I think you just don't understand...
You won't get a single attack for screaming. Why should you? You just screamed... ridiculous to think you are surprising anyone screaming loud...
@
Noctem stated:
I resolve whatever triggered combat first and then have initiative rolled. In the case of an attack, I resolve that specific attack. I then determine who is surprised and finally after all of that, round 1 begins.
So If I scream 'I ATTACK' in Noctems game, I get one free attack before initiative is even rolled. Assuming I surprised my target (say I was invisible) I then get another turn on round 1 (while my target cant act). THEN assuming I rolled well on initiative I get a third turn on turn 2 before my opponent.
So possibly three turns in a row. Which in 5e is a death sentence for my target.
Another example. An invisible stalker lurks around. You try to sneak past him. The stalker was hidden. You happen to run by him. Would you deny him an opportunity attack? (no alert feat).
So combat may start with an invisible fist in your face.
Dude, how am I stalking past a hidden invisible stalker? Im assuming if there is is monster in a room, and a PC as well, and theyre aware of each other, then initiative
has already been rolled.
If the invisible stalker is hidden (and I am not aware of it) then initiative is rolled and I am surprised on round 1.
Would you roll initiative just for the invisible hidden stalker being around?
Of course. Its a hostile hidden monster. I would roll initaitive and use the rules for susprise.
This is EXACTLY what they model dude.
Would the creature wandering through the dungeon suddenly hold still for 6 seconds, just because the invisible stalker surprised him?
Again with this rubbish. Action during a combat round happens simultanously. People dont sit shock still for six seconds while other people move around. If you charge the Orc and your friend fireballs the orc, the fireball goes off at the same time you are running forward screaming. It is resovled a split second before you get there.
Despite the 'stop start' nature of how the game models combat, all combatants are moving and fighting at the same time.
I would rule something like first attack goes to the stalker as his reactin.
I would not. If there is a hidden monster that wants to attack the party THERE ARE RULES FOR THIS.
You determine surprise (the monster is hidden) and then roll initative. Any PC's that are unaware of the stalker are surprised and cant act on turn 1.
The initiative rules in the PHB clearly declare that combat starts with the first sign of combat.
No they certainly dont say that at all. They say the exact opposite (hidden creatures gain surprise).
If PCs are the first to shoot. That is ok for me. If enemies really have no clue that the will be shot soon, that is their fault.
You determine if the PCs are the first to shoot with
initiative.
My outliers were ridiculous by choice. I just wanted to show that there could be difficult cases where it may be ridiculous to assume the character can always magically notice something.
And in the case of the 'ridiculous' outliers that you cited that have a next to zero chance of ever cropping up, then the DM can rule otherwise. Thats his job after all.
But a hidden creature initiating combat is not an outlier. Its a situation
specifically contemplated by the rules.
You determine awareness and surprise. You roll initiative. Then,
in turn order you resolve actions, with susrpried combatants missing turn 1.
Also with your argumebtation chances are that you with alert react and really don't know what exactly to react to. Your first action may be either looking what is around making a perception check and being hit hard by the person you notice, or you may ready an action against something losing your secondary attacks and so on. Is my solution better than yours? Probably not. But there are cases where I prefer my solution. And yes probably 1% of all encounters...
I dont understand this paragraph.