A swift action can only be taken on your turn. So, generally, no.
Now, if you were aware that combat was about to start, you may be able to use the ability before you "jumped in" to combat, depending on the wording.
What ability are you talking about?
What is the duration of the effect? I don't think you could use it after the GM says to roll initiative, but you could certainly use it beforehand. The action type would only matter if you used it in a previous battle and the effect had not expired when you rolled initiative for the next battle.
It's worth noting that an ability to gain a bonus to an initiative roll that only works after combat has begin is completely worthless, since the roll it would affect has already gone by (Unless the effect lasts so long that it would last until the next battle).
If a character had such an ability in a game I was running, I would assume that the ability is meant to have a value, and would use it in one of two ways:
1. Once battle begins the character may use a swift action to change his position in the initiative order by the specified amount (I would probably consider this to be a typed bonus to initiative to prevent him from using this more than one time in a specific battle), OR
2. I would treat this a type of immediate action, which would mean his first swift action in the fight had already been used by the immediate action, assuming he chose to use the ability upon rolling for initiative.
Peet
Is this a hypothetical/homebrewed ability? I am really curious to hear what this ability is, even if it is 3pp, because as Peet indicated, gaining a bonus to initiative as a swift action is pretty useless.
Swift actions are only relevant 'in combat', and as already stated, gaining that kind of bonus once combat is too late.
|
I, myself, have wondered about this very sort of thing recently. I have a character who has chosen the war domain. At eigth level he acquires the Weapon Master ability which allows him to, as a swift action, acquire the use of any combat feat he meets the prerequisites for for a number of rounds equal to his cleric level (don't worry, they don't have to be consecutive). Improved Initiative is a combat feat. Battle starts, I want to get my +4. I mean, that would be rather useful so by default I know it means I can't. But man it would be nifty having the option.
I am pretty sure that in a home game I could swing it, either as Part said or through some other suggested mechanism. This same character has the tactics sub domain so doing this specific sort of thing really isn't far removed from plausibility for the character.
In pfs and officially I doubt I have any wiggle room at all and am pretty certain this doesn't work.
My guess is the answer is no. For one swift actions are only done on your turn. Secondly interrupts interrupt there is nothing to interrupt during initiative .