Difference between revisions of "Surprise (combat)"

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== Rolling Surprise ==
 
== Rolling Surprise ==
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Once it has been determined that surprise might occur, each party potentially affected rolls a d6.  The DM randomly designates a person to roll for the player character's party, NPCs included, while the DM rolls for all others.  Surprise occurs with a 1-2 chance in 6. Each roll applies to all the individuals upon each side of a conflict.  Individuals may, however, adjust the die roll in their favour.
  
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For example, the player party's die roll is a "2," indicating the party is surprised.  However, as the surprise occurs in the wilderness, the [[Ranger (class)|ranger]] in the party is not surprised, because in that environment a ranger can be surprised only on a 1.  Therefore, while the rest of the party would be unable to act, the ranger would be able to roll initiative against an unsurprised enemy, or take advantage of the enemy's surprise.  Assassins, monks and thieves also have circumstances during which they are resistant to surprise.
  
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Some races and monsters, such as [[Elf Race & Physiology|elves]] or [[Lynx|lynx]], and rangers too, are able to move so quietly that they are better able to surprise than ordinary.  The chance for these creatures to surprise will be written as, "surprise on a 1-4," which indicates that any party rolling ''against'' these creatures will be surprised if the result is a 4 or less.  This special attack will apply to everyone, though assassins, monks, rangers and thieves (when it applies) will gain a +1 bonus against being surprised by such creatures.
  
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Surprise is therefore rolled when there is a reasonable chance that one set of combatants or the other is likely to be surprised. Surprise is rolled on a d6. One player for the party is designated by the DM to roll a surprise die for the whole player party. The DM then rolls a surprise die for all combatants opposed to the party. The two dice are then compared.
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== On Guard ==
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'''[[On Guard (sage ability)|On guard]] is an ability that allows fighters, paladins and rangers to remain cognizant of their surroundings, so that they will not be required to roll surprise when encountering an enemy.
  
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Surprise normally occurs when the die comes up a 1 or a 2. This is usually written as being surprised "2 in 6."
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Additionally, for any intelligent being, if there is good reason to believe than an enemy is nearby and will probably attack, and the party takes all proper precautions, then there should be no reason for the party to roll to see if they are surprised. The DM should be reasonable in such matters. Obviously, a party cannot always be "ready;" but there are times when they are consciously taking no other action except to be ready.
  
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In some circumstances, however, an individual character may have a greater ability to avoid surprise than others. The Monk character, for example, reduces the chance of surprise with levels gained. Other characters, such as the ranger in the wilderness or the thief and assassin in an urban setting, may only be surprised on a 1 (depending on their abilities or the circumstances involved). The same is true of many creatures. Moreover, some creatures will surprise more often than usual, on a 3 in 6 or a 4 in 6, including elven or halfling characters that are acting alone. Finally, creatures with a sufficient dexterity receive a modifier to the die rolled (+1 for a 16 dexterity, +2 for a 17 dexterity and +3 for an 18 or better dexterity) or receives an adjustment from some other source (luck, spell, magic item, etc.). See the example under Initiative.
 
  
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Comparing the dice can therefore be a complicated issue. Usually, however, the matter is settled when neither side rolls a sufficiently low number to be surprised. If it happens that either side is surprised, however, due to a lack of modifiers or because the creature faced has a high chance of causing surprise, then the surprised group of combatants are considered to be stunned for one round.
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See Also,<br>
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[[Assassination (sage study)]]<br>
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Note that if some members of either group of combatants have a sufficient adjustment to the die to indicate that they, personally, are notsurprised, then they are free to act in the next round, even if their companions are not. This means that they may be the only actual combatants free to attack - in which case, they would automatically win initiative, since everyone else is stunned.
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[[Backstabbing (sage study)]]<br>
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[[Combat|Combat]]
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It is possible for both sets of combatants (or all three sets of combatants, if the case arises) to be completely surprised, and for no one to be able to take any action. In that case, normal initiative would then be resolved to see which combatants attack first. Further, if individuals on opposing sides are not surprised while their companions on both sides are, then initiative would be rolled to resolve which of the unsurprised combatants would attack first.
 
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STANDING GUARD: It must be understood that combatants who are standing guard or moving forward with a conscious awareness of potential threat are not required to roll surprise when encountering the enemy.
 
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See Attacking in Combat
 

Revision as of 17:34, 18 August 2020

Surprise is a circumstance that might occur between parties at the moment of contacting one another, indicating the possibility that one or both parties might be taken aback by the unexpected occurrence. Combatants that are surprised are effectively stunned and unable to take action until the surprise has passed. When a party "achieves surprise," it means that the party not surprised is in a position to take advantage of their surprised opponents.

When one party is surprised and the other is not, then surprise supplants the need to roll initiative. When both parties are surprised, no one is able to take action immediately and initiative must be rolled to see which party recovers from surprise first.

Conditions

Surprise occurs when there is a legitimate chance for individuals to be taken unawares. This most commonly occurs when a party has not seen or heard others, and therefore has no foreknowledge of the other's presence. Being ambushed (particularly when the party feels safe), moving around a corner without carefully looking first, rushing through a door and the distraction of making or breaking camp; conversing with others so than enemies may approach unheard; being in a state of wearyness, drunkedness or sleep; and expecting one thing and getting another.

In the case of the latter, surprise might occur when the party has determined the presence of orcs beyond a door. Feeling certain of this, they kick the door open — only to find that the orcs include a large, unexpected ogre. Naturally, this would be a time to roll surprise. On the other hand, if there were only orcs, then the party would not roll surprise upon kicking in the door — though the orcs would.

Rolling Surprise

Once it has been determined that surprise might occur, each party potentially affected rolls a d6. The DM randomly designates a person to roll for the player character's party, NPCs included, while the DM rolls for all others. Surprise occurs with a 1-2 chance in 6. Each roll applies to all the individuals upon each side of a conflict. Individuals may, however, adjust the die roll in their favour.

For example, the player party's die roll is a "2," indicating the party is surprised. However, as the surprise occurs in the wilderness, the ranger in the party is not surprised, because in that environment a ranger can be surprised only on a 1. Therefore, while the rest of the party would be unable to act, the ranger would be able to roll initiative against an unsurprised enemy, or take advantage of the enemy's surprise. Assassins, monks and thieves also have circumstances during which they are resistant to surprise.

Some races and monsters, such as elves or lynx, and rangers too, are able to move so quietly that they are better able to surprise than ordinary. The chance for these creatures to surprise will be written as, "surprise on a 1-4," which indicates that any party rolling against these creatures will be surprised if the result is a 4 or less. This special attack will apply to everyone, though assassins, monks, rangers and thieves (when it applies) will gain a +1 bonus against being surprised by such creatures.

On Guard

On guard is an ability that allows fighters, paladins and rangers to remain cognizant of their surroundings, so that they will not be required to roll surprise when encountering an enemy.

Additionally, for any intelligent being, if there is good reason to believe than an enemy is nearby and will probably attack, and the party takes all proper precautions, then there should be no reason for the party to roll to see if they are surprised. The DM should be reasonable in such matters. Obviously, a party cannot always be "ready;" but there are times when they are consciously taking no other action except to be ready.


See Also,
Assassination (sage study)
Backstabbing (sage study)
Combat

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