Bard: Jack-of-All-Trades, Master of Initiative

[RedMage125]

So...while playing my 2nd level Dragonborn Bard last night, I realized something: Initiative is explicitly a Dexterity check. Therefore, a Bard's Jack of All Trades ability (add half proficiency bonus to all ability checks that do not already add it) applies to initiative.

Headed on over to the Sage Advice page to see if the devs had answered this already and it turns out they did and confirmed that it is true and was intentional.

So a level 20 (proficiency of +6) Bard with a Dex of 20 and the Alert feat could have an initiative modifier of +13, which is pretty outrageous.

[Foodle]

Cast Enhance ability (Cats Grace) or take 7 levels of Barbarian and gain advantage on initiative checks too.

Steal the Guidance cantrip as one of your free spells as a bard and gain a bonus +1d4 to it too if you can manage to cast it within 10min prior to your battle.

[MaxWilson]

Also, high-level Lore Bards can use their reaction to force enemies to take a penalty on ability checks, including Initiative rolls. (This is like boosting the whole party's initiative against that creature.) Bonus for me, advantage for me, penalty for you...


Steal the Guidance cantrip as one of your free spells as a bard and gain a bonus +1d4 to it too if you can manage to cast it within 10min prior to your battle.

Guidance duration is one minute, not ten.

[Ashrym]

Bardic inspiration, cutting words, and peerless skill can all be used for initiative. One of the best things about lore bards is the ability to go manipulate initiative.

[Sartharina]

Champion Fighters do it earlier, thanks to their Remarkable Athlete (Same thing, but only for Dex and STR checks) and more feats/stat boosts.

[Ashrym]

Champion Fighters do it earlier, thanks to their Remarkable Athlete (Same thing, but only for Dex and STR checks) and more feats/stat boosts.

Jack-of-all-trades is at 2nd level on a bard. That's earlier. Remarkable athlete rounds up instead of down so gets +3 faster if that's what you meant.

[odigity]

Since this is a thread about initiative, also worth mentioning:

Hex spell (Warlock 1), as a secondary effect you can choose one ability score with which the target will make all ability checks with disadvantage. If you choose Dex, this affects their initiative.

I think there are enough init-related tricks and abilities to be worth a mini-guide.

[MarkTriumphant]

Hex spell (Warlock 1), as a secondary effect you can choose one ability score with which the target will make all ability checks with disadvantage. If you choose Dex, this affects their initiative.

Won't the roll have already been made by the time the hex is cast/used? I would say it is too late to affect initiative (and as I am the Warlock of our party, that is a pity).


I think there are enough init-related tricks and abilities to be worth a mini-guide.

I agree.

[DCraw]

Won't the roll have already been made by the time the hex is cast/used? I would say it is too late to affect initiative (and as I am the Warlock of our party, that is a pity).


After 5th level, Hex has an 8 hour duration, and you can switch targets after your current one has died as a bonus action. This isn't much help if you're ambushed, but if you can tell that a fight is coming ahead of time ...

That said, whether the process of switching targets is obvious is not specified, so it's up to your DM whether it can be done pre-combat.

[MaxWilson]

Won't the roll have already been made by the time the hex is cast/used? I would say it is too late to affect initiative (and as I am the Warlock of our party, that is a pity).

It could be worth using if you use Speed Factor initiative from the DMG (reroll every round).

[Ashrym]

Won't the roll have already been made by the time the hex is cast/used? I would say it is too late to affect initiative (and as I am the Warlock of our party, that is a pity).

It works with hit and run tactics. Attack, hex, leave. The duration is long enough to make it work with the intention to make it work. The only application, off the top of my head, is an encounter too tough to manage and a retreat and regroup situation.

[Foodle]

Could also work if you roll initiative after the surprise round (not sure on the official ruling for that, but that's how we do it). Letting you cast/transfer the hex in the surprise round to affect the initiative roll once the surprise round is over.

[odigity]

Won't the roll have already been made by the time the hex is cast/used? I would say it is too late to affect initiative (and as I am the Warlock of our party, that is a pity).

Not unless you're DM's a jerk. You don't lose the ability to cast spells just because you're not in combat yet. If you see your opponent and he doesn't see you, you can cast Hex on him, or dance a pre-battle jig, or whatever. As far as I can tell from the rules, initiate is rolled when one creature or more on each side has spotted one or more of the other side, or when one side choose to engage (with an attack of some sort, generally).

Now, whether or not they hear you casting it is a separate matter. Stealth + verbal component is not well describe in this edition. There's a recent thread here dedicated to exploring it.