D&D 5E The "Bonus" Turn for high Initiative

[FrogReaver]

In this example, nothing. That is my point. But, someone with a good initiative modifier has a chance to get to act twice before someone with a poor modifier.

But in this example, A gets to act twice before 5.

A 27
B 5

A - 27
A - 7
B - 5
A - 7
B - 5
etc.

I see. So it only impacts things when someone rolls more than 20 higher than someone else. It will come up so rarely I'm not sure it matters IMO. It does give some extra incentive to taking the Alert feat or the WarWizard. That's kind of nice.

 

[Esker]

I see. So it only impacts things when someone rolls more than 20 higher than someone else. It will come up so rarely I'm not sure it matters IMO. It does give some extra incentive to taking the Alert feat or the WarWizard. That's kind of nice.

That's not that rare IME. It would be if combats were one-on-one, but there are generally several PCs, and often multiple monster types, and initiative rolls will tend to span a pretty wide range.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I know for player who like to frontload and such going first is a big deal. In our game, not so much. But for a character with Alert and invested in DEX (or INT or WIS, we play with player's choice) for Initiative, it has a chance to help gain a bonus turn once in a while. I wouldn't want it to be too common or it would be too valuable IMO. This rare enough that it is a nice tidbit to tempt some builds such as those that get to add WIS or CHA to initiative as well.

For instance, a Gloom Stalker Ranger multiclassed with War Wizard would get all three: DEX, INT, and WIS added. Throw in the Alert feat, and you could have a level 5 character with +11 to Initiative. If the enemy has no modifier or very low, there is a decent chance the character would get two turns on the first round before the enemy can act.

 

[FrogReaver]

That's not that rare IME. It would be if combats were one-on-one, but there are generally several PCs, and often multiple monster types, and initiative rolls will tend to span a pretty wide range.

PC's generally have between +3 to -1 dex (except dex based characters). Most classes don't get an initative boost. Most enemies have between -3 to +8 (maybe a little higher).

You have to have 1 of the high bonus group roll extremely high and 1 of the low group roll extremely low. That's not a hood chance of occurring.

 

[Esker]

PC's generally have between +3 to -1 dex (except dex based characters). Most classes don't get an initative boost. Most enemies have between -3 to +8 (maybe a little higher).

You have to have 1 of the high bonus group roll extremely high and 1 of the low group roll extremely low. That's not a hood chance of occurring.

My home group has PCs with +3, +4 and +5 initiative bonuses (one is primary DEX, another is a bard with Jack of All Trades). There's also a barbarian with +2 and advantage. Many classes will have +3 DEX even if they're not DEX-primary, so that's not that unusual an occurrence, I don't think. Then there are popular magic items like stones of good luck, weapons of warning, and sentinel shields, all of which are present in at least one campaign I'm either currently a part of or have been in the last couple months. And there's the Alert feat.

An initiative gap of 20+ probably isn't going to come up every session (depending on your session length), but once or twice per standard adventuring day shouldn't be that unusual.

I'm neither arguing for nor against this house rule. Just saying that it doesn't do nothing.

 

[FrogReaver]

My home group has PCs with +3, +4 and +5 initiative bonuses (one is primary DEX, another is a bard with Jack of All Trades). There's also a barbarian with +2 and advantage. Many classes will have +3 DEX even if they're not DEX-primary, so that's not that unusual an occurrence, I don't think. Then there are popular magic items like stones of good luck, weapons of warning, and sentinel shields, all of which are present in at least one campaign I'm either currently a part of or have been in the last couple months. And there's the Alert feat.

An initiative gap of 20+ probably isn't going to come up every session (depending on your session length), but once or twice per standard adventuring day shouldn't be that unusual.

I'm neither arguing for nor against this house rule. Just saying that it doesn't do nothing.

Then we are in agreement. It doesn't do nothing.

But we are not in agreement. You are trying to downplay the rarity of the situation occurring. My initial guess would be 1 out of 20 combats. Maybe 1 out of 10 combats. If that's all it's impacting then change it or don't change it, it will have so little impact I'm not worried about it.

 

[Esker]

Then we are in agreement. It doesn't do nothing.

But we are not in agreement. You are trying to downplay the rarity of the situation occurring. My initial guess would be 1 out of 20 combats. Maybe 1 out of 10 combats. If that's all it's impacting then change it or don't change it, it will have so little impact I'm not worried about it.

I think it's closer to 1 out of 6 for a party like mine.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Well, with the character I described earlier who really works for the bonus +11 Initiative, we can do some simple math.

50/50 (roughly...) you roll 21 or higher
50/50 the enemy rolls 10 or less

About 1 in 4 if the enemy has no bonus. Since the enemy likely will have some, even if small... maybe 1 in 5 or 6. Also, this build put a lot into initiative, so if you lower the bonus, maybe 1 in 8 to 10?

For our sessions, with each character rolling each combat, I would say it would be likely to occur once or twice per session, maybe more.

Perhaps tomorrow morning before work I'll actually DO that math instead of just estimate it.

 

[FrogReaver]

I think it's closer to 1 out of 6 for a party like mine.

If you need to roll a 20 and he needs to roll a 1 then it's 1/400. If 1 of 2 characters need to roll a 20 and then 1 of 2 characters need to roll a 1 then the chance is 1/100.

Yea I may very well be underestimating the odds.

 

[Esker]

If you need to roll a 20 and he needs to roll a 1 then it's 1/400. If 1 of 2 characters need to roll a 20 and then 1 of 2 characters need to roll a 1 then the chance is 1/100.

Yea I may very well be underestimating the odds.

I'm not sure if you're agreeing now because you see how quickly it grows when you add rolls?

I just simulated rolls for the four characters I described (+5,+4,+3, +2-advantage), vs four enemies each with +0. In that case it's about 1 in 5.