for movement.

Before the window closes, Oren’s action can take account of Mira’s post if the group allows updates during the declaration phase. At the cutoff, the runner resolves all three declared actions and states what changed in the scene. If Sol has not posted, the agreed fallback might be that Sol keeps watch without taking a risky action. The next round then opens with a fresh prompt. This example illustrates a procedure; it does not depend on any particular RPG’s mechanics.

If the scene instead involves a rules-heavy duel where a character’s move depends on a specific opponent’s preceding action, use individual initiative or divide the order into smaller phases. Keep the tracker and deadline, but be explicit that later actions wait for earlier ones. This preserves the mechanics the scene needs while making the wait visible.

Review the system’s limits before changing initiative

A house procedure can change the meaning of rules written for individual turns. In D&D’s Starter Set rules, for instance, a reaction can occur in response to a trigger on another participant’s turn, and the initiative order governs those turns. Moving to simultaneous actions may therefore require the group to clarify how reaction timing works. D&D Starter Set Basic Rules, “Reactions” and “Initiative” Check the actual rules for your chosen game rather than assuming that side-based or simultaneous resolution leaves every ability unchanged.

You should also consider how ties, new arrivals, temporary effects, and scene exits affect the tracker. For example, decide whether a new opponent joins at the next round boundary or enters the current order immediately. Keep the answer brief and consistent; the goal is to make the procedure usable without pausing to renegotiate each time something changes.

A short turn-order agreement to copy and adapt

Write an agreement in plain language before the first action scene. A useful version names the format, the posting window, the resolution point, and the late-turn fallback. Adapt this example to the chosen game and your group’s schedule:

> We use side-based rounds in action scenes. Each player may post one character action before the deadline shown in the scene thread. The game runner resolves submitted actions together and then posts the opposition’s response. If a character’s player has not posted by the cutoff, that character holds position for the round unless the player has approved a different fallback. We use individual initiative when a scene depends on exact turn order, and we will state that at the start of the scene.

After a few rounds, ask whether the order is producing clear updates and acceptable waits. If players are often blocked by sequential turns, try side-based rounds for a suitable scene. If simultaneous resolution makes reactions confusing, return to individual turns or define a smaller set of phases. A turn order is working when everyone can tell what to post, when the round closes, and how the story proceeds if a turn is missed.

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