A Spooky DIY Initiative Tracker (Just in Time For Halloween)

Before we get started with this Monday's entry, I'd like to let readers know that I've finally taken a suggestion on something I've ignored for a long time... I'm starting a newsletter for all of my content! If you don't want algorithms to let my updates slip through the cracks, subscribe to my newsletter and you'll get updates every Monday on what's going down. Newsletters will keep you abreast of what's going on here at Improved Initiative, but you'll also get updates from The Literary Mercenary, my latest Vocal articles, book releases, new gaming supplements, news on what events I'll be attending (when that's a thing again), and more!

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Now then, for something fun, crafty, and just a little spooky. And to give credit where it's due, I stumbled across this idea from Geek and Sundry.

Death Comes For Us All (In Order of Initiative)

Well would you look at that? Bad guys go first.

Initiative is one of the tensest moments of combat. Everyone is readying themselves and hoping they can get into the fray and strike the first blow, while also hoping to evade the worst their enemies have to offer. While a lot of DMs out there simply make due with some scrap notebook paper (or with a cheap LCD tablet, if you're a futuristic kind of dungeon master), that's one more thing to juggle behind your screen. Even magnetic initiative trackers like the official Pathfinder Combat Pad from Paizo don't solve this problem.

But what if you could make a simple, vertical initiative tracker that made the combat order obvious for everyone at the table, while also adding a hint of spook to your games? Well, here's how you can do just that with a couple of bucks, and less than an hour of actual crafting time. All you're going to need for this is:

- Container (coffee mug, skull of your enemy, etc.)

- Floral foam (pool foam will work in a pinch)

- Craft knife

- Terrain piece (extra dice or stones work fine, too)

- Thin wooden dowel rod

- Clothespins

- Marker

And that's it!

So What Do You Do?

Trust me, this is a piece of cake.

First things first, you want to identify your ideal container to use as the base. Right now we're in the middle of Halloween decor season, which means there are all kinds of skull cups and mugs out there. You want something that's got a bit of heft to it so it won't topple over unexpectedly, but you also want to make sure it isn't going to take up too much space on the table. Something like this skull pen holder, for example.

Come on... look at this damn thing!

Once you have your base, take your craft knife and your floral foam, and use the former to shape the latter to fit. You want a steady base that doesn't wiggle, if at all possible. Ideally the floral foam should sit a little way below the rim of your cup, as well.

After the foam is situated, take your small wooden dowel and push it down through the middle of the foam. You should now have a small pole sticking up from the foam. All you have to do at this point is open up your clothespins, and write the names of the PCs (or the names of the players, if your group is always the same), and then label one as Bad Guys. Perhaps a second for BBEG, when there's going to be a powerful bad guy and then all the lesser bad guys after them. Write the names along the legs of the clips, and ensure the can be read from both sides.

When you first set the initiative order you clip the clothespins near the top of the dowel, going in descending order from first to last. Then, once someone has taken their turn, you rotate their clothespin to the other side. This shows the initiative changing, and since the names are on both sides, you can just flip then back to their initial position as you go through the next round!

Add The Final Details

Once you've checked to make sure your clothespins hold and spin properly, all you have left to add are the fine details. Stuff to take your new initiative tracker from functional, to finished!

If you want your dowel to be extra secure, consider using some glue to hold it in place. Don't soak it to the point that the foam is glued into the cup, but be generous. Once you have the dowel where you want it, add in some terrain along the top of the foam (moss and soil, fake grass, small rocks to form a bier, a pile of small skulls, or even just a handful of spare dice) to camouflage the top of the foam.

Also, if you want to go the extra mile, you can stain the dowel so it's nice and dark. You could give your clothespins the same treatment, but keep in mind the names on them need to be legible.

Once you've done all of that, you've got a handy, vertical initiative tracker that's attractive, economical, and which adds a little spook to your table!

Also, if you're looking for some more handy things to try for your game, make sure you also take a moment to read through:

- Organize Your Spell Cards With a Portable Spellbook!

