So as a question do we still have distance modifiers on Perception, and if so do those modifiers or any others such as from precipitation effect perception rolls for initiative?Using circumstance penalty on init roll doesn't make a lot of sense since characters may use other skill for init.
DM: "There's a lot fog and..."
PCs: "We all use the avoid notice tactic."
While they might seem odd and it might be better to apply them as bonuses to the proper rolls such as stealth without applying them we now end up in a situation where due to the rain an fog the rogue can't be seen by his target but when he decides to take the shot and move to initiative then suddenly he is seen because the rain and fog don't make a difference.
I think that the problem with initiative is that for game balance purposes it creates a very real sense of dissonance and breaks the immersion.
In character, you decide to charge. In all aspects of reality, you took the INITIATIVE to take an action before anyone else did. it then breaks immersion to be told to roll initiative and then potentially go after every enemy. Ironically, the initiative being a stat actually dis incentivizes people to take any kind of initiating actions.
I actually think initiative at this point should be renamed to "readiness" or something along those lines. It's absolutely immersion breaking and counter intuitive to be told that they react to your charge faster than you actually charge, especially since you haven't PERFORMED the charge yet. They're literally reacting to an action that has yet to take place due to your poor roll.
In my opinion, in a situation like this, a fair house rule is to give whoever wants to initiate before anyone else, a single action they can take.
I actually think initiative at this point should be renamed to "readiness" or something along those lines. It's absolutely immersion breaking and counter intuitive to be told that they react to your charge faster than you actually charge, especially since you haven't PERFORMED the charge yet. They're literally reacting to an action that has yet to take place due to your poor roll.In my opinion, in a situation like this, a fair house rule is to give whoever wants to initiate before anyone else, a single action they can take.
A dissonance that only occurs if you think that actions are actually playing out in a turn based way narritively.
Again, they are only reacting to information. If you haven't charged yet then there is little reason for them to charge you immediately they will either react to the hostility or intent or continue doing whatever it was they were doing. If you succeed on a deception then there is no reason and you WILL go first.
As said before, this mirrors reality very well.
It even fits the definition of the word.
https://www.lexico.com/definition/initiative