Initiative is an ability check.
From what I understand, a DM may ask his players to use Passive scores for ability checks and/or use them for his NPCs (ex: Passive Perception).
Is Passive Initiative something that can be used by a DM, by RAW ?
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It's called the "Initiative Score"
Yes, there are passive initiative checks. See DMG, page 270, "Initiative Variants":
Initiative Score
With this optional rule, creature don't roll initiative at the start of combat. Instead, each creature has an initiative score, which is a passive Dexterity check: 10 + Dexterity modifier.
answered Feb 20 '18 at 14:35
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3\$\begingroup\$ @KorvinStarmast it does rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/46796 \$\endgroup\$ – enkryptor Feb 20 '18 at 15:21
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2\$\begingroup\$ I assume Swashbuckler would have charisma added here as well? \$\endgroup\$ – Baergren Feb 20 '18 at 15:27
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2\$\begingroup\$ And of course, if you have advantage to Initiative checks, you'd add a +5 in there. \$\endgroup\$ – Gael L Feb 20 '18 at 15:27
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3\$\begingroup\$ Jeremy Crawford, one of the 5e designers, recently recommended using Initiative Score for monsters but keeping rolling for players as another option. For some groups, this is the best of both worlds. \$\endgroup\$ – Derek Stucki Feb 20 '18 at 15:38
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1\$\begingroup\$ @Yakk, that is the default. The section on rolling initiative says to group similar monsters. \$\endgroup\$ – Derek Stucki Feb 20 '18 at 17:26
