Does a change in DEX change init?

[Dross]

I've noticed that the answers all concern an increase in DEX. Looking at it when your DEX is lowered, i can't think of anything that says that the resultant DEX decrease lowers your INIT score.

So going on this, INIT does not change unless the one acting does something that changes that score (such as delay, refocus, readying).

 

[Jeff Wilder]

Okay, now this gives me a cool idea for a spell (or even a class ability or feat (with significant limits):

Time Creep -- At the end of your turn, you may choose to move up one slot in the initiative order. Duration would be 1 round/level.

What would school and level be? Should it be personal, touch, or multiple targets?

 

[irdeggman]

I've noticed that the answers all concern an increase in DEX. Looking at it when your DEX is lowered, i can't think of anything that says that the resultant DEX decrease lowers your INIT score.

So going on this, INIT does not change unless the one acting does something that changes that score (such as delay, refocus, readying).

Because the OP asked about changing Dex mod.

The real answer is anything that affects initiative modifier.

There is no such thing as an intiative score. There is a modifier to initiative and an initiative check result. There is also an position in the initiative order.

Actions like delay and ready change your position in the initiative order. After the initiatial set up the actual initiative check result has no meaning, only the position in the initiative order.

 

[irdeggman]

Okay, now this gives me a cool idea for a spell (or even a class ability or feat (with significant limits):

Time Creep -- At the end of your turn, you may choose to move up one slot in the initiative order. Duration would be 1 round/level.

What would school and level be? Should it be personal, touch, or multiple targets?

Think about it - what real use is this?

You use an action to take the next action.

So what ever you are going to do with that new and improved location in the initiative order you could have already accomplished when you cast the spell at your old position.

You still only get to act once per round.

I used to think that resetting initiative (either via the 3.0 method or by delaying) provided a benefit and then after several people pointed out to me the actual mechanics I realized that it was in my head because the character still gets the same number of actions and can still only act once per round.

 

[Bagpuss]

So you just ready an action that the highest-init character will trigger. It costs you one round, but for the rest of the combat (or at least until someone else pulls the same trick) you go first, every round.

Hmm yes, except as you point out it costs you a round, so effectively you are a round behind everyone else, thus really you go last every round.

 

[cheshire_grin]

Think about it - what real use is this?

You use an action to take the next action.

So what ever you are going to do with that new and improved location in the initiative order you could have already accomplished when you cast the spell at your old position.

You still only get to act once per round.

Not if the ability/spell can be used as a swift or immediate action. Then you can move up as your swift/immediate action and still use your full/standard/move action as normal.

 

[Darklone]

Hmm yes, except as you point out it costs you a round, so effectively you are a round behind everyone else, thus really you go last every round.

Yupp. Being first in a round doesn't mean anything except for the first round. Afterwards it's just a matter of when you may act again and delaying or readying delays. Nothing won in terms of speed.

 

[werk]

If a character's Dexterity changes during combat, does their Initiative likewise change?

"At the start of a battle, each combatant makes an initiative check."

So, technically, yes, their initiative modifier changes, so their score would be changed...but the score only applies to the initiative check, and that check only occurs at the beginning of combat.

"In every round that follows, the characters act in the same order (unless a character takes an action that results in his or her initiative changing;..."

You can change your order, but changing your initiative score has no impact once begun.

 

[cheshire_grin]

Hmm yes, except as you point out it costs you a round, so effectively you are a round behind everyone else, thus really you go last every round.

What if you cast Time Stop and ready an action that would put you first in the initiative order?

 

[Bagpuss]

I think there are probably better uses of Time Stop.