Going first..

[MercCpt]

Hi all I want to go first and do my action economy before anyone and hopefully everyone. (no alert cuz i don't like it)

Besides like a rogue doing sneak attack i'm wanting more options so i'm thinking like a war wiz or a Chronurgy wiz but i'd like to be able to feck out as well so maybe mobile but *shrugs* just here asking and looking for inspiration

[kingcheesepants]

You want to create a build that has a better chance of going first but you don't like Alert? Even though Alert is literally +5 to Initiative and nobody can surprise you? That seems like the exact thing you're looking for.

Anyways, Sentinel Shield is an item that gives you advantage on initiative (and perception), Weapon of Warning also gives you advantage on initiative. As you already noted War and Chronurgy Wizards can get a bonus to their Initiative. In addition Chronurgy Wizards can pick up gift of alacrity which lets you add a D8 to initiative rolls. Bards get a bonus to Initiative as well (jack of all trades). Any spell or item that gives bonuses to ability checks in general (like guidance) will give a bonus to initiative (which counts as an ability check). Being a halfling will let you reroll ones including on any initiative check and the lucky feat will let you reroll 3 times per long rest. If I were to make a character that I always wanted to go first I'd be a halfling Chronurgy wizard with maxed Dex. Cast gift of alacrity on yourself, get a sentinel shield and a weapon of warning if you can and pick up Alert (or not if you hate it for some reason and you really don't care about going first that much) and lucky ASAP and you'll always be going first. Mobility can be gotten through spells like misty step, dimension door and phantom stead all of which are on the wizard list (and phantom stead is a ritual). Maybe take a one level cleric dip so you can actually use that shield and weapon of warning and also cast bless on yourself as well as pick up some armor or a 2 level dip in bard for the jack of all trades bonus and armor (though I'd never seriously consider a bard multiclass for wizard).

[BloodSnake'sCha]

Also don't forget Gloomstalker get wis to initiative.
Swashbuckler get cha to initiative.
Barbarian get advantage on initiative.

Guidance is also a +1d4.
If your bard ally gives you bardic inspiration it can also be added to initiative.

I am not sure but maybe also the Artificer Flash of Genius (need to read it again and away from books).

[Kane0]

Artificers also have that Helm of Awareness Infusion

[Yakmala]

By Level 2, a Variant Human War Wizard can have +11 to their initiative.

Point Buy: 16 Dexterity and Intelligence (with the Variant Human +1's in Dex and Int)

Tactical Wit at level 2 allows Int bonus to be added in addition to Dex bonus for initiative. That's +6 right there.

Alert as Variant Human starting feat gets this to +11.

Take +2 Int as your first ASI at level 4 to boost this to +12

Focus on area control spells and end fights before they can really begin.

[qube]

You want to create a build that has a better chance of going first but you don't like Alert? Even though Alert is literally +5 to Initiative and nobody can surprise you? That seems like the exact thing you're looking for.+1

Alert plus carrying a weapon of warning* would be my advice. It's hard to beat advantage+5 (*you don't even have to wield it, just carry it with you. It might be your back-up dagger, or a random morningstar in your backpack.)

The thing is - typically you first have your action you want to do, and then decide you want to go first. Very little people go "it doesn't matter what I can do, only that I can do it first". That's why Alert + weapon of warning is a great combo - it doesn't matter what class you are, what race you are, etc ...

[kingcheesepants]

Also don't forget Gloomstalker get wis to initiative.
Swashbuckler get cha to initiative.
Barbarian get advantage on initiative.

Guidance is also a +1d4.
If your bard ally gives you bardic inspiration it can also be added to initiative.

I am not sure but maybe also the Artificer Flash of Genius (need to read it again and away from books).

Yeah, if you want to be a martial then one of those would do it.

And I looked just now, flash of genius indeed can be used for any ability check or save which would include initiative. So a Chronurgy Wizard Artificer multi class could add a d8 via the Gift of Alacrity spell, add his Intelligence to his Initiative via Temporal Awareness, add it again via Flash of Genius and then get advantage with an artificer Infusion Helm of Awareness. He can also cast guidance on himself for another d4 and if the bard gives him inspiration he could effectively have 1d4+2d8+Dex mod+2xInt mod+Advantage. Add in alert for another +5 and you'll always go first.

[Mr Adventurer]

Barbarian 7 gets advantage on Initiative
Champion 7 Remarkable Athlete applies to Initiative

[BloodSnake'sCha]

Yeah, if you want to be a martial then one of those would do it.

And I looked just now, flash of genius indeed can be used for any ability check or save which would include initiative. So a Chronurgy Wizard Artificer multi class could add a d8 via the Gift of Alacrity spell, add his Intelligence to his Initiative via Temporal Awareness, add it again via Flash of Genius and then get advantage with an artificer Infusion Helm of Awareness. If the cleric has bless active and the bard gives him inspiration he could effectively have 1d4+2d8+Dex mod+2xInt mod+Advantage. Add in alert for another +5 and you'll always go first.

Nice, just don't forget bless is attacks and saves, guidance is for ability checks.

[Gignere]

If you don’t like Alert maybe consider Fey Touched or ask your DM if you can select Gift of Alacrity.

A level 4 war wizard or chronurgy wizard can have 1d20 + d8 + 6 for initiative rolls. Find a weapon of warning and no one is going before you.

[kingcheesepants]

Nice, just don't forget bless is attacks and saves, guidance is for ability checks.

Oh man how did I mess that up? You're totally right I was thinking of guidance rather than bless, and artificers get guidance too. So you don't even need the clerics help for that combo.