How does the tracker break initiative ties?

When two combatants roll the same initiative, the one with the higher Dexterity modifier acts first, which is the standard 5e tie-breaker. If they also share a Dexterity modifier, the tool keeps the order you added them in, so you can decide ties yourself.

Does it advance rounds automatically?

Each press of Next turn moves the active marker to the next combatant. When it passes the last combatant it loops back to the top and increases the round counter by one, so you always know which round you are in.

Can I track hit points and damage?

Yes. Each combatant has current and maximum HP. Type an amount and press Damage to subtract it or Heal to add it, clamped between 0 and the maximum. A combatant reduced to 0 HP is dimmed and flagged as down.

How do I note conditions like prone or stunned?

Every combatant has a free-text conditions field where you can record statuses such as prone, poisoned, or concentrating, along with durations if you like. It is a quick scratchpad so you do not lose track mid-fight.

Is my encounter data saved or uploaded?

No. The tracker runs entirely in your browser and keeps everything in memory for the current session, so nothing is sent anywhere. Reloading the page clears the encounter, which is handy for starting a fresh fight.

What is the D&D Initiative Tracker?

Add combatants with initiative rolls, Dexterity tie-breakers, and HP; the tracker sorts the turn order, advances rounds, applies damage and healing, and lets you note conditions. For Dungeon Masters running smooth D&D 5e combat. It runs free in your browser on Gera Tools, with nothing uploaded.

D&D Initiative Tracker

Name: D&D Initiative Tracker
Creator: Gera Tools
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Run cleaner D&D 5e combat with a fast, no-login initiative tracker. Add your players and monsters, let the tool sort the turn order, then advance rounds while tracking HP and conditions for everyone at the table.

How it works

Add each combatant with an initiative roll, a Dexterity modifier, and HP. The list sorts by initiative from highest to lowest. On ties, the higher Dexterity modifier goes first, matching the 5e tie-breaker; any remaining ties keep the order you entered them.

The Next turn button moves an active highlight down the list. When it passes the last combatant it wraps to the top and increments the round counter, so durations are easy to follow. Damage and healing are clamped between 0 and a combatant’s maximum HP, and anyone at 0 HP is dimmed as down.

Tips and example

Pre-roll monster initiative and add them all before play; you can group identical monsters as “Goblin A”, “Goblin B” to track them separately.
Use the conditions field for timed effects, for example restrained (save end) or concentrating: hold person, so nothing slips through the cracks.
After the fight, press Reset to clear the round and turn counters while keeping the roster, or reload the page to start a brand-new encounter.

Running smoother 5e combat

The value of tracking initiative digitally

Paper initiative lists work but are slow to maintain mid-combat: you are writing initiative values, crossing out HP, erasing and rewriting conditions, and keeping mental track of the round count simultaneously while also narrating the fight and adjudicating rules. A digital tracker removes the bookkeeping overhead so you can give more attention to the story and the players. The round counter is especially useful for duration-tracking — many spells last 1 minute (10 rounds), 1 hour, or until concentration breaks. Knowing you are in round 6 of a Hold Person immediately tells you four more rounds remain (maximum).

Initiative and surprise rounds

When a combat begins with a surprise, surprised creatures cannot act on their first turn. They still get an initiative roll to determine where in the order they slot — they just skip their turn in round 1. Add them to the tracker as normal but note “surprised” in the conditions field for round 1, so you know to skip their turn when the active marker reaches them. At the start of round 2, the surprised condition ends and they act normally.

Managing large groups of identical monsters

When you have six goblins with identical stats, decide upfront whether to track them as a group or individually. Tracking as a group (“Goblin Pack”) simplifies the HP tracking (use a single total or just track total HP remaining) but makes targeting less clean — “which goblin are you attacking?” loses meaning. Tracking individually (“Goblin A” through “F”) gives precise HP accountability and lets players feel the weight of each kill, but requires more setup. For most groups of three to eight monsters, the individual approach is worth the setup time, particularly if players have area-of-effect spells that might drop multiple enemies at once.

Conditions and concentration management

The conditions field is freeform — enter whatever convention works for your table. A useful format is to note the effect, the affected ability or outcome, and when it ends:

poisoned (CON save start of turn) — clear on a success
concentrating: web (ends round 12 or on hit) — web lasts 10 rounds from cast in round 2
prone — remove when the creature uses half its movement to stand

For concentration spells, noting the caster in the condition is helpful: concentrating: Aria – Spirit Guardians on the creature affected, or tracking on the caster’s row as casting: Spirit Guardians (takes effect zone around caster).

Death saving throws

When a character drops to 0 HP, they begin making death saving throws at the start of their turn. The tracker can support this with the conditions field: add DST: S0 F0 (successes and failures) and update it each turn until the character stabilizes (three successes), dies (three failures), or receives healing. Unconscious characters still appear in the initiative order and their turn is simply used to make the death save.