3 questions

[Nonlethal Force]

Up until CL 11, it's fine. After that, you're breaking the 'maximum +3' clause.

Wow. That's odd. Again, I don't mean to stray away from the point of the thread, but my book (for Divine Favor) says at least +1, maximum +6. Was this changed in an errata or FAQ? If so, that explains the difference easily enough.

 

[Plane Sailing]

3. Lastly, we had snuck up on some orcs, who were in a clearing at the end of a trail. We could not see them, but we had heard their voices. We decided to draw them out. Our dwarf bard began beating his drum, alerting them to our presence. We lined up in the trail, missile weapons ready.

Now, do we have surprise (I didn't think so, as both sides are aware of each other), are we considered to have readied actions (again, I didn't think so because initiative had not been rolled) or is this a straight roll for initiative, and if the orcs win, they can double move and close the gap before we fire?

It sounds to me as what should have happened was

a) party hears orcs and have the opportunity for a surprise round
b) dwarf bangs drums and party archers ready a shot in the surprise round
c) regular initiative is rolled

It may be that the orcs were not considered near enough for that, in which case

a) party hears orcs and have the opportunity to prepare an ambush
b) dwarf bangs drums to lure orcs into ambush
c) ... pretty much depends upon how you like to handle ambushes - presumably the orcs run up and attempt to make spot checks to notice hidden archers, possibly with a circumstance penalty, anyone they fail to notice gets their surprise attack. I find the DMG a little weak on the issue of prepared ambushes though.

I would certainly interpret it as my first case though.

(incidentally, readying an action in a surprise round is an interesting example of readying before intiative is rolled)

Cheers

 

[Plane Sailing]

Wow. That's odd. Again, I don't mean to stray away from the point of the thread, but my book (for Divine Favor) says at least +1, maximum +6. Was this changed in an errata or FAQ? If so, that explains the difference easily enough.

Yes, someone realised that quickened divine favour (or worse, persistent divine favour) was an uber-buff for the high level clerics out there so it was changed (I forget the precise location)

Cheers

 

[Zen]

Thanks! I will bring this new wisdom to the table next week.

BTW, you're all invited to sit it.

--Z

 

[boolean]

Yes, someone realised that quickened divine favour (or worse, persistent divine favour) was an uber-buff for the high level clerics out there so it was changed (I forget the precise location)

Cheers

That would be the PHB errata, from the WotC website:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/er/20040125a

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

(incidentally, readying an action in a surprise round is an interesting example of readying before intiative is rolled)

No, it isn't.

You still need to roll initiative in the surprise round - it's just that not everyone gets to roll it. Of those who are acting in the surprise round, someone has to go first - and that means initiative.

 

[dcollins]

That was me. And I could have sworn it was an 'optional rule' and not just a 'house rule', but damned if I can find it in the PHB or DMG. Anyone else know where we would have got it from? (because I'm sure I read it here on EnWorld).

In 3.0 DMG p. 61 there's this:

Variant: Surprise Round -- Whether one side is aware of the other or not, the DM can run the the first round of combat as a surprise round. In this round, only partial actions (Ed.: that is, standard actions) are allowed...

So, the variant provides that in the first round of combat everyone just gets one standard action, whether that's a surprise round or not.

 

[Plane Sailing]

No, it isn't.

You still need to roll initiative in the surprise round - it's just that not everyone gets to roll it. Of those who are acting in the surprise round, someone has to go first - and that means initiative.

True, but I hope you take my meaning, that it is a circumstance where you get to ready an action and *your opponents* have not yet rolled initiative.

Cheers

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

True, but I hope you take my meaning, that it is a circumstance where you get to ready an action and *your opponents* have not yet rolled initiative.

Sorry - I didn't get that from your initial post. Revised, it is, of course, completely correct.

 

[Dimwhit]

I disagree with people on #3. I think it's clearly a ready action. The party is waiting with bows out. As soon as the Orcs appear, the ready actions trigger, everyone fires, then initiative is rolled.

That's how we've always played it, and it makes the most sense.