Maxing Initiative

[MesiDoomstalker]

Long story short, I'm trying to max out my Initiative modifier. Looking mainly for items or (easy to qualify for) feats. I'm a level 5 Drow Incantor (Spheres of Power) Currently I have:

Noble Scion on a Cha based caster, sitting at 23. I already have a +4 Cha item, putting every level up point to Cha, and the Book once I can afford them. (+6)
a Cracked Dusty Rose Prism Ioun Stone (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/h-l/ioun-stones/dusty-rose-prism-ioun-stone) (+1 Competence)
A Circlet Persuasion (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/c-d/circlet-of-persuasion). GM ruled that with Noble Scion, it is a Cha check and the Circlet takes effect (+3)
Some Trait that gives a +1, I can't remember. (+1)
Total: +13

Are there any fairly cheap items that buff up Initiative? Or easy feats? I've slotted Improved Initiative at my level 9 Feat. 3.5 content is open, though it is subject to GM approval on a case-by-case basis.

[Sayt]

There's always the +1 Dueling (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-weapons/magic-weapon-special-abilities/dueling) Dagger

[Grod_The_Giant]

The Reactionary trait gives +2, I believe.

[Rainshine]

Eldritch Heritage (Arcane) to grab a familiar, hare or scorpion should give you an +4 initiative bonus, as I recall.
Anticipate Peril is a spell that you can probably either grab directly or through an item, I'm not overly familiar with Spheres, but even without Mythic, it can give you up to a +5.
There's a couple 3pp materials you can make armor out of that give a bonus to initiative as well, but I seem to recall their pricing was something like at least 10k a shot. Purple Duck gaming, I think.

[AvatarVecna]

I vaguely recall some PF build floating around that reached a +118 Initiative, although I can never seem to find it when I remember it.

[grarrrg]

I vaguely recall some PF build floating around that reached a +118 Initiative, although I can never seem to find it when I remember it.

BOOM! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17185279&postcount=2)

stupid word count

[Yanisa]

BOOM! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17185279&postcount=2)

What happened to me updating that build. Each time I see it I'm like, hey that was a nifty idea but now I got another nifty idea to break the initiative count...

Anyhow I nowadays really like the search at Archives of Nethys (http://www.archivesofnethys.com/Search.aspx) because it makes all these neat categories and makes one big page instead of forcing you to research. I do not see a lot of new stuff, but there are some things there that aren't not in the build. Too lazy and too early in the morning to fish things out of it, maybe later if someone else doesn't do it first.

[Garktz]

At the risk of looking as an idiot i,m going to say improved initiate....
Didnt see it on your build and some how you might not cualify for it or whatever, but seems like a big miss to me

[grarrrg]

At the risk of looking as an idiot i,m going to say improved initiate....
Didnt see it on your build and some how you might not cualify for it or whatever, but seems like a big miss to me

Hate to break it to you, but...

I've slotted Improved Initiative at my level 9 Feat

I like to use CTRL+F. The "find" function. Can save time and whatnot on these kinds of things.

There's also always good old "edit post" > "delete post". QUICK! Before anyone else sees!

[Ninjaxenomorph]

Hmm. I knew a rogue in PFS that had +26 or something thereabouts... Probably had at least one unique (to PFS) item and a rogue talent, though. He used many of the tricks mentioned above, though.

[Yanisa]

Hmm. I knew a rogue in PFS that had +26 or something thereabouts... Probably had at least one unique (to PFS) item and a rogue talent, though. He used many of the tricks mentioned above, though.

I had a level one Sorc with like +15. Improved Initiative (4), Familiar (4), Noble Scion (5), Trait (2). That what started it all.
Hmm... PFS legal is an interesting sub-goal but I am betting +26 ensures you will always act first in any combat PFS could toss at you though. And that seems rather easy to reach. Heck, even a level 1 one rogue with max dex, improved initiative and a trait scores already scores +11. :smalltongue:

[Jormengand]

In all honesty, though, you can probably stop by the time you get to about 20 - there are two types of initiative, after all, the type that lets you go first and the type that doesn't. Once you're in the first category, it doesn't matter whether you get +40 or +40,000.

[Ninjaxenomorph]

I had a level one Sorc with like +15. Improved Initiative (4), Familiar (4), Noble Scion (5), Trait (2). That what started it all.
Hmm... PFS legal is an interesting sub-goal but I am betting +26 ensures you will always act first in any combat PFS could toss at you though. And that seems rather easy to reach. Heck, even a level 1 one rogue with max dex, improved initiative and a trait scores already scores +11. :smalltongue:

The joke was also that his first turn he always held his action so he could get a flank.

