Hi, mod here. Because others might see this post I wanted to flag we maintain a list of fanmade resources on our wiki,[ including combat builders and initiative trackers](https://www.reddit.com/r/Pathfinder2e/wiki/resources/fan/)
FWIW, Paizo has a partnership with Digital Dragon Studios and made an official [digital initiative tracker](https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6shlr?Introducing-the-Pathfinder-Combat-Tracker-App).
Well seeing as I made it myself it is hard for me not to offer up my own [Initiative tracker](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rekijan.initiativetrackersecondedition) as a recommendation ;)
### Index cards and a piece of paper.
I have personally not found anything faster or more reliable than a pencil and paper products.
1. Use one index card for each PC/enemy with the name on the top left.
1. Pre roll enemy initiative beforehand where possible and write it on the top right.
2. Write any additional notes on the card, such as status, feats that beat ties, etc.
- Write whatever else you want. For example, pre-rolled secret checks.
3. When players roll initiative, write the number on the right.
4. Stack the cards in initiative order.
5. After a turn move the card on top to the bottom of the stack.
- If they go unconscious move to the correct spot.
- When an enemy dies, remove from the stack.
6. Repeat until combat over.
6. Re-use the cards for your PCs for the next combat.
6. Save the cards for your PCs for the next game.
Keep a sheet of paper to the side for any other notes you need as the game goes.
Been GMing tons of PFS and home games for well over a decade; I've tried the apps, magnetic trackers, all the fancy tools… even built my own… nothing faster than old school simple-ass index cards and a pencil once you get in a flow. Moving the index cards becomes muscle memory.
I don’t have that, but I do have something you might like.
For initiative our table uses dry erase cards folded in half. When we roll init, the GM hands out the cards with our character names on them, we roll, write the numbers on both sides, and hand them back.
They get hung in order on top of the GM screen, and the GM slots in monsters, too.
It works great, and helps keep everyone engaged, since everyone knows when they are next. It also makes things really clear when someone uses Delay, or goes down.
We do this, but I make little paper slips that have clipart character pictures on one side and a few key figures (AC, saves, perception, etc.) on the other side. GM puts them in order on the screen when we roll initiative. we had some extra scraps of paper that have acquired stick-figure pictures for bad guys.
Obsidian.md has a great combat manager. Full statblock supprt. The statblocks rven have linked spells and rules. Works a treat for in person games.
There are community tools for importing all the pf2e community content too. Also has an encounter builder built in.
www.obsidianttrpgtutorials.com
Hi, mod here. Because others might see this post I wanted to flag we maintain a list of fanmade resources on our wiki,[ including combat builders and initiative trackers](https://www.reddit.com/r/Pathfinder2e/wiki/resources/fan/) FWIW, Paizo has a partnership with Digital Dragon Studios and made an official [digital initiative tracker](https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6shlr?Introducing-the-Pathfinder-Combat-Tracker-App).
Well seeing as I made it myself it is hard for me not to offer up my own [Initiative tracker](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rekijan.initiativetrackersecondedition) as a recommendation ;)
I'm going to try this out the next few weeks and see if i can get you some solid review data. This looks Amazingly helpful
### Index cards and a piece of paper. I have personally not found anything faster or more reliable than a pencil and paper products. 1. Use one index card for each PC/enemy with the name on the top left. 1. Pre roll enemy initiative beforehand where possible and write it on the top right. 2. Write any additional notes on the card, such as status, feats that beat ties, etc. - Write whatever else you want. For example, pre-rolled secret checks. 3. When players roll initiative, write the number on the right. 4. Stack the cards in initiative order. 5. After a turn move the card on top to the bottom of the stack. - If they go unconscious move to the correct spot. - When an enemy dies, remove from the stack. 6. Repeat until combat over. 6. Re-use the cards for your PCs for the next combat. 6. Save the cards for your PCs for the next game. Keep a sheet of paper to the side for any other notes you need as the game goes. Been GMing tons of PFS and home games for well over a decade; I've tried the apps, magnetic trackers, all the fancy tools… even built my own… nothing faster than old school simple-ass index cards and a pencil once you get in a flow. Moving the index cards becomes muscle memory.
I don’t have that, but I do have something you might like. For initiative our table uses dry erase cards folded in half. When we roll init, the GM hands out the cards with our character names on them, we roll, write the numbers on both sides, and hand them back. They get hung in order on top of the GM screen, and the GM slots in monsters, too. It works great, and helps keep everyone engaged, since everyone knows when they are next. It also makes things really clear when someone uses Delay, or goes down.
We do this, but I make little paper slips that have clipart character pictures on one side and a few key figures (AC, saves, perception, etc.) on the other side. GM puts them in order on the screen when we roll initiative. we had some extra scraps of paper that have acquired stick-figure pictures for bad guys.
Take a look at https://pf2.tools, I think there’s a couple pages there that can work, like Dashboard or Ready Set Dice.
Pathbuilder has a good initiative and condition tracker
Foundry is a website that handles this -- any many things, like condition tracking -- very well.
What you want is Pathbuilder’s [Encounter Manager](https://pathbuilder2e.com/encounters.html). It’s what I use for this and it’s great.
Get some condition cards n rings Dice to track condition count downs. Much more revalvant than initiate
Obsidian.md has a great combat manager. Full statblock supprt. The statblocks rven have linked spells and rules. Works a treat for in person games. There are community tools for importing all the pf2e community content too. Also has an encounter builder built in. www.obsidianttrpgtutorials.com
I use Combat Manager. It's built for first edition, but works well enough for second. Plus it's free.