In XgtE under the Arcane Tradition War Magic it reads
Tactical Wit
Starting at 2nd level, your keen ability to assess tactical situations allows you to act quickly in battle. You can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your Intelligence modifier.
It's not specifically clear but I'm guessing this to mean you just use intelligence instead of dexterity for your initiative roll. It couldn't surely mean you can add your intelligence modifier on top of your normal roll could it. I'm guessing most wizards will have higher Int than Dex so this would be advantageous to use instead but to add them together seems too much. Thoughts?
It's in addition to your dexterity modifier. You're getting a bonus to whatever your initiative roll normally is. If it replaced the dexterity modifier it would say so explicitly, like the Hexblade's Hex Warlock feature does.
Every character gets to add his/her Dexterity modifier to the initiative rolled. It's been this way forever. The swashbuckler rogue archetype has a similar class feature.
The tactical wit feature makes sense though. If your character can see the battlefield clearer, then he/she can act earlier in the initiative count, influencing the outcome.
On the topic of this being OP: wizards get 2 abilities at 2nd level depending on specialization, and this feels pretty in line with most of them. Conjurers can summon up a 10 pound item, Enchanter get free charm, Necromancers get to heal on killing blows and War Mages get better initiative. It's pretty limited in it's scope, only affecting the combat pillar and only in a minor way. It's basically half a feat.
This isn't unusual, but rather common. In fact, the bard's Jack of All Trades adds to Initiative as well!
As do the Alert feat and one of the Gloom Stalker ranger's features. It is possible--with 20s in four stats and a +6 proficiency bonus--to have +28 to initiative.
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"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
I forget all the different class features.... the Gloom Walker adds Intelligence mod to initiative (+5 max); the Swashbuckler adds Charisma mod to initiative (+5 max); the Alert feat adds +5 initiative. And with a Dexterity mod +5, what other archetypes add initiative bonuses?
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In XgtE under the Arcane Tradition War Magic it reads
Tactical Wit
Starting at 2nd level, your keen ability to assess tactical situations allows you to act quickly in battle. You can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your Intelligence modifier.
It's not specifically clear but I'm guessing this to mean you just use intelligence instead of dexterity for your initiative roll. It couldn't surely mean you can add your intelligence modifier on top of your normal roll could it. I'm guessing most wizards will have higher Int than Dex so this would be advantageous to use instead but to add them together seems too much. Thoughts?
It's in addition to your dexterity modifier. You're getting a bonus to whatever your initiative roll normally is. If it replaced the dexterity modifier it would say so explicitly, like the Hexblade's Hex Warlock feature does.
Every character gets to add his/her Dexterity modifier to the initiative rolled. It's been this way forever. The swashbuckler rogue archetype has a similar class feature.
The tactical wit feature makes sense though. If your character can see the battlefield clearer, then he/she can act earlier in the initiative count, influencing the outcome.
As others have said, the ability scores stack.
On the topic of this being OP: wizards get 2 abilities at 2nd level depending on specialization, and this feels pretty in line with most of them. Conjurers can summon up a 10 pound item, Enchanter get free charm, Necromancers get to heal on killing blows and War Mages get better initiative. It's pretty limited in it's scope, only affecting the combat pillar and only in a minor way. It's basically half a feat.
This isn't unusual, but rather common. In fact, the bard's Jack of All Trades adds to Initiative as well!
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
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I forget all the different class features.... the Gloom Walker adds Intelligence mod to initiative (+5 max); the Swashbuckler adds Charisma mod to initiative (+5 max); the Alert feat adds +5 initiative. And with a Dexterity mod +5, what other archetypes add initiative bonuses?