Initiative Pulse

Initiative Pulse is a Roll20 Mod (API) script for combat-time announcements and timed effects. It works alongside an initiative tracker such as ITP without taking over the tracker: ITP keeps ownership of token turns, round progression, and !eot, while Initiative Pulse announces custom Actions when normal initiative crosses their configured threshold.

Features

• Create one-shot or repeating Actions at any initiative value.
• Announce an Action as the tracker passes its initiative, without inserting a synthetic turn or pausing ITP.
• Create Effects that count down once per notified combat round and announce their remaining duration or expiry.
• Create a GM-only native Roll20 macro that opens an Action/Effect menu.
• Optionally create a ScriptCards version of that macro when ScriptCards is installed.
• Retain the old internal !act2 command aliases during migration; new setup uses !pulse.

Requirements

• A Roll20 game with Mod (API) script access.
• An initiative system that advances normal token turns and broadcasts !eot; Initiative Pulse was designed and tested with ITP.
• ITP should broadcast !pulse-round <round number> once per round. The old internal !act2-round <round number> alias remains accepted while migrating.

Installation

1. Create a new script in Roll20's Mod (API) Script Editor.
2. Paste in the contents of initiative-pulse.js and save it.
3. In chat as a GM, run !pulse install-macro.
4. Use the newly created Initiative Pulse macro to open the GM menu.

Commands

Create an Action

!pulse action Action Name %% Starting Initiative %% Repeat Interval

• A repeat interval of 0 creates a one-shot Action.
• A positive interval repeats the Action every that many rounds.

Example:

!pulse action Lair Action %% 20 %% 1

Create an Effect

!pulse effect Effect Name %% Duration in Rounds

Example:

!pulse effect Bless %% 10

Macro commands

!pulse install-macro
!pulse-menu
!pulse install-scriptcards-macro
!pulse install-clear-macro

!pulse install-scriptcards-macro is available only when ScriptCards is installed. The normal menu will show the ScriptCards macro option only in that case.

!pulse install-clear-macro creates a GM-only Initiative Pulse - Clear Combat macro. Use it to remove all stored Actions and Effects when ending combat without ITP.

Maintenance

!pulse inspect
!pulse clean
!pulse clear

The old internal !act2 creation and round-notification aliases are accepted while an existing campaign is updated to !pulse-round.

ITP integration

Initiative Pulse observes the normal !eot command but does not consume or alter it. After ITP advances the tracker, Initiative Pulse checks which initiative thresholds were crossed and announces due Actions. This keeps token turns, tracker state, halos, and end-of-turn behavior under ITP's control.

When ITP broadcasts !itp -clear to end or clear combat, Initiative Pulse also clears all stored Actions and Effects for that combat. This prevents prior-combat entries from carrying into the next encounter.

Without ITP, use the generated Initiative Pulse - Clear Combat macro (or !pulse clear) to clear Actions and Effects explicitly. Closing the turn order does not clear them automatically.

ScriptCards

When ScriptCards is installed, Initiative Pulse can create a native macro named Initiative Pulse - ScriptCards. It presents the supplied Action/Effect chooser and sends the chosen values to the same !pulse commands.

Development history and migration

ACT2 was an internal working label used while Initiative Pulse was developed and tested separately from the original ACT script. It is not an official ACT sequel or separate public release.

Initiative Pulse imports existing state.ACT2 data on first run when no Initiative Pulse state exists. It also removes obsolete internal ACT2 Action turn-order entries. Update external commands and ITP round notifications to the !pulse names when practical.

Attribution

Initiative Pulse is based on the original ACT script, with gratitude to the Roll20 API scripting community. The original ACT author has not been verified, so no personal attribution is asserted here.

This edition was substantially redesigned: Actions are state-based initiative-threshold announcements rather than synthetic tracker turns, while ITP remains responsible for turn order and round handling.