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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ECMO3" data-source="post: 9663785" data-attributes="member: 7030563">There are 2 factors that make it more important:1. Lower Variance on winning and losing initiative - in 2014 you had enemies and allies rolling initiative.  Whether or not you went before an enemy was based mostly on two d20 rolls - yours and the enemies.  In 2014 monsters have fixed initiatives, so it is usually only based on one roll - yours.  This makes the modifiers to your roll more statistically significant.2. Higher damage and conditions riders:  In 2024 each action is more valuable because damage per turn is higher and additionally attacks come with debilitating conditions.  An enemy losing initiative to a basic fighter with a Longsword usually means the enemy has disadvantage on his first attack, if the fighter hits 2 bad guys they both have disadvantage, if he action suges and hits 4 it is 4 with disadvantage.  Losing initiative to a Rogue often means you are either poisoned or Prone and Slowed.  Losing initiative to a Monk with a staff and topple feat usually means the enemy starts his first turn prone and grappled.  If you lose initiative to an 11th level fighter with a Longbow who uses action surge and he hits all 6 times it means on your turn you are 50 feet backwards from where you started and with a 20 foot movement (assuming 30 move to start) .... and it could be 60 feet back if he made his first two attacks with darts instead of a Longbow.  With a 30 foot movement you could dash and still be further away from the Archer than when you rolled initiative.  Some of these things have no saving throw to boot.Putting these kind of affects in play before the enemies first turn, as part of a standard attack action is a huge advantage in combat.On the other side it is not as dramatic, but a PC losing initiative to a Pirate has a good chance of starting his turn charmed, losing Initiative to an Assassin (the monster) means you will often mean you start your first turn poisoned with no saving throw.After the condition effects you have the damage.  Winning initiative means 1 more action in combat compared to if you lost and an attack action does more damage now.</blockquote>

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