- Need Cheap Minis? SCS Direct Has You Covered!

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Tips On Using Bluff and Diplomacy in Combat (For Pathfinder)

When it comes to combat, the first thing that goes out the window are you social skills. Because now's not the time for talking, it's the time for fighting! Because unless you're trying to feint your enemy to catch them off-guard, or scare them with intimidation, this isn't the area to wield your silver tongue in.

Or is it?

Parley? Sorry, we don't speak coward!

As you've probably guessed by the title, there are a few ways you can turn a high Diplomacy or Bluff check into a viable battlefield weapon. I've gathered some of the ones I think are more useful, and presented them here. This list is likely not a complete one, though, so if I missed something you think deserves to be included here, please put it in the comments along with a source link or book and page reference.

Also, if you're more of an Intimidate specialist, I'd recommend check out How To Weaponize Your Intimidate Check in Pathfinder as well as the character build post The Bullyboy.

Bluffing Your Way To Victory

The most common way for someone to use Bluff in combat (other than feinting to deny an opponent their Dexterity modifier to their armor class) is by taking the Taunt feat. This feat requires you to be Small-sized, but it lets you swap Bluff for Intimidate when demoralizing your foes. It's particularly great because size doesn't matter in this case, allowing you to smack-talk giants without penalty. Ideal for bards who can maintain their music while demoralizing the enemy, helping allies and hurting foes in a single turn.

If you're not on the small side, though, there's also the feat Empty Threats. This one requires you have at least 5 ranks of Bluff, but it allows you to do pretty much the same thing as Taunt. It also has specific language that lets you use Bluff in place of Intimidate for the Dazzling Display feat, and any feat that requires Dazzling Display as a prerequisite. If you use Bluff in that way, though, then you can't use it to feint until the beginning of your next turn.

Fair trade off, I'd say.

If you're a spellcaster, it's also possible for you to take Conceal Spell. This feat is rather exhaustive, and requires you to have Bluff or Disguise, in addition to Sleight of Hand if you want to hide the fact that you're casting a spell, or using a spell-like ability. That last one is important, because it opens this feat to classes like kineticists, or to aasimar who take feats to expand their spell-like abilities. It does lengthen the casting time, and there is a chance the enemy will notice what you did with a Perception or Sense Motive check, but if they fail then they can't take an attack of opportunity on you, readied actions won't go off, and unless the effect emanates directly from you, there's no way to link you to the spell. Overall, a pretty intensive feat in terms of resources, but it's the answer to the constant question of, "How do I cast this spell without anyone knowing it was me?"

And it doesn't require you to jack up the spell level with Silent Spell and Still Spell.

You could also take Spell Bluff, if you're just looking for a way to get a leg up over casters who try to counter you (or to get a bonus against other casters who try the fake you out with what spell they're slinging). Not as useful if there are no wizards' duels going on, but worth keeping in mind.

Diplomacy In Battle

Diplomacy, as a rule, is a skill that takes time to work. If you're gathering information with it, it will take hours. If you're trying to convince someone to see things you're way, you have to give them a mini TED talk explaining what you're right. So, as a combat ability, it has truly limited efficacy.

Even with the right feats.

With that said, Call Truce is probably the biggest whammy you can pull off using Diplomacy in combat. The way this feat works is that you make a Diplomacy check, treating it as if you were casting a full-round action spell. You can't be wielding a weapon, or anything that might be considered threatening when you do this. You also have to be in plain sight. If no one on your side attacks an enemy or does anything threatening, you make a single check with a DC equal to 30 + the highest Charisma modifier of the enemy group. If you succeed, combat ceases for one minute, or until someone on the opposing side is attacked or threatened.

This can still go sideways if you attempt to use Call Truce as a ruse. Enemies receive a Sense Motive check to determine if you're calling a truce in order to gain an advantage. Additionally, if your enemies are fanatics, if they're clearly winning, or if they have a temporary advantage that will expire once the truce is called (short-term enchantments, for example), then the DM can declare that your attempt out-and-out fails.