[stack]

Foreshadow from the divination sphere gives a bonus as well. Bonus stacks with divine future, so you just divine again between combats to get te bonus again next time. Should be enough to keep you going first. Then you use time to steal an extra standard action from the future and really hose the enemy in the first round.

[Xan_Kriegor]

If you weren't set on your class yet there's the Forewarned ability (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/wizard/arcane-schools/paizo---arcane-schools/classic-arcane-schools/divination) from the Divination school Wizard. +1/2 levels and at level 20 you always take 20 on initiative. Stacks with your Noble Scion thingy but obviously there's not nearly as much point to maxing CHA as a Wizard (and at that point keeping init as DEX-based makes more sense).

[the_archduke]

The circlet and ioun stone are both competence bonii and thus do not stack

The good news is that the Reactionary trait is +2, not +1, so you get the point back

[Firest Kathon]

The Reactionary trait gives +2, I believe.
Since you are a drow, you can also pick the Warrior of Old (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/race-traits/warrior-of-old) trait for +2 to Initiative. They do not stack, but Warrior of Old is a Race trait, leaving you free to pick another Combat trait if you need to.

[(Un)Inspired]

VMC Wizard. It gets you the power from the Divination school that was mentioned above and also grats you a familiar (take a Comsognathus for +4 to initiative).

You're explicitly allowed to retrain into VMC if you want and a +14 to initiative along wiht always getting to act in surprise rounds should be a reasonable bump.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Wow, I made this thread when I was dead tired and completely forgot about it! Thanks for all the advice guys. Start off, any suggestion for this class or that PrC or this Archetype are unncessary. I'm running Incantor 20 (dem sweet Bonus feats).

@Firest Kathon: I almost undoubtedly took this trait and forgot to write it down. I remember because I checked Race Traits first since I figured Elves got all kinds of stupid goodies.

@Rainshine: Where is this feat from? I've been kind of wanting a familiar and I have far too many feats as is.

@Stack: I really need to actually get to reading all the different Spheres at some point. Preferably before all their supplements come out. Divination looks nice and we just leveled up to level 5, so I have 3 Talent's to pick from. Awesome even more is its Hours/Level so its one and done buff.

[(Un)Inspired]

That's why I suggested VMC. You get to have all 20 of the Incantor levels you want with a bunch of Wizard initiative goodness stacked on top.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Forgive me, what is a VMC Wizard then? Unlike 3.5, I only have the (very extensive) SRD for Pathfinder (plus Spheres of Power), so I don't have near the encyclopedic knowledge of PF stuff.

[(Un)Inspired]

Forgive me, what is a VMC Wizard then? Unlike 3.5, I only have the (very extensive) SRD for Pathfinder (plus Spheres of Power), so I don't have near the encyclopedic knowledge of PF stuff.

Here (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/character-advancement#TOC-Variant-Multiclassing) ya go partner. This should explain it pretty well.

In a nutshell VMC means giving up half of a character's feats and in exchanging getting a bunch of class features from another class. The benefits range from AMAZING to functionally useless.

[FocusWolf413]

The DSP Battle Dragon Stance adds +4.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Here (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/character-advancement#TOC-Variant-Multiclassing) ya go partner. This should explain it pretty well.

In a nutshell VMC means giving up half of a character's feats and in exchanging getting a bunch of class features from another class. The benefits range from AMAZING to functionally useless.

Aw thats a no go then. This is an active character, who's already taken feats at level 3 (and I really don't want to delay my non-Incantor feats). If I knew about it before, I'd probably do it. But I don't think I started maxing initiative till level 3 anyways.

[(Un)Inspired]

Aw thats a no go then. This is an active character, who's already taken feats at level 3 (and I really don't want to delay my non-Incantor feats). If I knew about it before, I'd probably do it. But I don't think I started maxing initiative till level 3 anyways.

It's worth noting that VMCing is specifically called out as being legal to retain into but yeah if you need those Incantor feats ASAP then it's probably not the best choice.

[MesiDoomstalker]

It's worth noting that VMCing is specifically called out as being legal to retain into but yeah if you need those Incantor feats ASAP then it's probably not the best choice.

I want to grab the Noble Spell Resistance feat the second its available (level 13). But it requires Greater Drow Nobility (which in turn requires Improved Drow Nobility and plain Drow Nobility). Between those 3 and Noble Scion (see a pattern here?) I don't have enough feat slots (it also means Improved Init gets pushed back even further although technically AVM Wizard would have a greater Init return).