Best possible initiative, 20th level character, elite array, go go go!
Assuming comparable dex mods, Kensai Magus(if their int is 30 or over) or Diviner Diviner Wizard. If mythic is involved though, mythic improved in it trumps both IIRC at early levels.
Max init mod should be at least (10 dex, 10 Diviner/Kensai, 4 Improved Init, 20 auto roll) 44. Additional traits, spells, and specialized magical gear can pump it higher too. Mythic will get that even higher cause the mythic bonus, plus higher ability mods.
Elven Diviner wizard with eldritch heritage (Arcane) to get a second familiar. WArrior of old and a racial trait to add 2 more.
Adds at least 12 more to the above mentioned 44 for a 56.
GEt a dueling weapon. Add 4 more for 60.
Can't have two familiars, sadly.
Unless they've changed it Eldritch heritage and your class are still treated as two different things.
The above posters have missed an important limitation: elite array. This means your highest attribute (before racial modifiers) is 15, and your second highest is 14. This lowers the numbers by a bit. We can, of course, use the elf racial bonus, and we get a +5 inherent bonus and +6 enhancement bonus to both. Along with our +5 from being a 20th level character, this means the highest possible combination is 32 dexterity / 28 intelligence (the kensai, obviously, can float these around to preference, but the total modifier is still only +20).
Improved Initiative gives +4, Warrior of Old gives +2, a dueling weapon gives +4, and a dodo familiar gives you +4. That gives a +14 miscellaneous bonus.
A 20th level Diviner gets a total of +11 dexterity, +14 miscellaneous, +10 wizard = +35 initiative, with the ability to take 20 on initiative checks.
A 20th level Kensai gets a total of +11 dexterity, +9 intelligence, +14 miscellaneous = +34 initiative, with the ability to take 20 on initiative checks. He's one point behind the wizard.
Now, if we only care about initiative modifier and not the actual result, we can do better: Kensai 8 / Diviner 12 gets +11 dexterity, +9 intelligence, +6 as a diviner wizard, +14 miscellaneous = +40 initiative, but without the ability to take 20. So he has a better modifier, but he still loses to the take-20 diviner wizard 75% of the time.
This is what I'm reading the Arcane bloodline, "Your sorcerer levels stack with any wizard levels you possess when determining the powers of your familiar or bonded object.".
The Familiars section has similar language. "Levels of different classes that are entitled to familiars stack for the purpose of determining any familiar abilities that depend on the master's level."
The way I'd read that, you'd be wasting EH there (unless the GM read that really literally and you had a familiar as someone with 18 Sorc levels stacking with 20 Wizard levels).
I could be missing an obvious ruling on the subject though, so if it's PFS legal and I'm an idiot, feel free to call me an idiot.
No no that seems a fair ruling and sounds like something I missed.
Made Diminutive via Monstrous Physique! 40/28. Took that Alch level and chugged a mutagen! 48/26.
Mutagen is only +4 at the 1st level. However, this still allows for Kensai 19/Alchemist 1 or Kensai 7 / Alchemist 1 / Diviner 12.
I'm also a bit uncomfortable with using anything that you can't keep up all day long. The opportunity to prebuff before rolling for initiative is unreliable at best. Now with that said, I think the 20th level Diviner could reasonably claim to have "all-day" coverage of a single spell by using contingencies. Spells with at least 10 minutes/level duration could also work if you can push your caster level to 24, since then they'd last 8 hours with extend metamagic and could cover your sleep cycle. Spells with 1 hour/level duration or that can be made permanent (such as reduce person) should definitely be counted.
Is there a way for an Alchemist to remove the -2 stat penalty of a mutagen? That would push it one higher, assuming the Alch buddy took that trick.
The penalty for increasing your dexterity is a decrease to wisdom, so it doesn't impact you. You could also run Mindchemist for a cognetogen, which gives you an intelligence bonus for a strength penalty. Just as good for the kensai, though I don't see any particular way to make it better than regular mutagen.
Assuming the initiative can't rely on any short-term buffs, and only using Core/PFS allowed races, Kensai 8/Inquisitor 2/Diviner 10 for +50 is the highest modifier I can get, but no auto-taking 20 for him.
Start off with 13/14/15 in your mental stats; doesn't matter which one goes where. Be a Human for the Dual Talented alternate trait, and use your +2 ability score modifiers on any two of your mental stats. Add +5 inherent, +6 enhancement, and +3 age to each of your mental stats, and divide your +5 untyped bonuses from being level 20 across them. Your stats should now look something like Int 34/Wis 31/Cha 28, for +12/+10/+9, giving you +31 from your ability scores.
+4 Improved Initiative, +4 Familiar (Dodo/Rabbit/Compsognathus etc.), +2 Trait (Reactionary), +4 for a Dueling weapon and +5 for being a level 10 Diviner gives another +19, for a total modifier of +50.
Take the Tactics Domain for your Inquisitor levels, and you can now roll Initiative twice, taking the higher result.
===
If non-Core/PFS are allowed, be an Ifrit with the Wildfire Heart alternate Racial Trait. This will change your ability scores to Int 32/Wis 27/Cha 30 for an ability modifier of +30, but grants you an additional +4 Racial bonus to initiative for a total modifier of +53.
