improved initiative feat

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 4:54 am

What do you think about the improved initiative feat.
I never pick it cause i don't realy ahve an idea if it's any good or not.

Any opinions about this one? (ans also please state why)

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 11:04 am

Killer feat in Pen & Paper, not so in IWD2. Especially not if you don't have the latest patch, since it didn't work before that at all. :0

Patrick · Post by **Patrick** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 3:01 pm

I don't have any specifics but I believe if you have a spell castor, your spell goes off one segment sooner. I thought that was cool. But I don't know about any flaws.

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 4:05 pm

Originally posted by Patrick
I don't have any specifics but I believe if you have a spell castor, your spell goes off one segment sooner. I thought that was cool. But I don't know about any flaws.

So a spell with casting time2 will then have a casting time of 1?

And what about melee/ranged? Anyone knows that?

Patrick · Post by **Patrick** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 10:11 pm

Again I am not sure, but it is supposed to lower initative by one segment for all action including speed factor for weapons. This will only go to a minimum of one segment and no lower.

Heidrek · Post by **Heidrek** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 8:54 pm

improved init.

It's a must have for spell casters. Reduces casting time by 1, which is a huge advantage with level 2-4 spells as it lets you get one off before monsters can close to melee. Also hepls out if your casters get into melee range as you can cast Invis./Horror/Mirror Immage at speed 1 so you don't get disrupted. Casting fireball with a speed of 2 is very helpful as well, as is Slow.

On combat characters it's less of an advantage. It allows you to strike slightly earlier in the round, but if you have multiple attacks anyway it not much of an advantage.

silverdragon72 · Post by **silverdragon72** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 1:02 pm

.

...tested imp. initiative - and doesn't work for me

- v.1.02 GER, with some weimar moduls installed:

- 2 sorcs identically build one with II the other one without

1. pause game - let both cast summon monster I - casting time 6 - 50/50 chance who will casts first - delta less then a second

2. let the sorc with II drink the II_fix potion - pause game - let both cast summon monster I - same 50/50 chance who will casts first then before - delta also less then a second

so I don't think II works - no matter if the fix is installed or not!

.

Yeltsu · Post by **Yeltsu** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 1:09 pm

Does that mean that it doesn't work for melee as well? Damn, then I've wasted a feat.

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 9:15 pm

[QUOTE=Asriel]Does that mean that it doesn't work for melee as well? Damn, then I've wasted a feat.

[/QUOTE]
I started playing PnP since i started this thread.
And it has nothing to do with castingtime.
In combat you all move according to a certain order, that is rolled and adds an initiative bonus.
So with a higher initiative you will more often be the one that strikes the first blow.

silverdragon72 · Post by **silverdragon72** » Tue Dec 14, 2004 2:01 am

[QUOTE=Stilgar]I started playing PnP since i started this thread.
And it has nothing to do with castingtime.
In combat you all move according to a certain order, that is rolled and adds an initiative bonus.
So with a higher initiative you will more often be the one that strikes the first blow.[/QUOTE]

...in PnP and round based CRPGs you're right Stilgar!

problem is that IWD2 is "real-time" means there is no order who attacks first cause all start there actions at the same time!

so the variation of the PnP rules concerning II would make sense (reduced casting time) cause this would reflect a better initiative...

...but it doesn't seem to work even with the fix installed!

...does anyone made an other experience ?
...strange thing is that the II fix doesn't help - or is the fix for the unpatched version only?

.

sdwillie · Post by **sdwillie** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 12:09 pm

[QUOTE=silverdragon72].

2. let the sorc with II drink the II_fix potion - pause game - let both cast summon monster I - same 50/50 chance who will casts first then before - delta also less then a second

.[/QUOTE]

From what I've seen about the ii patch, the item that you get with the patch installed needs to be placed into a quick slot and left alone.

Rillafane · Post by **Rillafane** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 1:55 am

Strange, the ii fix work perfect for me.

You have to create the item(ii_fix) through the cheat console and use the potion first.

After that, using a tool like the dalekeeper to look at your character, you will see two affects(spell casting factor, combat initiative) are given to you.

silverdragon72 · Post by **silverdragon72** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 6:41 am

.

...sounds all good...

...but as already said - tested this with two absolutely identical sorcs (one with II fix the other one without) casting both summon monster (paused game):

...result 50/50 chance who casts first - and both cast within a second...

...so I can't see a noticeable ingame effect!

.

Rillafane · Post by **Rillafane** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:23 pm

Odd enough.

I run similar tests and the character with II always cast first.
Though I use druid casters in my case.

Make sure you have both characters recover from their actions in the previous round, then pause the game, issue commands to both then unpause.

Now my druid can fire his thorn spray at no time, thanks to the fix.