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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Uller" data-source="post: 6702819" data-attributes="member: 413">Surprise RAW is too powerful as it is.  Keeping the surprised "condition" any longer than necessary just makes it worse.RAW it is too easy for an attacker to get two full rounds of actions before a defender has any chance to act other than reactions.  If you beat a surprised character in init, you can move up, attack, stay next to the creature for an entire round without getting hit back then attack again the next round.  With 5e's combats lasting 2-3 rounds, that's just way too much especially since characters that are good at gaining surprise are also usually good at winning initiative.Our solution has been to play it as follows:A surprised character gains the surprised condition at the start of a combat.Surprised characters cannot take reactions.  Attacks against a surprised character are with advantage and surprised characters make dex saves with disadvantage.* On it's turn a suprised character cannot act.  At the end of it's turn it is is no longer surprised but rather than it's turn ending it is moved to the bottom of the initiative order where it can act normally (so end of turn saves and such will happen then).*this bit is so surprise isn't nerfed too much.  We give advantage on attack rolls rather than a chance at two rounds of attacks.The basic effect is that rather than not being able to act, the surprised creature is unable to take reactions and attacks against it have advantage until it's turn comes up in the initiative order.  At that point it is aware enough to at least react.The way I look at this is a surprised character becomes aware of some sort of threat on it's init.  Until then it is pretty much defenseless.  A particularly quick character (one that wins initiative) might be able to react reflexively but can't act until after the threat fully materializes.  But in no case can you run up and beat on a surprised opponent with impunity for 2 rounds before he gets a chance to do much of anything.Oh...and we re-roll init every round, so even if you win initiative on the first round, there is no guarantee you'll win it next round.It's been working pretty well for us for quite some time.  YMMV.</blockquote>

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