what does initative do?

[Da_venom]

i searched forums but couldn't find it:P

what exactly does it do?

thanks in advance..

[Siberys]

Determines who gets the first action in combat based on a D20 roll.

[Da_venom]

combat only?

does it also effect the attack of opportunity? or any combat ability?

what about spells?

i can't find it anywhere wether it's combat only or spells included or any action whatsoever

but thanks for the advice anyway.
seems like a **** ability :P

[Siberys]

It's combat only, but Attacks of opportunity, spells, and other combat abilities are all apart of combat.

Initiative isn't an ability however, it's a simple always present bonus in every single character, monster, and NPC in the game used to determine who goes first. If you're speaking of Improved initiative, this simply adds to the static bonus, it's not a use activated feat or anything, and it is by far the most useful feat to choose from if you can't think of anything else.

Also, please refrain from cursing, it's not needed and it's against the forum rules.

[Da_venom]

but it only counts who goes first?
not the number of attacking rounds?

I would attack a creature and it go first after he goes.
and that goes on and on..

for example


me>1ste
enemy>2ste
me>1ste
enemy>2ste

or can it be like (with high initative)

me>1ste
enemy>2ste
me>1ste
me>1ste
enemy>2ste

sorry for my bad english:P

[Siberys]

No, you don't get multiple turns just for having a high initiative, that doesn't even make sense. A round of combat (meaning everybody gets 1 turn whose in said combat) is 6 seconds of time, so you only get to go once per round. High base attack bonus however can allow you to have multiple attacks. And with a proper feat (quicken spell) you can cast two spells in a single round.

[Da_venom]

thanks for the explanination makes the skill pretty worthless i gues..

unless you can do a lot of damage on your 1ste hit (e.a crippling one or something)

[Siberys]

Originally Posted by Da_venom

thanks for the explanination makes the skill pretty worthless i gues..

unless you can do a lot of damage on your 1ste hit (e.a crippling one or something)

Oy vey, it's not a skill dude. I keep saying this. It's not something you can improve by putting ranks in, it's a simple always static and active bonus.

You CAN do extra damage from first hit if you have sneak attack. Not to mention, generally it's easier to hit an opponent because at the beginning of combat if you go first, your opponent is flat footed (no dexterity to AC).

This is not worthless. It is ungodly useful to have a high initiative.

[Da_venom]

yeah sry for saying it was a skill

not quite the investment it is for sure

[Siberys]

Originally Posted by Da_venom

yeah sry for saying it was a skill

not quite the investment it is for sure

I don't get it, I keep telling you it IS a good investment due to what you can do at the beginning of combat, and you keep telling me it's not but you have listed no reason why it's not.

Why would you ask what initiative is if you already thought it wasn't a decent investment and weren't going to bother with it?

[Da_venom]

well information is all

the reason why i said it isn't a very good bonus

is that when your ranged(then you always hit 1ste, in case when your attacking a melee unit) secondly you can interrupt spells with a good shot..
ranged vs ranged is quite the fun since most enemies miss alot

and i always use ranged when i go in attack mode and just before they reach me i switch to melee and kick their arses
mostly they go after the henchman anyway and 1-2 shots and they are all dead

why would i want to go 1ste?
quite stupid when i go ranged and always have the first hit or 2 ;-)

[Siberys]

is that when your ranged(then you always hit 1ste, in case when your attacking a melee unit) secondly you can interrupt spells with a good shot..
ranged vs ranged is quite the fun since most enemies miss alot

Both points are untrue. Ranged does not always hit whether you go first or just because you're using ranged, you have to hit the same AC as a melee person. Spellcasting, you interrupt spells ONLY if you go first, furthering my point of why initiative is awesome.

[Da_venom]

i mean in melee vs melee you can go first or him based on your iniative but in ranged vs melee that doesn't count and you have a free shot..

and with spellcaster i hit them and they cancel their spells
unles they have a good discipline and concentration skill
but mostly when they try spellcasting i hit them and they cancel their spells

that's how i experienced it anyway ^^

[Siberys]

i mean in melee vs melee you can go first or him based on your iniative but in ranged vs melee that doesn't count and you have a free shot..

I knew what you meant and I'm telling you that's incorrect. Believe me, it doesn't work like that, I've been playing dungeons and dragons, the rules in which the game idolizes and is based off of, for 12 years now.

Just because you are further away doesn't mean they can't run up and attack you. That doesn't work like that.

If you are turning corners and getting a surprise round, this is different, but this is also highly abnormal and rare.

[Da_venom]

you always have 1 shot or 2 free
then there running up to you and you can switch to melee mode
their partly damaged and i don't give alot about that first hit since my ac and dex are very high that they miss 90% and after they hit i cut them down and take my ranged again

since they attack me first
my henchmen moves up and get's an attack of opportunity on the enemy while i shoot them down with either a sneak or critical hit
and they die mostly with those ^^