Feat: Lightning Initiative

[Jeph]

Lightning Initiative [General]
You can react to a situation faster than anyone else.
Prerequisites: Improved Initiative, Dexterity 15+
Benefit: Once per day, before rolling initiative, you may declare that you are using Lightning Initiative. Your initiative roll is considered to be equal to the highest-rolling combatant's, +1. If multiple characters use this feat in the same combat, they make opposed initiative rolls to determine who goes first. If a new combatant joins the fray and their initiative roll is higher than yours, your initiative immediately becomes their roll +1.

So, is this feat totally broken? Should it be more times per day, like your Dex modifier, or 3 + Dex modifier? All comments appreciated.

 

[zorlag]

Umm

There is a feat that does this on Quintessential Rogue and yes, it's broken on high levels where battle outcome is at least partially determined by who is going first. Automatic initiative win is bad thing IMO.

Z.

 

[the Jester]

I don't like feats that give you automatic success like that... I have one that gradually increases your initiative, and one that gives you a 20 on your first round's initiative, but nothing that gives you the automatic best initiative all the time.

I think it's a bit much, shy of being an epic feat.

 

[Chun-tzu]

Re: Umm

There is a feat that does this on Quintessential Rogue and yes, it's broken on high levels where battle outcome is at least partially determined by who is going first. Automatic initiative win is bad thing IMO.

Z.

Good point. A feat like this should have some killer prerequisites, like a high Reflex save, Lightning Reflexes, Dex 19+, and so on. This feat is too powerful for high level spellcasters, but might be better for high level Rogues or Monks.

 

[hong]

An iaijutsu master could also really go to town with this feat.

From a flavour point of view, instead of automatically going first, I'd give a large init bonus instead -- say +20, not stacking with the bonus from Improved Init. This way the other guy has a chance of going first, even if it's small.

 

[the Jester]

Just wanted to add: compare this to the epic-level feat superior initiative, which gives you a total of +8 (doesn't stack with improved initiative) to your initiative. Your feet seems substantially better than that, so perhaps as an epic initiative-based feat...?

 

[clark411]

It is rather powerful, especially as it's prerequisites are also geared towards high initiatives (big dex + imp init). I'd consider either requiring a non-init boosting feat or stat- such as Lightning Reflexes or a high Wis score (as this feat is in a way keeping the featee from being caught off guard for more than the surprise round). I'd consider a 1/session use instead of 1/day far more balanced as written though.

And as mentioned, having it give a straight bonus instead of "auto win" may be best- especially if more than one person in a combat uses it.

I'd personally like to see a non init-only boosting feat; like +10 Dex for one round. would give up to +5 ac, and +5 init, and +5 to hit with ranged weapons / finessed weapons. Good for those lightly armored people who want to be able to nearly supernaturally react to a certain situation.

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

I think its way too powerful, since, look at Deities and Demigods, that ability alone is a salient divine ability.

 

[Stalker0]

If you want to go with autosuccess, I would suggest this.

You can react to your enemies with amazing speed.

When using lightning initiative, your initiative is the highest initivat -1.

Basically, you always go right aftr the first guy, cause you react to your partners and enemies quickly, but you don't go firs.t

 

[Jeph]

How about . . .

Lightning Initiative [General]
You can react with blinding speed.
Prerequisites: Base Reflex save +6, Improved Initiaitve, Lightning Reflexes, Dexterity 17+
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to your Dexterity modifier, you may double your initiative bonus for the purposes of a single roll. For instance, if a character has a total initiative bonus of +9, they would roll as if their bonus was +18.

Still killer? Once per day, maybe?