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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Arial Black" data-source="post: 6702760" data-attributes="member: 6799649">That would be the tail wagging the dog.If there was a magic beam that lasted for 10 rounds, and if anyone were hit by the beam it caused their eyes melt over the course of two rounds, then the end of that two rounds when your eyes have melted (the effect) has absolutely no impact on the duration of the beam (the cause).A surprised creature, among other things, cannot act/react until the end of their first turn (the effect). This has no impact on how long a creature is surprised for (the cause).If the only effect of 'being surprised' was that your first action/reaction was delayed, then the question 'how long does surprise last' would be moot. But we know that there are other effects of surprise, chief among which is the fact that the Assassinate ability lets any hit on a surprised creature auto-crit. There is no wording that ties this effect to the other effect (delaying your actions/reactions) nor any wording limiting the duration of the cause (surprise) to one of the effects.Imagine that the eye-melting beam above had another effect: while the beam is active (10 rounds, remember?) anyone in range has disadvantage on Dex saves.So, cause: beam lasting 10 roundseffect 1: while beam exists, anyone in range has disadvantage to Dex saveseffect 2: if the beam hits, your eyes melt Why would we thing that the beam stops when your eyes melt?Yet this is the logic that is used to say that when a creature takes its turn, surprise ends.</blockquote>

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