Dual Initiative

[Gwiber]

Mythic Agile simple template.

What happens to the second action if the monster gets a sub-20 initiative on its init roll?

If it rolls say a total of 19 on its init, the second action happens at... -1, which doesn't exist in init?

This is particularly important to me right now as I have a cleric with Might Summons who happens to have a +0 init base himself, so its likely at this point. He's never going to summon a monster with an init higher than 20.

So far I have been using Savage but this dual init bonus is hard to ignore, I'll have to as the benefits of Savage are better if the Dual init doesn't work.

[Atarlost]

What makes you think -1 initiative doesn't exist? Someone with 6 or 7 dex who rolls a 1 for initiative and has no other bonuses has -1 init.

[Gwiber]

Atarlost wrote:

What makes you think -1 initiative doesn't exist? Someone with 6 or 7 dex who rolls a 1 for initiative and has no other bonuses has -1 init.

Initiative runs from 1-20, or at least, that has always been the case before in every game I have never participated in.

I suppose it doesn't say that specifically anywhere....

[Atarlost]

It doesn't specifically say it and it is possible for creatures with sufficiently negative dexterity modifiers to roll negative initiative.

[Joe loves Rules]

Limiting initiative to 1-20 would result in a lot issues including the one you brought up. Just play with out that limitation, and it clears right up! :)

[kinevon]

Gwiber wrote:

Atarlost wrote:

What makes you think -1 initiative doesn't exist? Someone with 6 or 7 dex who rolls a 1 for initiative and has no other bonuses has -1 init.

Initiative runs from 1-20, or at least, that has always been the case before in every game I have never participated in.

I suppose it doesn't say that specifically anywhere....

It is possible, using certain feats, traits, and a race using an alternate racial trait, the correct familiar, along with a high Dex, to get an Init mod up to +20 or so. And that at first level...

Dex 20 (18 buy/roll, +2 racial) +5
Reactionary +2
Improved Initiative +4
Greensting scoropion familiar +4
Ifrit with alt racial trait +4
One of the cracked Ioun stones from Seeker of Secrets (costs only 500 gp) +1

There is an Initiative of 21 at worst...

And, even with a more "normal" build, it is well within reason for a Rogue or Ninja to get a +10 from the get-go, using a Dex of 18, Reactionary and Improved Initiative.

So, don't worry about the Initiative numbers, so much, as just initiative order. The numbers won't really matter, after all, after the first round, due to things like Delay and Ready, anyhow.

Just make a second "tag" for the Dual Init creature's second set of actions, and all will be golden.

[CraziFuzzy]

Just because the initiative ROLL is 1-20 doesn't mean the initiative RESULTS are 1-20. There are no upper or lower bounds on initiative. And there would be no reason to be. Initiative is not a measure of speed/reaction, it is a measure of RELATIVE speed/reaction.