However, if you've been looking for a way to just get those last few, scared bandits to put down their bows and talk with you, this is an ideal way to make that happen.

Another option, for the bastards out there, is the Betrayer feat. This feat allows you to butter someone up before combat, and if you manage to move their attitude along the path toward friendly, then you can make a single attack as an immediate action. If you got the target to friendly or better with your check, they're considered flat-footed against your attack, and take a -2 penalty to their Initiative if they survive. An ideal feat for assassins, cutthroats, and those who prefer seduction as an appetizer.

Lastly, there's the feat Urban Tracker. While not strictly combat-oriented, it struck me as useful in its own, specific way. Essentially it allows you to make Diplomacy checks to track people across an urban environment, rather than Survival checks. This pretty much requires you to be playing an urban game, but if you are, this is something that can help you find even the most elusive quarry.

Step Outside The Box

Remember, combat has a lot of different angles and strategies you can explore. And if you're a largely skill-focused character who's been looking to put some of those skills to use outside of RP-based challenges, I hope this guide helped. As always, remember, some enemies are too dumb, too inured, or just too inhuman for skills to work. Which is why you should have something heavy you can hit them with if you can't talk them down... like that barbarian you keep under glass for occasions just like this one.

That's all for this month's Crunch installment. Hopefully there are some skill monkeys out there who are coming up with new concepts as we speak. If you'd like to see more of my work (and particularly more gaming articles) check out my Vocal archive, or head over to the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio where I help out with DM advice, player tips, and occasional comedy. If you want to stay on top of all my latest releases, then follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter. Lastly, if you want to help support my work, then head to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to drop some change in my tip jar, or Buy Me a Ko-Fi. Either way, I'll be happy to give you my eternal gratitude, and some sweet gaming swag!

How You Can (Usually) Go First During The Surprise Round

The surprise round is one of those things you don't want to be on the receiving end of. Your party might be at full power, weapons out, and ready to rumble, but after a single surprise round you can be put at a severe disadvantage by a flight of arrows from snipers, or a series of spells that change the terrain all around you. If you've been wondering how you can go first more often without playing an entire party of Sohei, diviners, and Kensai, the answer is on page 23 of Blood of the Moon.

Well son of a bitch...

Don't feel bad, most people never got their hands on the soft-cover copy of the book that introduced the skinwalker race, and provided a bunch of features to go with it (I did, because I was one of the contributors to that particular book). Page 23 introduces three feats that compliment the Fanglord, which is a skinwalker that's related to weretigers and rakshasa. The feat you're looking for is Surprising Combatant, and it provides you with a strategic advantage; as a free action made with your initiative check, you can bluff your way out of being attacked.

Suddenly Here's Why Charisma is Important

Here's how it works. If you have this feat (you don't have to be a weretiger or a Fanglord to possess it, but you should be able to explain how you did learn it if you aren't one of these creatures) you make a bluff check as part of every initiative check. Every enemy makes a sense motive check. Every enemy who fails a sense motive check doesn't regard you as part of this fight, and typically that means they'll ignore you. If all of the enemies discount you, then you may act as part of the surprise round.

They never saw it coming.

That sounds great, particularly given that sense motive isn't something most of your villains are going to have a lot of points invested in. So if you take a little time to buff your bluff by taking feats like Skill Focus or Deceitful, you're going to wind up participating in the surprise round a lot more often. With that said, a single move or standard action is only going to let you do so much in combat. This is particularly true if you are a melee combatant instead of a spellcaster.

Unless, that is, you have the 4th level ability of the rogue's Bandit archetype; Ambush.

Ambush says that whenever you act in the surprise round you may take a standard, a move, and a swift action as if it were a regular turn. Not only that, but if you're mixing and matching your rogue archetypes you can combine Thug with Bandit, making a combination that dovetails nicely.

