Surprise!
Surprise!
Old school DMs: do you always roll for surprise? Only for random encounters? Something else?
Example: PCs know there’s something behind a door, they get ready and kick in the door. Roll? No roll?
I’m starting to look at surprise more as “preparedness.” Like, the characters all, “We kick in the door on 3.” And someone else is like, “Ok, ‘3’ then go? Or go on ‘3?’” And if they roll shitty for surprise then I guess the instructions weren’t clear.
Generally unless the game's rules specifically state conditions, I roll it when NPCs/monsters had an ambush set up (even if the PCs were prepared) or when the PCs tend to just be blundering along and stumble on some monsters. I like to reward player preparedness and planning.
ReplyDeleteIn situations like that, no. Only if one/more parties don't know about the other yet.
ReplyDeleteIf one party knows about the other and seeks to ambush, they have a very high chance of gaining surprise. If both parties are clueless, I'll roll surprise for both when it seems meaningful (I'm not sure what metrics go into that -- I think mostly just the feel of the fictional positioning of the parties). Definitely not all the time.
ReplyDeleteI roll for surprise using the mechanics of the LBBs - 2 in 6 chance but only when A) one party is not illuminated (monsters are rarely illuminated - PCs pretty much always are - so monsters almost always get to roll for surprise and will almost always attack of flee if they have it). B) There's a door between the groups - so entering new rooms you get a chance to surprise enemies even if you have a lantern.
ReplyDeleteI use Search as a "just in time" counter-surprise skill now, I need to rename it.
ReplyDeleteSurprise is automatic if you're laying in ambush or kicking down a door with known enemies behind it or something.
Ambushees roll Search. Those who succeed get a single non-attack action and don't count as surprised.
This is supposed to represent the old swordsman sensing the assassin JUST IN TIME and getting his sword in the way, or the grizzled action hero seeing the sniper dot JUST IN TIME and diving into cover.
Also this means I can roll Elf surprise chance bonus into their improved Search skill.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a big fan of the surprise mechanic. I don't think it makes sense from a game logistics standpoint. It has some use in softening a party prior to a combat if that's the DM's goal, but I figure that we have pros on either side of the door being kicked down that know what they're doing. I think it's better suited to an initiative bonus for the defenders where they have an advantage to go first, but not a free round of attacks.
ReplyDeleteIt just doesn't suit me that leveled adventurers would open a door, half of them with low-light or infra vision or whatever edition we're playing calls it and then go DURRRRRR for a whole round.