Initiative

Initiative is a skill cost mechanic unique to the thief profession. It replaces recharge on the thief's weapon skills with a pool of twelve points which are spent when the skills are used and gradually returns over time. Using initiative the thief is able to tactically attack an opponent with their own chains and bursts of damage until they run out of the resource.

Thieves have a base of 12 initiative. Initiative is represented by twelve diamond-shaped indicators above the weapon skill slots. The initiative pool can be expanded up to 15 points through the primary trait line Trickery. Whenever a weapon skill is used, it will consume a certain number of initiative from the available pool. Initiative will replenish naturally at one point every second.

Skills which use initiative

Weapon	Equipped in	Skill	Initiative cost
Dagger	Main hand	Heartseeker
	Off hand	Dancing Dagger
		Cloak and Dagger
Pistol	Main hand	Bola Shot
	Off hand	Headshot
		Black Powder
Sword	Main hand	Infiltrator's Strike
		Infiltrator's Return
Short bow	Both hands	Cluster Bomb
		Disabling Shot
		Choking Gas
		Infiltrator's Arrow
Staff	Both hands	Weakening Charge
		Debilitating Arc
		Dust Strike
		Vault	(PvE) (PvP/WvW)
Rifle	Both hands	Skirmisher's Shot    Spotter's Shot
		Double Tap    Three Round Burst	(PvE) (PvP/WvW)
		Death's Retreat	(PvE) (PvP/WvW)
		Sniper's Cover
		Kneel
Harpoon gun	Aquatic	Deluge
		Escape
		Disabling Shot
		Ink Shot
Spear	Aquatic	Flanking Dive
		Nine-Tailed Strike
		Break Stance
		Tow Line
		Hooked Spear
		Shadow Assault

Dual skills

Main weapon	Off-hand weapon	Skill	Initiative cost
Dagger	Dagger	Death Blossom
	Pistol	Shadow Shot
	None	Twisting Fangs
Pistol	Dagger	Shadow Strike
		Repeater
	Pistol	Unload	(PvE) (PvP/WvW)
	None	Repeater
Sword	Dagger	Flanking Strike
		Larcenous Strike
	Pistol	Pistol Whip
	None	Stab

Skills which restore initiative

•  
  
   Unload — if all attacks hit (PvE) / if all attacks hit (PvP/WvW)
•  
  
   Infiltrator's Signet — every 10s
•  
  
   Roll for Initiative —
•  
  
   Mercy — plus per spent

Related traits

Shadow Arts

•  Shadow's Rejuvenation — Regenerate health and initiative while in stealth.

Acrobatics

•  Assassin's Reward — Heal yourself whenever you use a skill that uses initiative. Heal yourself for each point of initiative spent.
•  Upper Hand — Gain initiative and regeneration when you evade an attack.

Trickery

•  Kleptomaniac — Stealing gives you initiative.
•  Preparedness — Increases maximum initiative by 3.
•  Lead Attacks — Increases damage and condition damage per initiative spent. Steal gains reduced recharge time.
•  Quick Pockets — Gain initiative on swapping weapons while in combat.

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Skill types and profession mechanics