It's Amazing What You Can Do With One Turn

How many times have you been looking at your enemies as they spring up for a surprise round and known you could end this as soon as it began if you could only act? Casting entangle on a bunch of bandits hiding in the brush, throwing an alchemist fire into the midst of a swarm before it can engulf the wizard, or putting an arrow into a spellcaster to disrupt the fireball that's about to be dropped on your head is something that will really change the course a fight could take.

Or, if you're just getting a full round all to yourself, why not get in as much sneak attack as you can with it?

Also, if you're going to be going in the surprise round then you may as well go before all the bad guys, too. Here's How To Top The Initiative Order (Almost) Every Time to help you be the fastest off the mark.

Editor's Note

It's been brought to my attention that the feat has been altered since the publication of Blood of the Moon. The errata, buried in a forum post but linked here at the D20PFSRD renders the above guide moot. However, DMs who prefer to use the original version of the feat in their games may still find this interpretation to be of use.

As always, thanks for stopping in! If you'd like to support Improved Initiative then toss a tip into my jar by clicking the Bribe the DM button on your right, or go to The Litereary Mercenary Patreon page to become a regular contributor. If you want to make sure you catch all of my updates, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter.

How To Roleplay During Combat

Most roleplaying games have some form of combat. While you're going to see a lot more battle in Warhammer 40,000 or Pathfinder than you might see in Call of Cthulhu there's always the potential for things to devolve into bullets and brawls. Some players feel that when you sit down at a table there are actually two different games being played; the role playing (where you interact with NPCs, put on voices, and act the story out) and the combat (where you roll dice and fire off numbers).

Just because you've rolled initiative is no reason to stop roleplaying though. As I mentioned in The Difference Between Roleplaying Games and Just Playing Make Believe combat is prime time for roleplaying. In fact you might even be overlooking some of the great opportunities you have to develop character and story.

Combat Is About More Than The Fight Itself

I don't know how many of you read my author blog The Literary Mercenary, but this week's post was Author's Fight Club: Rules For Writing Better Fight Scenes. In the event you didn't immediately click the link to see what brilliant advice I had for the authors among you I'd like to illustrate rule three from the list.

"The fight should be about more than just the fight."

It should be about me. Obviously.

I'll give you an example. Say one of the PCs who joins the party is a big man with a bastard sword over his shoulder. He claims he used to be a town guardsman, but has since gone freelance. He's reticent, though not unfriendly. When combat breaks out and he pulls steel though he becomes a whirlwind of death. He wields that weapon with grace and power, fighting in a style that is worlds removed from the cut-and-thrust drudgery one typically associates with military training.

The narration of how this character fights tells you things about him, and insinuates others. For example, it suggests that if he was a guard he was greatly over-qualified for the position. The fighting style might be foreign to the region, suggesting that he is either better-traveled than he looks or else had an exotic teacher. Other details like how he reacts to being hurt, and how he feels putting steel into other people, tell you more about him. Is he a dishonored knight? Was he a child soldier? does he come from a long line of dangerous warriors? Is this his first kill, or does he look like he's done this before? Who knows, but these are all things that you simply will not get to see in any situation outside of combat. Not only that, but if you have a really good group they're going to pick up what you're laying down, and what's discovered in combat may bleed into post-combat story (as it should).

Danger Reveals Character

Have you ever been sitting in a booth talking with friends who assure you they'd take a certain action when the chips were down? They'd stand up and tell cat-callers to show some respect, they'd offer help to someone who looked hurt, or give back money that they found because it wasn't theirs? Did you ever see them get the chance to put their money where their collective mouths were, and it turned out they did something else entirely?

Combat is like that taken to the extreme.

When the dice come out it's time for your characters to make literal life-and-death decisions. It shows what is important to them, and the choices they make will reflect who they are. Sometimes this might mean doing things that are dumb, or taking unnecessary risks, but it can bring a lot of flavor to your game.

