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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MG.0" data-source="post: 6695173" data-attributes="member: 6799436">I'm not saying to change your game. Use what works for you.I am saying it's clear from the rules that initiative plays at least some role in mitigating surprise because surprised beings can take reactions after their turn in initiative has passed.My table has been playing this way and they seem to like it. If you follow the rules as written (Not saying you have to. There are several rules I ignore) then initiative will already be affecting your assassins because of the first part of the assassinate ability, namely whether or not they get advantage, is dependent on whether or not the target has taken a turn in combat. If you combine that with the second half of the assassinate ability, namely critical damage against surprised opponents, it plays pretty cleanly.Here's what we do:PC party is hidden, assassin (and party) announces they wish to attack monsters. Monsters are surprised.Roll initiative.1st round:  Players and monsters take turns in initiative order as normal. (Monsters cannot move or take actions, but can take reactions to things that happen after their turn. Assassins either get advantage + crit if they are attacking before their target's turn, or attack normally otherwise.)2nd: round:  Normal round.That's pretty clean and simple and the group thinks it makes narrative sense.The 10' move is irrelevant. Even at close quarters, a faster initiative would mean the target sees the attack coming. He is still surprised and he can't move or attack, but he would be able to take a reaction if he has one available and the assassin's attack becomes a normal attack instead of a lethal advantage+crit attack.</blockquote>

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