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{{ up to date | 2023-08-19 }} <!-- Date format is YEAR-MONTH-DAY, like 2023-08-07. -->
[[Category:Gameplay Mechanics]]
'''Initiative''' determines the order of turns during combat.
'''Initiative''' determines the order of turns during combat.


== Rolling Initiative ==
== Rolling Initiative ==
When combat begins, every participating combatant rolls <span class="bg3wiki-info-blob">{{DieIcon|d4|Physical}} D4 + [[Dexterity#Dexterity Modifier Chart|Dexterity Modifier]]</span> to determine their position in the initiative order. Participants act in order from highest to lowest Initiative. If two participants roll the same Initiative result, the one with a higher [[Dexterity]] Score goes first, though characters controlled by the same player with the same Initiative effectively act simultaneously: they can use their collective actions, movement and other turn-based resources in any order they choose.
When combat begins, every participating combatant rolls <span class="bg3wiki-info-blob">{{DieIcon|d4|Physical}} D4 + [[Dexterity#Dexterity Modifier Chart|Dexterity Modifier]]</span> to determine their position in the initiative order. The participant with the highest roll goes first and the participant with the lowest roll goes last. If two participants roll the same Initiative result, the one with a higher [[Dexterity]] Score goes first.


== Initiative bonuses ==
In certain battles the roll above is completely ignored for enemies and is fully scripted, resulting in their initiative to be high beyond impossible to always start first or downright extremely negative to begin last, giving you a disadvantage or an advantage respectively.
Many class features, [[feats]], magic items and consumables can improve a character’s initiative by granting additional bonuses to the roll. Many of these are also used by [[Non-Player Characters|NPCs]]. Unlike in tabletop rules, it is NOT considered a skill check, and so initiative is not affected by features or effects like [[Jack of All Trades]] or [[Enhance Ability: Cat's Grace (Condition)]].


{| class="wikitable sortable"
== Surprised ==
|+Sources of Initiative bonuses
{{SmIconLink|Surprised Condition Icon.webp|Surprised (Condition)|Surprised}} is a special [[Conditions|Condition]] that overrides the '''Initiative''' roll made by a [[List of Creature Types|Creature]] for the first round of combat. When one side of a combat encounter is unaware of the other side, they may be '''Surprised'''. A '''Surprised''' creature cannot take any [[Action]]s or [[Reaction]]s for one combat round. Characters with the [[Alert]] feat cannot be '''Surprised'''.
!Source
!Value
!Type
!Subtype
!Other
|-
|[[Alert]]
| +5
|Feat
| -
|Cannot be Surprised
|-
|[[Elixir of Vigilance]]
| +5
|Consumable
|Elixir
|Cannot be Surprised
|-
|[[Feral Instinct]]
| +3
|Feature
| -
|Cannot be Surprised
|-
|[[Dread Ambusher]]
| +3
|Feature
| -
|
|-
|[[Hellrider Longbow]]
| +3
|Weapon
|Longbow
|
|-
|[[Sentinel Shield]]
| +3
|Shield
| -
|
|-
| [[Assassin of Bhaal Cowl]]
| +2
|Headwear
| -
|
|-
|[[Mask of Soul Perception]]
| +2
|Headwear
| -
|
|-
|[[Soulbreaker Greatsword]]
| +2
|Weapon
|Greatsword
|
|-
|[[Bhaalist Armour]]
| +2
|Armour
|Light Armour
|
|-
|[[Elegant Studded Leather]]
| +2
|Armour
|Light Armour
|
|-
|[[Elven Chain]]
| +2
|Armour
|Medium Armour
|
|-
|[[Flame Enamelled Armour]]
| +1
|Armour
|Medium Armour
|
|-
|[[Ambusher]]
| +1
|Weapon
|Shortsword
|
|-
|[[Bow of Awareness]]
| +1
|Weapon
|Shortbow
|
|-
|[[Fistbreaker Helm]]
| +1
|Headwear
| -
|
|-
| [[Halberd of Vigilance]]
| +1
|Weapon
| Halberd
|
|-
| [[Stalker Gloves]]
| +1
|Handwear
| -
|
|-
|[[Studded Leather Armour +2]]
| +1
|Armour
|Light Armour
|
|-
|[[Hide Armour +2]]
| +1
|Armour
|Medium Armour
|
|-
|[[Scale Mail  +2]]
| +1
|Armour
|Medium Armour
|
|-
|[[Yuan-Ti Scale Mail]]
| +1
|Armour
|Medium Armour
|
|}


{{:Surprise (Game Mechanic)}}
'''Surprise''' can be achieved when initiating combat by attacking an unaware enemy while [[Hide|Hidden]].
* Some creatures, even when '''Surprised''' themselves, may call out to nearby allies to prevent them from being '''Surprised'''.
* Certain combat encounters are rigged to always '''Surprise''' either the player's party or the enemy party when the proper conditions are met. For example:
** The first encounter with the [[Lesser Imp]]s during the [[Prologue]] always grants the player a '''Surprise''' round.
** A [[Mimic]] will always '''Surprise''' the player's party when interacting with the object it's disguised as.


[[Category:Gameplay mechanics]]
{{GameplayNavbox}}
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