D&D 5e Initiative Tracker
This free D&D initiative tracker is for 5e game masters and players who need a clear combat turn order. Add each combatant by name, type the initiative total from the table or roll 1d20 plus a Dexterity modifier here, then step through turns as the fight moves. The list stays in your browser, with no sign up.
Type a name, enter a total or press Roll and add for 1d20 plus the DEX modifier.
Add a combatant to start the turn order.
How to use the initiative tracker
Add each combatant. Type a name. If they already rolled at the table, enter that total in the Initiative box and press Add. If you want this page to roll for them, type their Dexterity modifier and press Roll and add. The roll is 1d20 plus that modifier, using the same fair dice method as the rest of the site.
Read the order. The list sorts from the highest total to the lowest. If two totals match, the higher Dexterity modifier is listed first, then the order you added them. A small "tie" note appears next to anyone who shares a total.
Step through the fight. Press Next turn to mark who is up. Previous turn steps backward. The round count goes up when you pass the last combatant and return to the top. Press This turn on any row to jump there. Edit a name, total or modifier in place. Remove someone who leaves the fight, or press Clear list to wipe the encounter from this browser.
The list holds up to 40 combatants and saves itself on this device. It does not track hit points or conditions. For damage and other dice, use the main DnD dice roller. For a single d20 with advantage or disadvantage, use the d20 roller or the advantage roller. When someone drops to 0 hit points, open the death saves tracker.
How initiative works in 5e
Initiative sets the order of turns in combat, and nothing else. When a fight starts, every participant makes a Dexterity check: a d20 plus their Dexterity modifier. The Dungeon Master ranks everyone from the highest total to the lowest. That list is the initiative order, and it stays the same from round to round until combat ends.
The Dungeon Master may make one roll for a group of identical creatures, so those creatures act on the same count. A single row, such as four goblins, is enough for that group.
Because initiative is a Dexterity check, anything that adds to Dexterity checks also adds to this roll. Type the full modifier you use at the table in the DEX box, then roll or enter the total.
This initiative tracker keeps that order on screen as you step through rounds.
Ties and tie-breakers
Ties come up more often than they feel like they should. Two creatures with the same modifier tie on 5% of straight d20 rolls, which is 20 of the 400 ways two dice can land.
In the SRD 5.1 and SRD 5.2.1 rules, the Dungeon Master decides the order among tied monsters, the players decide the order among their own tied characters, and the Dungeon Master may decide when a monster ties with a player character. The table may also have each tied creature roll a d20 again and keep the higher result.
This tracker sorts matching totals by the higher Dexterity modifier, then by the order you added them. That Dexterity habit is common at tables. It is a convenience here, not a required SRD step. If your group wants a different order, edit the totals so the list matches what you agreed.
Surprise and advantage
In the 2014 rules, a surprised creature still rolls initiative but cannot move or take an action on its first turn, and cannot take a reaction until that turn ends. In the 2024 rules drawn from SRD 5.2.1, a surprised creature has disadvantage on the initiative roll and then takes a normal first turn.
If a feature gives advantage or disadvantage on initiative, roll two dice on the d20 roller and type the kept total into this list. The helper on this page rolls a single 1d20 plus the modifier you enter.
Your odds of going first
Each extra point of modifier you have over someone else raises your chance of a strictly higher total by about 4 to 5 percentage points. We counted all 400 pairs of d20 results to get these figures:
| Your modifier compared with theirs | You go first | Tie |
|---|---|---|
| Same modifier | 47.5% | 5% |
| +2 higher | 57.25% | 4.5% |
| +5 higher | 70% | 3.75% |
A "first" result here means a strictly higher total. For any other target or for advantage math, open the dice probability calculator.
Digital tracker vs cards at the table
Index cards and a notebook still work in person. A digital tracker helps when the group plays online, when you do not want to reshuffle cards after every delay or added monster, and when you want the same list back after a refresh. Each roll here uses your browser's cryptographic random number generator, with extra values thrown out so no face is favored. See the about page for the method, or the dice roller FAQ for more on randomness and privacy.
Initiative tracker FAQ
Is this initiative tracker free?
Yes. It is free, with no ads and no sign up. Open the page on any device and track a fight.
How do you roll initiative in 5e?
Each participant makes a Dexterity check: roll a d20 and add the Dexterity modifier. The highest total goes first, and that order stays the same from round to round. The Dungeon Master may roll once for a group of identical creatures.
How does this tracker handle initiative ties?
The list sorts matching totals by the higher Dexterity modifier, then by the order you added them. That Dexterity habit is common at tables. In the SRD 5.1 and SRD 5.2.1 rules, the Dungeon Master decides the order among tied monsters, players decide among their own tied characters, and the Dungeon Master may decide a monster versus player tie. Your group can also roll a d20 again. Edit a total if you want the list to match a different call.
Does the list save if I refresh the page?
Yes. The current encounter stays in your browser's local storage on this device: names, totals, Dexterity modifiers, whose turn it is and the round. Nothing is sent to a server. Press Clear list to wipe it.
Can I roll 1d20 plus my Dexterity modifier here?
Yes. Type a name and the Dexterity modifier, then press Roll and add. The tracker rolls one d20 with the same cryptographic method as the other dice tools and stores the face plus the total. If a feature gives you advantage or disadvantage on initiative, roll that on the d20 page and type the total here.
Do I need an account to track combat?
No. There are no accounts. The list lives only in your browser on this device, the same way the main dice roller keeps roll history.
See the Nat20 Roller FAQ for more on notation, advantage and how rolls stay random.