EDIT: Noble Scion of War for the Charisma instead of Dexterity to Initiative, Kensai for Intelligence to Initiative, and Inquisitor for the Wisdom to Initiative.
Elf 'fleet-footed' racial alternate ability gets +2 racial bonus to initiative. Which stacks with the trait bonus from reactionary/warrior of old.
ifrit inquisitor can get by level 20:
starting:
elite array:
15dex
14wis
13chrwith level ups, stat boosts from wish/books, stat items:
26 dex +8
28 wis +9
24 chr +7reactinary: +2
scion of war: +6
dex: +8
wis: +9
tactics inquisition: +9
imp init: +4
ifrit alternate racial: +4
dueling weapon: +4for an initiative score of 1d20+46:
so initiative of 47-66 with average of 56.5
Noble Scion of War replaces your Dexterity modifier to Initiative with your Charisma modifier, it doesn't add your Charisma modifier on top of your Dexterity modifier.
you need inq 8 for tactics, not 2Assuming the initiative can't rely on any short-term buffs, and only using Core/PFS allowed races, Kensai 8/Inquisitor 2/Diviner 10 for +50 is the highest modifier I can get, but no auto-taking 20 for him.
Start off with 13/14/15 in your mental stats; doesn't matter which one goes where. Be a Human for the Dual Talented alternate trait, and use your +2 ability score modifiers on any two of your mental stats. Add +5 inherent, +6 enhancement, and +3 age to each of your mental stats, and divide your +5 untyped bonuses from being level 20 across them. Your stats should now look something like Int 34/Wis 31/Cha 28, for +12/+10/+9, giving you +31 from your ability scores.
+4 Improved Initiative, +4 Familiar (Dodo/Rabbit/Compsognathus etc.), +2 Trait (Reactionary), +4 for a Dueling weapon and +5 for being a level 10 Diviner gives another +19, for a total modifier of +50.
Take the Tactics Domain for your Inquisitor levels, and you can now roll Initiative twice, taking the higher result.
===
If non-Core/PFS are allowed, be an Ifrit with the Wildfire Heart alternate Racial Trait. This will change your ability scores to Int 32/Wis 27/Cha 30 for an ability modifier of +30, but grants you an additional +4 Racial bonus to initiative for a total modifier of +53.
That's the Tactics Inquisition. I'm using the Tactics Domain to roll twice (and the Inquisitor 2 ability Cunning Initiative for the Wisdom to Initiative)
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
An Ifrit (wildfire heart) Rogue 10/Horizon Walker 10 that takes Improved Init at first level and trait for +2 and Every other feat to be Extra Rogue Talent: Terrain Mastery would have a total of 22 favored terrains, or a +44 on Initiatives in their most favored terrain. They can have a usable UMD and with a wand of Terrain Bond, they can get that bonus to any Terrain (10 hours per charge). If he makes his home in his most favored terrain, he gets this as long as he's there.
Then we add up their Dex bonuses 17+4level+5book+6belt=32 or +11 and that's +61 Init modifier. Then we add the Dueling weapon. Due to his high UMD, he can use a scroll of Monstrous Physique to make himself Diminutive and use a lvl 5 scroll of Anticipate Peril, and buys a cracked Dusty Rose Ioun Stone. That's an additional +13 for a +74 modifier without shenanigans.
Then since some people are talking buddies, we give him a level 20 diviner buddy with Battlemind Link so he can take 20's on initiative.
Then we go Mythic for another +15.
That's a 109 which I think might be overkill.
(edited for math)
Best possible initiative, 20th level character, elite array, go go go!
Android Ninja that takes 15 levels of its favored class option.
Wait, I'm discussing an upcoming release. It hasn't been published yet.
[/teasing]
Divine strategist + tactics inquisition + all the usual bells and whistles = winner!
While I am not familiar with a lot of these options, I have to say that the Sohei archetype for monks is no slouch.
They get a bonus equal to their 1/2 level on initiative (so +10), and they automatically roll 20 at this level. Not as crazy as some of these, but still fairly decent.
And, it certainly has the advantage of being the only option like a full martial compared to most of the suggested options. Unlike the normal monk, they get up to +3 weapon training (which also qualifies them for dueling gloves for another +2 to attack and damage) and they can also flurry in light armor (surprisingly, it does not lead to greater AC past the first few levels.....still, it means they can grab brawling armor another +2 to attack and damage on an unarmed build).
So they have abilities and options that make them fairly decent when it comes to smacking things. They can take on other roles as well, such as battle field control with a reach build, or archery. If we are going with level 20, they have room for several tactics (since they can grab weapon training in monk weapons, polearms, and bows). And with the advent of pummeling style and pummeling charge....this and that one magus thing are the only ones with something akin to pounce as well.
If you are going to make an "ALL THE INITIATIVE!" party, a sohei would be a good choice for the hammer role, going off the roles suggested by TarkXT's "Forge of Combat" guide in the guide section. Throw in our arcane casters and tricked out inquisitor, and then watch as the GM sighs with every initiative roll.