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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Fabio Andrea Rossi" data-source="post: 6632747" data-attributes="member: 67378">In my opinion, while these solutions surely can work, they are more trouble than it's worth. Consider this: you are not going to match the relevance of the same bonus in standard initiative anyway.I mean, each +1 on a D20 roll is a +5% on the total. If you give one card for a 16 DEX character, you are not matching a +15% chance unless you have around 7 total cards (more or less). But, the number of cards will not be the same each combat: the less enemies, the more relevant the bonus, which can quickly add if you give more than one additional card per character. Also, then you should do the same for monsters with high dexterity.I never tried this so it may still work but I suspect that it will detract to the sense of tension to the table. Again, I may be wrong but I would stick to only giving one bonus card maximum to very special cases like the whopping +5 alert. The +5 DEX iguy s not losing the relevancy of accuracy and AC and saves effects. Compare it to, say, CON bonus which "only" gives HP and saves bonus. It's just a convention that DEX adds to initiative. in my humble opinion, there is no reason why initiative should not be tied to CHA instead, for instance, representing quickness of wit and spirit more than physical reflexes. So, at the end of the day you are not making huge sacrifices here by just not accounting for DEX bonus. Finally, you should then also consider to have the number of cards a dynamic one if characters get initiative bonuses (for instance due to HASTE spells or similar magic).I really find it much easier to just handwaive different bonuses for speed and dramatic tension' sake.Alert is different because the initiative bonus is very much the core of the feat, also, it's cool to have at least some way to increase your chances of going first. A scimitar of speed perhaps. But it should be exceptional, otherwise you should do the same for monsters with high bonuses (or spells, or items...).For the Assassin thing: what I meant is that the Assassin does not get a bonus to determine if he goes first. He does get a substantial advantage IF he goes first, but he does not get a bonus TO go first, so he is in the same situation as other characters in this sense. Yes, he loses more than others not counting his DEX bonus as one of his features is strongly linked to winning initiatives but I'd just suggest getting Alert. A wizard could also pump his DEX to go first and, say, become invisible and get lost. But yes, an Assassin is a very specific case and probably the granular solution benifits him more, but still I would pick the greater good over this, eventually compensating the Assassin character somehow, much simpler, perhaps extending to the first two round his power. But still, as everybody is on the same boat, he still gets a good chance to be first anyway in the long run.</blockquote>

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