For example when the cleric is down to one hit point and he has the chance to save himself with his final healing spell, or a shot to save the party by healing their warrior, what does he do? If the bard and the druid have become lovers and someone harms the singer will the druid immediately rush to his side to help, even if it puts the rest of the party at risk? The paladin has a firm code of honor, but will he stick to that code if violating its principals would let him save his companions?

This is stuff you are not going to get except in six-second rounds of drama.

Set Dressing

While completing personal plot arcs and making noble sacrifices is all well and good, you can't do that in every combat. What you can do though is figure out something dramatic for your character to do in order to help the rest of the table better picture the fight that's taking place.

Maximized burning hands, metal edition.

I talked about a lot of this in Dungeon Master Alchemy: Turning Stats Into Story but it bears repeating. When it comes to combat you need to ask yourself what your character is doing, and how that jives with his or her typical actions.

I'll give you some examples to show you what I'm talking about. Eric Blood might look like just another Ulfen thug, but he prides himself on his focus and control. He has rogue levels, and the sneak attack represents his pinpoint accuracy. So during a normal fight Eric might dance around his opponent to get a better position, using his longsword with skill and style.

Let's say he's fighting someone he hates though. Someone who's wronged him, and whom he intends to kill in a loud and nasty fashion.

Suddenly Eric's whole tone shifts. Blows become vicious, crippling things instead of just strategic attacks. He tosses aside his shield, and draws a dagger so he can get close and personal. When he stabs he twists the steel, making sure it comes away bloody.

In this situation nothing changed except for replacing a shield with a dagger. He's applying the same modifiers to his attacks, and doing the same weapon + sneak attack + stat damage. But the numbers fade into the background when they represent something different.

There are a lot of ways you can do this. Say you have a wizard who typically focuses on shaping the battlefield and helping her companions. When it comes time to throw evocation magic around her voice booms, and raw power crackles through the air. When she digs deep into her spells and unleashes necromantic energy the incantations feel chill, and whispers can be heard even through the roar of battle. Alternatively, say you have a barbarian who treats battle as sport, laughing and hurling insults at foes. When her rage begins though she focuses down entirely, and that smile is replaced by a hard, implacable mask. Perhaps you have a monk who, when his allies are threatened, adopts a strange, serpent-like style that results in crippled, weeping foes instead of the usual insensate-but-whole enemies.

The list goes on and on, really. The prayers your cleric offers up, the sensation of one type of healing magic over another, the grip your character has on a weapon, or even the language your character uses when fighting are all helpful ways to paint a picture of what's happening during a fight. Not only that but if everyone is involved in weaving this tapestry then there will be less attention wandering and fewer side conversations to distract from your RP.

In Order To Make This Work...

While it's totally possible to fully integrate combat into your RP there are a lot of roadblocks you need to overcome in order to make it easy for everyone. These roadblocks include:

- Being unsure how combat works/having no idea what you're going to do.

- Taking an inordinate amount of time to complete your action.

- Playing with a DM who doesn't match the group's participation.

In short the reason combat becomes a drag is because players (and sometimes DMs) let it drag on instead of keeping it tight and fast-paced. This is particularly true at higher levels where players can take more actions and do more powerful, more complex things. However if you want to minimize the chances of your combat becoming a slog you should do a few simple things:

- Stay focused. Sure going to the bathroom in the middle of a combat when it isn't your turn sounds fine, but you're going to miss everything the other players do, and have to be brought back into the loop. Stay off your smartphone, don't doodle on a sketch pad, and don't hold a conversation with your neighbor about that movie you saw last night.

- Roll all your dice at once. Roll your d20 + your damage dice at the same time. If you hit your damage is already there, and if you miss it doesn't matter. This saves a LOT of time when you get higher in level.

- Keep the RP going. Maybe you couldn't think of anything grand for your round, but don't just roll some dice, shake your head, and let the next person go. Say something, or give a bit of narration so you don't break the chain.

