Redwizard007
Adventurer
I'm curious about the reasoning behind Int modifier to initiative, as suggested by multiple posters. What about the Intelligence stat makes you feel that it should be impactful here?
You're smart, and you can predict what happens next in battle. Basically, why is SPEED of muscle movement more important than either experience (level or wisdom) or intelligence (knowing/predicting things, observing things)? Frankly, I think level or wisdom (training) is more important than muscle speed.I'm curious about the reasoning behind Int modifier to initiative, as suggested by multiple posters. What about the Intelligence stat makes you feel that it should be impactful here?
You're smart, and you can predict what happens next in battle. Basically, why is SPEED of muscle movement more important than either experience (level or wisdom) or intelligence (knowing/predicting things, observing things)? Frankly, I think level or wisdom (training) is more important than muscle speed.
Got it.You're smart, and you can predict what happens next in battle. Basically, why is SPEED of muscle movement more important than either experience (level or wisdom) or intelligence (knowing/predicting things, observing things)? Frankly, I think level or wisdom (training) is more important than muscle speed.
Got it.
Not a fan for 5e, but I understand the reasoning. IME intelligence actually hinders acting quickly, thats why you drill until you react without thought, but maybe if you were executing a plan.
As I say often when this comes up, ignoring that a Greatsword or spear is faster than a dagger in all practical terms for simplicity's sake is fine (as is conversely ignoring the fact that a dagger is much better when you're actually inside the guard - a level of detail that D&D has never attempted to model).Initiative house rule: initiative rolls determine whose actions happen first, but there are no turns. Each character gets his allotment for the round - what he would normally get to do on his turn - but other characters can react with their own actions. When characters want to act at the same time, initiative counts determine who goes first. So big, bad orc starts with a big swing, but party fighter wants to attack first as well. Resolve the two attacks in order of initiative scores. Party rogue wants to move to flank the orc, no one feels the need to intervene, so no one else acts. The rogue can sneak attack anyone who a) has a lower initiative score, or b) has used her movement for the round.
Someone with a decent shield could get close enough to make an attack...
Really though - a dagger being a faster attack makes just as much sense as a dagger being as lethal as a greatsword. Ask these guys how they feel about weapon speeds:
I'd be wary here. One of the problems in making Intelligence better is that if you don't make it good enough (or change the way characters are built) you end up hurting those pcs more that can't really afford to put points into intelligence (such as Barbarians and Paladins).You're smart, and you can predict what happens next in battle. Basically, why is SPEED of muscle movement more important than either experience (level or wisdom) or intelligence (knowing/predicting things, observing things)? Frankly, I think level or wisdom (training) is more important than muscle speed.
Meh, I was merely answering the question of why Int might matter, not saying it SHOULD matter.I'd be wary here. One of the problems in making Intelligence better is that if you don't make it good enough (or change the way characters are built) you end up hurting those pcs more that can't really afford to put points into intelligence (such as Barbarians and Paladins).
Thematically it doesn't hurt the Barbarian too much under the point buy system if he can never have a high Intelligence if we interpret it as being due to being uneducated. But if he's also now slow? It's also themetically inappropriate - Barbarians have class feature's to reflect the fact that they're anything but slow to react.
I'm curious about the reasoning behind Int modifier to initiative, as suggested by multiple posters. What about the Intelligence stat makes you feel that it should be impactful here?
Now, I will be the first to say "play the way you like," but for me, Int has never been in any way associated with reaction times. If I wanted to tie a mental stat to initiative it would be Wis. That being said, a feat or class ability that added Int to initiative, particularly one that flavored it as the result of planning, would be entirely appropriate.I think Int should be part of it, but not as a straight substitute for Dex. I like how other systems have sub-stats for things like Initiative or Luck or other stuff. Systems where you take two of the main stats and take the average of the two to make the sub-stat. So Initiative could be Int and Dex added together, then divided by 2. And then finding the modifier based on that.