Hey all it's been a while and some problems have come up.

So initiative is a pretty easy concept but it gets tricky when it comes to holding turns.

For instance on more than one occasion I had a player hold their turn to wait for the enemy to attack so that they could attack the enemy instead. What I want to know is who goes first? On one hand I would say the player who held their turn does but on the other hand once it has been announced that the enemy is attacking they are physically attacking in that time frame so I would think that they both act at the same time. So basically I am trying to figure out time management. I understand that distance can play a factor but I am talking as if they are right next to each other. Is there rules on who's action goes through and who's doesn't?

What about a direct clash? Say the enemy is attacking the player who held his turn and the player says he wants to attack that enemy right then. Is there special rules for the exchanges of attacks like each person rolling their attack ability and whoever has the highest punches through? Would the losers attack ability double as a defensive ability in terms of damage calculations? What about the scenario of both parties landing a hit at the same time?

Okay so the other matter. I was wondering if movement value can be used for evasive manuevers. Say that a non combat type like a summoner holds his turn in anticipation of being attacked could he declared that he is using his full movement value to try to jump out of the way of melee attacks or running to avoid projectiles. Would that work? I realize that such a manuever would require the ability to make active actions. if it is allowable what are the rules for it?

Okay lastly on ki techniques. In the core book there is a pregenerated tree of speed techniques and all of them give an initiative boost that is not maintained which seems pointless. Also in the descriptions it mentions that these techniques can sometimes cause the user to surprise his opponent. What that mean? is the initiative boost added to the users final initiative when activated even though they can't use it until it is there turn according to initiative. What is the point? Once intiative has been determined it doesn't change that round. Plus even if it is added to it since the user has to wait for his turn it wouldn't help him act before someone with a higher initiative. So what is the perk of the non maintained initiative boost?

1) I am not sure how that would work. I don't have to many people holding actions in the games I play.

2) If they are already the target of an attack, I would say no. However, they can move out of the range of an attacker before he makes the attack action.

3) As far as I know, if you are going to activate a technique that turn, the Initiative bonus is given when it is rolled that round.

My understanding of the first question you raised is this;

When a character has achieved a positive initiative difference of at least 150 over an enemy, that character has "surprise" against that foe. This can be used to grant a -90 malus to the surprised individual against the first opposed action between the two persons, OR, this benefit can be exchanged for the right to hold turn, and on the surprised characters turn, interrupt an action even after dice are rolled. (Page 78 Anima rulebook, subheading 'Surprise')

Of course, a character has the right to hold his turn without needing surprise, but cannot interrupt a persons turn with an active action unless he had surprise, and held turn to gain this benefit. Note that passive actions (like 1/4th movement) can be taken without this surprise benefit.

To the second question, as long as the individual had the right to make an active action (like with the surprise benefit, for example), they can do this. I have not seen an official rule on interrupting already declared actions with passive actions (moving 1/4th speed, in this case), but in my games I play as though you can, since defensive spells, defending yourself, and opposing checks are all considered to be passive and they do interrupt actions.

For the final question about the Celeritas techniques, I am not certain. The interpretation that makes most sense to me is this;

The initiative pump adds towards the potential for surprise by the attack by modifying the current initiative value of the character. The Summun technique specifically says that the initiative pump can grant surprise for the techniques first attack, so it is unlikely that these techniques are intended to actually make a player act sooner in a round, since this technique must be used in association with an attack (an active action).

My understanding of the first question you raised is this;

When a character has achieved a positive initiative difference of at least 150 over an enemy, that character has "surprise" against that foe. This can be used to grant a -90 malus to the surprised individual against the first opposed action between the two persons, OR, this benefit can be exchanged for the right to hold turn, and on the surprised characters turn, interrupt an action even after dice are rolled. (Page 78 Anima rulebook, subheading 'Surprise')

Of course, a character has the right to hold his turn without needing surprise, but cannot interrupt a persons turn with an active action unless he had surprise, and held turn to gain this benefit. Note that passive actions (like 1/4th movement) can be taken without this surprise benefit.

I always read it as you can hold yuor turn and declare you want to use it before dices roll. To explain: you can't interrupt a charge because the character charging means that the player has rolled the dices for the action 'charge attack' but you can interrupt an attack from an opponent whtih which you already are in melee because the player has not yet rolled his dice