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Message: <blockquote data-quote="KarinsDad" data-source="post: 2916196" data-attributes="member: 2011">It is a hedge. But, it really matters little in the long run.Wizards tend to be "well protected" in parties anyway. So, the PC Wizard going first in a round slightly more often means that he may sometimes (for example) Fireball the opposition first. However, since Fireball rarely kills any opponents on round one (unless the DM throws an NPC arcane caster with low CON against the PCs), it does not really prevent the opposition from counterattacking. In fact, it can cause the opposition to counterattack solely against the PC wizard until he is dead.On the other hand, if a Wizard goes later in the round, that not only gives him time to analyze more of the situation (ah ha, 5 orcs came out of the woodwork, not 1) and pick a more appropriate spell, but it also tends to focus enemy attacks more on PCs that have already damaged or threatened the NPC opposition. The Wizard tends (at least if the DM is playing fair based on NPC knowledge) to often not be a threat until he casts his first spell.A Wizard going first or early can also result in enemies running past the PC front line while it is flatfooted in order to attack the Wizard. If one or more frontline PCs go earlier than the Wizard, then not only will NPCs tend to engage them first, but if NPCs do try to run past them once the Wizard casts his first spell, then the frontline PCs are not flatfooted as often and threaten any NPCs trying to get past.And, there are a lot of indoor enclosed situations where the Wizard cannot do anything, even if he does win initiative. For example, in many dungeon (or cave) situations with corridors (or tunnels) and doors (or doorways), the PC Wizard cannot always see into a newly opened room anyway. So, going first means he will just delay a lot of the time or at best cast a defensive spell which may or may not be needed (e.g. he could cast a spell and then the fight is over quckly and he was never truly threatened).Improved Initiative is an ok choice for high offense low defense PCs, but I would not call it solid. There are a lot of other better feats to choose from. The problem with Improved Initiative is that it rarely affects the overall outcome of combat. There are just too many other variables. Beating one additional opponent out of six enemies on average rarely makes or breaks a combat. It is lucky if it "saves the day" one combat in ten.Wizards (even low defense ones) do not die in round one. They die in round four when some enemy finally gets to them and can beat on them (or cast spells on them) for a round or two.</blockquote>

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