- Know your abilities. While there is a LOT to figure out in order to run through combat quickly you will save a huge amount of time by having your action in the pipe so all you have to do is pull the trigger instead of looking up three different things and re-reading eight passages. If you need to look something up do it when it isn't your turn if possible.

- Don't argue with the DM. One of the main sources of combat slog comes from debating a rule in the thick of things. Don't. Ask your question, read the rule aloud, get the DM's opinion, move on. If it's an issue work it out when combat is over.

There are other things unique to each table, and those have to be fixed on a case-by-case basis. The point is that combat is not a huge time sink meant to draw you out of RP and bog you down in numbers. It should be an opportunity to RP under extreme conditions, and to get your pulse pounding with some truly high adventure!

As always thanks for stopping by Improved Initiative, and if you'd like to support me then stop by The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page and pledge today! If you pledge during the month of March you'll also receive a free book! Lastly if you want to make sure you get all of my updates then you should also follow me on Facebook and Tumblr.

How to Top The Initiative Order (Almost) Every Time

When I first started this blog I asked the question "Who takes Improved Initiative?" I'm quoting the Gamers II, but it's a legitimate question. Many players are so concerned with having the highest strength, the deadliest weapon, or the most destructive spells that they forget one of the first rules of combat; the guy who throws the first punch is often the one who wins the fight.

Stop for a moment, and think about all of the times that going after the bad guy turned a challenging battle into an uphill slog through mud and blood. Sometimes it's a single spell, a single alchemical item, or a single sneak attack that can set the tone for a battle and completely change the tone of a fight. If the bad guy goes first it's a fireball, a color spray, a thunderstone, or any of a dozen other nasty surprises that can tilt a fight in the opponent's favor. The same rules apply to the party. Catching the villain flat-footed is a field day for rogues, spellcasters and gunslingers are more likely to hit, and it provides a peachy opportunity to move around as you please while the enemy can't take attacks of opportunity. Now that I've belabored the point about why Initiative is so important though, it's time for a laundry list for making your score the best it can be.

Traits

First man to go is often the last man standing.

Your initiative score starts with your dexterity modifier, but that doesn't mean that a low dex will doom you to always go last. Taking the right traits can give you a +2 straight out of the gate. While there are at least 4 traits that provide an initiative bonus, you can only use one of them; there's no trait stacking for a bigger bump. These traits are:

- Reactionary (Combat): You grew up bullied and constantly fighting: +2 initiative.
- Warrior of Old (Racial, Elf): You've been practicing war for more than some creatures' lifetimes: +2 initiative.
- Outlander (Rise of the Rune Lords, Exile Option): You were cast out of your homeland, and have been keeping one eye on your back trail ever since: +2 initiative.
- On Guard (Quadira, Gateway to the East): You are always ready. +1 initiative, and if you can act during the surprise round you may draw a weapon as a free action.

In addition to these traits, elves have an alternate racial trait they can take called Fleet-Footed. This takes away Keen Senses and Weapon Familiarity, but these elves gain Run as a feat, in addition to a racial +2 to initiative. Handy.

The Ifrit has a racial alternative that can help out as well. Wildfire Heart provides a +4 racial bonus to initiative, but it strips away the natural fire resistance that Ifrit receive. Tough choice.

Feats

There are not a lot of feats that deal with a character's Initiative, unfortunately. If there were then there would be a lot of players who always went first, regardless of what the rest of the party rolled. However, there are at least two feats those concerned with their standings in the initiative order should keep in mind.

Really, do you take black over white?

- Improved Initiative: The most common feat for those who want to go first, this feat gives the character a +4 bonus to all initiative checks (Core Rulebook 127).
- Noble Scion: Your character is a member of a proud, noble family. If you select Scion of War then you may use your charisma modifier instead of your dexterity modifier to determine your initiative (The Inner Sea World Guide 288).

Class Abilities

This is where the numbers start to really perk up for characters looking to go before anyone else. A number of classes provide initiative bonuses at fairly early levels, and that should be taken into consideration.

