So here I am thinking of making- well suggesting- types of assassin gear which gives several bonuses. Among those bonuses sometimes a bonus to initiative.
Now, Initiative as it stands would be perfect for Assassins, to try and move before they get KO's ... and to try and keep Dodging in order to prolong their death as long as possible so that they can get in even more hits against the enemy.
Now, the problem with plus initiative weapons and traits ... it also affects casters. Personally I don't see this making much sense. How quickly you cast your weapons is not how impulsive you are but how well trained your mind is.
Therefore, while (with the current system) initiative might still determine your turn order and how many physical attacks you can make in the game, it should be INTELLIGENCE that acts as the 'initiative' when it comes to spell casting.
Intelligence should determine how many spells you can cast, casting times ... or just be averaged to either be equal to current initiative or below it.
Example: caster has 25 initiative (+10 with impulsive) to have 35 initiative. Yet the caster only has 10 intelligence.
10/35 = 0.29
So each 'normal initiative' only counts as 0.29 magical initiative. Therefore spellcasting is halved, while normal attack-motion would not be.
magical initiative = 10
Example2: 10/25 = 0.4
magical initiative = 10
Example3: 30/10 = 3
magical initaitive = 30
whether you could tie intelligence directly to casting initiative, or if you would have to make a hidden stat that is stored to the side, to be used during casting situations (and considered by the AI during casting situations), It would revolutionize combat.
Therefore, Impulsive, Daggers, Assassin's Cloaks, Assassin's Robes ... nothing that increases Initiative as we know it would increase casting speed. The only thing that would increase casting speed would be Initiative itself.
Fireballs and other AOE's can be boosted back to requiring only 2 'turns' to cast.
While this would not completely get rid of 1-turn fireballs, this would emphasize the role of Intelligence in casters.
It would also de-emphasize 'Impulsive' and 'Daggers' for casters.
-> initiative can be added to equipment without worrying about abuse from casters. Casters would always wield their preferred weapon, whether it be Staff, Stave or Bow (or sword!).
They can basically do whatever they want when they aren't casting, but their physical prowess will not affect their casting abilities (other than possibly increasing the tactical mana cost).
-> In this way, a caster would want intelligence boosting equipment instead of the obvious choice between Monk's Robe, Mage's Robe, and Champion's Cuirass.
Only choice is Can I get 2 spells in the beginning? If Monk's robe enables it, pick Monk's robe. If Champion's penalty does not disable it, stick with Champs'. If however Monk has no effect and Champion Cuirass removes the effect, then pick Mage's robe.
The Choice isn't about whats best for the unit as a whole, (during the entire battle) its just concerned with the casting ability within the first turn. And this is about synergy with Impulsive. And no the trait is not broken. Instead, the trait is perfect .... its initiative having an effect on casting that is broken.
Carrying a Magical Staff (-initiative) shouldn't penalize casters. Daggers shouldn't help casters.
If Monk's robes are meant to have an effect on casting time, have it increase intelligence +2 instead.
Are monk's robes really meant to allow cavalry or melee to move across the field any faster?
The two are very separate concepts, therefore they should be separate in gameplay.
