XtgE initiative boosting class features

[Tanarii]

Just something minor I noted, but the War Wizard and several other classes word their initiative boosting class features as "you can gain a bonus to initiative". Not just saying to add it.

Which raises the interesting question of if you can make the choice after you've seen your rolls and your other party member rolls, thus controlling your position in the initiative a bit.

Even if you can't do that, there still might be times when you'd choose not to apply the bonus before you make the roll, if there was a specific party member you wanted to be more likely to go after in the initiative order.

[Waterdeep Merch]

Swashbuckler 4/War Wizard 4/Bard 4, and the 4's are only because you'll need the ASI and feats to really make this shine. Cap Int, Cha, and Dex alongside the Alert feat (only feasible with godlike rolled stats), and you end the game at a +23 to initiative.

I'm blanking, but isn't there a PHB class feature that grants advantage on initiative? I want to say it's the barbarian, but I'm AFB.

[GlenSmash!]

Swashbuckler 4/War Wizard 4/Bard 4, and the 4's are only because you'll need the ASI and feats to really make this shine. Cap Int, Cha, and Dex alongside the Alert feat (only feasible with godlike rolled stats), and you end the game at a +23 to initiative.

I'm blanking, but isn't there a PHB class feature that grants advantage on initiative? I want to say it's the barbarian, but I'm AFB.

Barbarian 7 Feral Instinct.

[Nidgit]

Swashbuckler 4/War Wizard 4/Bard 4, and the 4's are only because you'll need the ASI and feats to really make this shine. Cap Int, Cha, and Dex alongside the Alert feat (only feasible with godlike rolled stats), and you end the game at a +23 to initiative.

I'm blanking, but isn't there a PHB class feature that grants advantage on initiative? I want to say it's the barbarian, but I'm AFB.

OP isn't asking about an initiative-centric build, he's asking about rules on class features.

Anyways, I'd leave the initiative bonus as optional and I'd be ok with either ruling putting the decision before or after the roll.

[UrielAwakened]

Swashbuckler 4/War Wizard 4/Bard 4, and the 4's are only because you'll need the ASI and feats to really make this shine. Cap Int, Cha, and Dex alongside the Alert feat (only feasible with godlike rolled stats), and you end the game at a +23 to initiative.

I'm blanking, but isn't there a PHB class feature that grants advantage on initiative? I want to say it's the barbarian, but I'm AFB.

You'd really want to be an Assassin instead though. It's the only really OP thing to do with a massive initiative bonus, and the only way to make a surprise critical work within the rules.

[Waterdeep Merch]

OP isn't asking about an initiative-centric build, he's asking about rules on class features.

Anyways, I'd leave the initiative bonus as optional and I'd be ok with either ruling putting the decision before or after the roll.
That's why stacking them is an interesting experiment, especially if advantage is on the board (thanks, GlenSmash!). Advantage lets you choose the dice roll you want. Stack it with the ability to add Int or Cha if you'd like, and you've got an extremely flexible initiative.

The bard +3 and alert's +5 aren't likely necessary for the modularity, though I'd prefer them to keep the capacity to always choose around the top of the order, especially since you can always delay your turn. Not being surprised from Alert is especially helpful in an initiative-centric build.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Swashbuckler 4/War Wizard 4/Bard 4, and the 4's are only because you'll need the ASI and feats to really make this shine. Cap Int, Cha, and Dex alongside the Alert feat (only feasible with godlike rolled stats), and you end the game at a +23 to initiative.

I'm blanking, but isn't there a PHB class feature that grants advantage on initiative? I want to say it's the barbarian, but I'm AFB.

Toss in a bunch of Fighter (Champion) levels, because technically Remarkable Athlete adds half of your proficiency bonus to all physical checks that don't already add your proficiency, so that's another +3. More Fighter levels also get your more ASIs to help max out your Int/Cha/Con.

[Waterdeep Merch]

Toss in a bunch of Fighter (Champion) levels, because technically Remarkable Athlete adds half of your proficiency bonus to all physical checks that don't already add your proficiency, so that's another +3. More Fighter levels also get your more ASIs to help max out your Int/Cha/Con.
Ooh, I think I see a niche that isn't complete crap. Ancestral Guardian Barbarian 8/Swashbuckler 4/War Wizard 2/Champion Fighter 6. Not sure on leveling order, but stick to rapier and shield in light/no armor, use arcane deflection like crazy, get yourself a familiar for utility and harassment, mark like a boss while raging, and just generally be an ultra tank.

[Tanarii]

though I'd prefer them to keep the capacity to always choose around the top of the order, especially since you can always delay your turn.
That's the point. You cannot choose to delay your turn in 5e. You must take your turn on your initiative count, unless your DM is doing something variant. If you want to 'delay' your turn on the first round of combat, the only way to do so is by taking the Dodge action and waiting for your next turn. Or Ready, which isn't as powerful as a full turn, and also doesn't change your position in the initiative.

Also if you take alert, you must add +5 to your initiative.

[Waterdeep Merch]

That's the point. You cannot choose to delay your turn in 5e. You must take your turn on your initiative count, unless your DM is doing something variant. If you want to 'delay' your turn on the first round of combat, the only way to do so is by taking the Dodge action and waiting for your next turn. Or Ready, which isn't as powerful as a full turn, and also doesn't change your position in the initiative.

Also if you take alert, you must add +5 to your initiative.

Ahh, throws out Alert and bard/champion fighter, then. Still, advantage and a mutable + from Int and Cha could give you a lot of flexibility, and war wizard happens to play nice with barbarians and rogues, making a rather interesting tank...

...provided you can afford the stats, of course. Seriously, I don't even think this is remotely playable without a bare minimum of four stats rolled at 15+. If you're the luckiest player on earth, this could be fun.

[PeteNutButter]

I feel like it's a neat idea, but ultimately minimally powerful, at the cost of slowing down game play. Now you (a player) and the DM are trying to figure out everyone's initiative. Ugh..

The big problem is when you roll initiative and declare it to the DM it should really all be simultaneous. There is no way your character in game should have knowledge of when the other players and the enemies are going to act, so you shouldn't be able to make the appropriate decision. It's all about who is quickest to act/react. It isn't something that you should have a couple of real time minutes to strategize around.

It'd be interesting if they added a class feature or feat that allowed the option to delay in initiative.

[Tanarii]

I feel like it's a neat idea, but ultimately minimally powerful, at the cost of slowing down game play. Now you (a player) and the DM are trying to figure out everyone's initiative. Ugh..Good point.

I mean, sometimes I just let players choose their order as long as they only take a turn once each between enemy turns. They're just rolling to see if they get one action before the enemies take their turn. I've found that:
1) It's generally much faster and less confusing to the players, they think in terms of each getting an action once between enemies turns.
2) it keeps the players engaged in the game better. Not sure exactly why that is.

Also I'm doing it for the enemies already that way. In fact, I often have to stop myself from doing Monsters A-K move, Monsters A-K attack.

The downside is that player's tendency/instincts to table talk strategy during combat gets MUCH worse.