I'd do something quick, before it takes a deep breath.

Gunslinger Well-known for being fast on the draw, gunslingers get a +2 to their initiative at level 3, as long as they have at least 1 point of grit remaining. Just to add insult to injury, if the gunslinger in question also has Quick Draw and empty hands then the character may draw a weapon as part of the initiative check. Just picture how fast that is.

A particularly feared type of gunslinger is the Grand Marshal (Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Paths of Prestige). These law enforcement officers gain a number of abilities, but at second level they gain Danger Sense. Grand Marshals always act during the surprise round, and gain 1/2 their level as an initiative bonus.

Inquisitor No one knows the value of striking the first blow like the inquisitor. At second level these fanatics gain Cunning Initiative, adding their wisdom modifiers as a bonus to their initiatives. Additionally, with the feat Grant Initiative (Ultimate Magic 151) an Inquisitor may choose to transfer this bonus to an ally before initiative is rolled. An inquisitor's paranoia is infectious.

For those who take the Tactics Inquisition, 8th level is when you get the ability Grant the Initiative. This adds the inquisitor's wisdom modifier to all party members within 30 feet, as well as to the inquisitor. This effectively doubles the bonus received from Cunning Initiative.

Ranger Not to be outdone, the ranger has an initiative bonus as well. Provided, of course, that the ranger is within one of his or her favored terrains. A +2 bonus always applies due to the ranger's sheer familiarity with what the sights, sounds, and smells in an area should be, providing a nearly supernatural quickness when trouble breaks out.

Druid The druid World Walker (Ultimate Combat 43) gains the ranger ability mentioned above. Useful for those who are looking to get those terrain-altering spells off before the bad guys step out of the brush.

Duelist While a prestige class, the duelist gains Improved Reaction at level two. This ability provides a flat +2 initiative bonus, which increases to +4 at level 8. This is particularly helpful for these canny fighters, because going first allows them to set up a Parry, which is also gained at level two.

Wizard Wizards who specialize in the divination school gain the supernatural ability Forewarned. This allows them to always act in the surprise round. They also gain an initiative bonus equal to half their wizard level. At level 20 these wizards are considered to have always rolled a natural 20 on initiative.

Sohei A monk variant, the Sohei (Ultimate Combat 60) are soldiers and devoted horse masters. These characters may always act in the surprise round, and they gain a bonus to their initiative equal to half their character levels. At 20th level, every initiative check is considered a natural 20. This is the exact same ability that wizards who specialize as diviners get, but Sohei are much more martially inclined.

Cleric Some battle clerics specialize in planning and execution over magic. The Divine Strategist (Ultimate Combat 40) always acts in the surprise round, and gains an initiative bonus equal to half his or her cleric level. At level 20 the Divine Strategist is considered to have rolled a natural 20, but what's more allies who can see and hear the Divine Strategist gain a bonus on their initiative checks equal to 1/4 the strategist's cleric level. This replaces channel energy though, which is a hefty price to pay.

Fighter The battlefield is where most fighters feel at home, but some of them can always figure a way to turn terrain to their advantage. The Tactician variant (Ultimate Combat 47) exchanges Bravery for Tactical Awareness at level 2, gaining a +1 to Initiative instead of a bonus on saves against fear at second level and every four levels thereafter.

Oracle Oracles are one of the most variable classes, and their abilities manifest in a dozen different ways. Several types of oracles gain initiative bonuses via their mysteries.

Juju and nature oracles both get access to Natural Divination. This ability has multiple uses, but once every 24 hours it provides a +4 bonus on a single initiative check. Use of this bonus must be declared beforehand.

Battle oracles have access to the ability War Sight. These oracles always act in the surprise round, and may roll twice for initiative (three times at level 11) and take the best result. If these oracles fail to notice the ambush with the proper check though, they still go last in the surprise round regardless of their initiative checks.

