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But the assassinate ability most definitely does already depend on initiative: You have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn in the combat yet. In addition, any hit you score against a creature that is surprised is a critical hit. If you assume surprised...

I think there are valid points coming from everyone. I am going to think about this for a while. One thing I would never budge on is the situation of a lone hidden attacker cancelling his attack after looking at his initiative roll, assassin or otherwise. That would never sit well with me. If...

I don't think it is clumsy at all. The player declared he is performing an action and nothing has occurred in-game to alter that. The initiative roll is merely an implementation detail needed to resolve the order of the effects of the attack. it's no no different than a player declaring he wants...

I think a lone charcter declaring an attack to initiate combat and then taking it back as a way of avoiding an initiative roll he doesn't like is an abuse. I would simply not allow it. You declared it, you did it. That devalues nothing except bad game behavior. I like your asassin example. It...

It's clear from the text that you spend the point after the initial roll. So with disadvantage you've ALREADY chosen the lower of the two dice before spending the luck point, so you can only choose between your lucky die and the already chosen lower roll. The higher of the two disadvantage dice...

It is near impossible to avoid all ambiguity in natural language without being ridiculously verbose. I think this is a side effect of the multiclass spell slot table being a somewhat inelegant compromise to what would otherwise be a bookeeping chore.

I don't tell players enemy initiatives until needed. The assassin would declare his attack and roll initiative. I roll secretly for the guard. The guard wins and takes no action on his turn but I don't say anything to indicate the guard has taken a turn yet. The assassin then attacks. If you...

Here's one way to play it: Let's say two beings (A1 and A2) come around a corner and find themselves face to face with a couple potentially hostile beings (B1 and B2). I'm purposefully not designating who is a charcter and who isn't as I believe it makes no difference. Determine surprise...

I can understand the objection to "common sense" thing, but sheesh multiclassing lets you BEGIN advancing in another class, not start at the top. Anyone who couldn't see that I would suspect of being deliberately obtuse in an effort to power-game. I would never let a player argue a point like...

I had always played it as you say: Surprise lasts until the end of the first round. It seemed logical and in line with how surprise worked in 1st and 2nd editions, so I hadn't considered it could work any other way. The funny thing is after reading this thread I can appreciate ending surprise...

At which point I would have asked him to write a coherent rule set for something as open ended as D&D in easy to read language with no ambiguity. Then I would point out the common sense interpretation that says multiclassing grants you new class abilities, but you have to work upwards in your...

1 and 2: Agreed. It's just that your reaction came across a little strong. I try to let players play whatever they want as long as their motivations are believable and they don't disrupt the game. I fully expect evil players to do evil things and would not go out of my way to teach them a...

Wow, another reason to avoid 4th. I thought I'd seen most of them.

Agreed. Despite the debate on wording, does anyone -- anyone -- at all honestly believe a 20th level character who multiclasses should get the maximum spell level available to his new 1st level class? If you do...well I have no words.

Out of curiosity, how do you handle evil characters in your game? A DM is supposed to facilitate a fun game regardless of the type player's choice of charcter. Evil characters can make exciting stories as anti-heroes, if you have experienced players who aren't just trying to power-game...

If you really go back (1st edition, or Basic D&D) you'll also find that the weights were never really meant to literally be the wieght of things. It's a combination measure of the weight and bulkyness of an object (encumbrance) given a simple numerical weight for ease of computation. I'm not...

Supplies! (UHF or Borderlands, anyone?)

Possibly. :) The truth is, that there will ALWAYS be ambiguity in the rules. I deal with converting natural language into precise instructions for a living and believe me, to remove all ambiguity the rules would have to four to five times as verbose as they have EVER been. That's why it's such...

Actually it's in between. Three rays fire during the action giving a 30% chance. Then there are 3 independent legendary actions each with a 10% chance, but they are not additive with the 30%. You have to use combinatorics. The answer is going to be slightly above 30%, not 60%

I wasn't referring ONLY to ancient creatures, but intelligent monsters in general. I have no problem with intelligent monsters that have mastered some class abilities because they are truly unique. But that rarity is strained if you allow monster characters to level as a matter of course. If...