Initiative needs tweaking.

[mors_orcusjb]

First and foremost: No i do not simply wish all my characters go first. I would just like it to me like the dnd format for initiative. Certain stats should give a bonus to it as that makes sense. However when my caster is the last one to go in 99% of battles, ya thats an issue. And I mean last out of everyone in the engagement, even when the enemy has casters as well. Maybe im simply extremely unlucky but with the amount its happened I don't think thats it. Not sure if its roll based or not at this point but whatever determines it needs to be tweaked a little in my mind.

[ska.one]

Outside of dex the only adjustments should be from a feat or from magic items, no? Can't say I've noticed initiative showing weird results - my highest dex character almost always goes first.

You can always try to attack first while hidden and get surprise.

[Poop King]

Originally posted by mors_orcusjb:

First and foremost: No i do not simply wish all my characters go first. I would just like it to me like the dnd format for initiative. Certain stats should give a bonus to it as that makes sense. However when my caster is the last one to go in 99% of battles, ya thats an issue. And I mean last out of everyone in the engagement, even when the enemy has casters as well. Maybe im simply extremely unlucky but with the amount its happened I don't think thats it. Not sure if its roll based or not at this point but whatever determines it needs to be tweaked a little in my mind.

You dont have 14-16 dex on your caster why?

[Sphaux]

Originally posted by mors_orcusjb:

First and foremost: No i do not simply wish all my characters go first. I would just like it to me like the dnd format for initiative. Certain stats should give a bonus to it as that makes sense. However when my caster is the last one to go in 99% of battles, ya thats an issue. And I mean last out of everyone in the engagement, even when the enemy has casters as well. Maybe im simply extremely unlucky but with the amount its happened I don't think thats it. Not sure if its roll based or not at this point but whatever determines it needs to be tweaked a little in my mind.

From the wiki:

When combat begins, every participating combatant rolls D20 + Dexterity Modifier to determine their position in the initiative order. The participant with the highest roll goes first and the particpant with the lowest roll goes last. If two participants roll the same Initiative result, the one with a higher Dexterity Score goes first.

[Jaggid Edje]

It is like the DnD format of initiative, so I'm not sure what you're actually asking for.

Take the alertness feat on your spellcaster if it matters that much to you, that's what the feat is there for.

[Heu, Iterum Id Feci]

Dex+Proficiency bonus should go into your initiative. There's also elixirs, certain items or the Alert feat that can give you additional boni to your initiative. Alert feat alone is usually enough that a lot of my chars are pretty early in the initiative. I also try to get dex up to at least 14, if I can spare the points. In short, there are many ways to improve your chances to act early.

[ACS36]

It's using 5e rules for initiative so I'm not sure what you're talking about. ALSO, why don't you have high dex score on your caster? It improves your AC, and improves your initiative order. You want at least 14 dex on a good caster. Also get the alert feat it's really good for casters if you want to blow up enemies quickly.

[mors_orcusjb]

Ok. Glad so many of you take the time to read. If im wrong and it is rolling then ok fine. Id still say they need to tweak the rng they are using for their rolls. Im not expecting my caster to go first or anything like that, which most of you didnt read even though its there. I just don't believe dice rolls are being used considering how consistently my caster is last. Also in addition to not reading you all decided to assume i have no dex on my caster. Its not as high as his intelligence true, but its also not horrible. Hence why I made the post. Again I am shocked at how often my caster is last, and frankly even my high dex characters are not reliably high on the initiative order. If my luck is really that bad then their isnt anything Larian can do. I simply said that I think it needs tweaked due to how the initiative works out in the vast majority of fights.

[Kebabmaster5000]

9 times out of 10, my entire party rolls 4 or below on initiative. Maybe RNGesus hates me, idk.

[Jaggid Edje]

Dice rolls are being used, you even get to see the rolls above their heads when they occur, with an icon of a dice. Based on the values shown though; I'm fairly certain it is just showing the raw rolls, before modifers are added. But it is definitely adding dexterity like it should based on the frequency of high dexterity characters going first.

In my current playthrough Karlach almost always goes first, she also has a 20 dexterity at this point (I respec'd her to barbarian/rogue, including making Dex her highest ability).

In my first playthrough, Astarion almost always went first. He also had a 20 dexterity (after I got a few ASI's).

Any time you are going to be actually initiating the combat, you could also cast guidance on anyone you want to go first. Because the game isn't showing the modifiers, I don't know for sure if BG3 applies guidance to initiative rolls, but it should if it is following 5E rules.