Paladin Paladins are rarely shy about being the first into the fray, but the Sword of Valor (Inner Sea Magic) is renowned for her ability to always react first to ambushes. These characters gain the ability First Into Battle, which replaces Divine Grace. They add their charisma as a bonus on initiative checks, and for the cost of a single smite evil or lay on hands usage these paladins may act in the surprise round.

Witch Not to be left out, witches gain access to the compsognathus, which is a small dinosaur familiar. This familiar, in addition to its poisonous bite, grants its master a +4 initiative bonus.

Alchemist The mad scientist's mutagen provides a solid dexterity bonus, if one selects a dex-based formula. At lower levels it might not be feasible, but higher level alchemists have mutagens that can last for nearly an hour or more. That will keep you on your toes.

Magus The magus is everyone's favorite caster; one part wizard, one part fighter. The Kensai variant (Ultimate Combat 55) focuses more heavily on the fighter aspect, but it also provides some handy abilities. At 7th level the Kensai gains Iajutsu, which adds the magus's intelligence modifier to initiative as well as dexterity. The kensai may make attacks of opportunity while flat-footed, and may draw a weapon as part of taking an attack of opportunity. At 13th level the kensai may always act in the surprise round in addition to drawing a weapon as a swift action, and at 19th level is considered to have always rolled a natural 20 on initiative.

Rogue While rogues gain the most from taking actions while everyone else is flat footed, there are no abilities that allow them to take actions during the surprise round. The bandit archetype (Ultimate Combat 71) does allow 4th level rogues to take a full action during the surprise round, rather than a move or a standard action. That's a move, a standard, and a swift, which isn't too shabby when combined with other options.

Magic Bonuses

There's always a way to squeeze out another few points here or there when it comes to a score, and magic is traditionally the way that gets done in Pathfinder. For those who want to be absolutely sure their characters get to kick evil in the balls as soon as it finishes its monologue (if not before it starts) here are a few extra ideas.

And I'm taking my action before you do.

Dueling Weapons Dueling weapons, found in both the Advanced Players Guide and Ultimate Equipment, have a slew of abilities. One of them is providing a +4 bonus to initiative checks if the weapon, which must be something that can be used with the Weapon Finesse feat, is in hand. A cheap way to do this is to get a dueling spiked gauntlet or cestus, which can be worn and is considered drawn at all times.

Spells As with most other areas of the game, spells are a little light when it comes to initiative checks. However the first-level spell Anticipate Peril adds +1 per caster level to a maximum of +5 to the next initiative check someone has to make. The spell lasts for 1 minute per level though, so it's much better at higher levels. Less useful, though helpful all the same, is Cat's Grace. Providing a simple dexterity bonus for minutes per level can be very helpful right before kicking in the door, and it also ups one's finesse attacks and armor class at the same time. This won't stack with a stat-enhancing magic item though, so make sure you don't perform a convenient math error.

Making it All Make Sense

It's possible to tweak a character's initiative to ridiculous levels, particularly if a player takes one thing out of every category above and applies it all to a single person. It is then the player's job to explain to the DM, as well as to the rest of the party, where this ridiculous number came from.

This isn't as hard to do as many players think it is. For instance, a hunted gunslinger whose hands are faster than her mouth may have been looking over her shoulder for years. Perhaps she can't sleep peacefully, and even the slightest noises put iron in her hands. She might suffer from tics, or post-traumatic stress. Play that up. Alternatively say that an elven inquisitor is 400 years old, and he's fought in more wars than some families have generations. He's sensitive to the ebb and flow of body language, the movement of his opponents and the environment around him. Like any truly experienced professional he sees signs that most people miss, and he can prepare his reactions beforehand. If you know in your bones an ambush is coming, you can react much more quickly when it comes. Whatever your reason, don't just bulk up a stat and leave it sitting there like a massive elephant in the middle of the table that's blocking the map along with the Cheetos bowl.

Backstory is important. We aren't just going to roll with this.

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