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Message: <blockquote data-quote="kerbarian" data-source="post: 5066736" data-attributes="member: 40393">I was also building a 1st-level wizard and looking at feats.  For some reason, I don't like Improved Initiative.  It's a solid feat, and a wizard probably gets the most use out of it, so I put together some numbers to see if I could justify not taking it.For my example, I'm looking at a 1st-level human wizard with 20 Int, Winged Horde, Enlarge Spell, and one other feat.  Trying to be generous to Improved Initiative, the wizard can attack 3 enemies with Winged Horde if he goes first, and on subsequent actions he can attack 2 enemies with enlarged Winged Horde.  The example combat lasts 5 rounds, and the wizard effectively gets a free round if he wins initiative vs. the monsters (also slightly generous to Improved Initiative).Assuming a 50% chance to hit, the first round average damage (if he wins initiative) is 12.75, and on the other rounds it's 6.5.  The best case for Improved Initiative is that it turns a relative -2 initiative (38.25% chance to win initiative) into a +2 (61.75%).So the baseline damage for the combat is 12.75 * .3825 + 5 * 6.5 = 37.38.The damage with Improved Initiative is 12.75 * .6175 + 5 * 6.5 = 40.37.Improved Initiative is worth 3 extra damage, on average, for that example combat.For comparison, Implement Expertise increases all damage by 10% (55% vs. 50% chance to hit), which is worth 3.7 extra damage in the example combat.A +1 damage feat (Dark Fury, or Weapon Focus for a staff wizard) increases the first-round average damage to 14.25 and the later damage to 7.5, for overall damage of 14.25 * .3825 + 5 * 7.5 = 42.95.  That's 5.6 extra damage for the combat.For simplicity, I've assumed all the monsters act on the same initiative, and I've ignored crits and encounter and daily powers.  Ignoring encounter and daily powers is definitely an issue when you're talking about a feat that gives you a better chance for a big first-round spell.  For a first-level wizard, I don't think there are any encounter area spells that are significantly better than Winged Horde, but it could help for a daily.So I'd say that if you're planning to use an area daily (e.g. Sleep), then Improved Initiative is a good feat for that one combat per day.  Most of the time, there are better choices.  It's still a solid feat for a wizard -- just not one of the first I'd pick up.Of course, this would all start to change once you get beyond 1st level.  There are better spells available for that first round, but there are also other feats that start becoming more attractive, like Dual Implement Spellcaster.</blockquote>

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