Nerfed compared to what?
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Can someone explain surpires to me?
- Thread starter seanrus
- Start date
Jack99
Adventurer
Surprise has been nerfed heavily in 4E - you only get a single action to use (a standard action) in the surprise round.
So my easiest advice is to ignore surprise, never have it. At least until you're warmed up as a DM!
It's identical to 3.x version, so yes, it was "nerfed", but that happened in 2000. Time to adapt
malraux
First Post
It's identical to 3.x version, so yes, it was "nerfed", but that happened in 2000. Time to adapt
Well, they did drop the whole flatfooted thing. Except for the rogue.
Nail
First Post
Also.....wasn't it possible to have full-round surprise rounds in 3.xe? (...rather than just "one action" surprise rounds.)
Hmmm...just perused page 23 of the 3.5e DMG. Guess not. (Maybe I misremembered a variant rule?) In 3.xe, suprise rounds only allowed the "aware" side a standard action.
Hmmm...just perused page 23 of the 3.5e DMG. Guess not. (Maybe I misremembered a variant rule?) In 3.xe, suprise rounds only allowed the "aware" side a standard action.
Last edited:
Dracorat
First Post
IMC, Whomever starts combat doesn't roll initiative. They start at the top of the round.
If their action would surprise the other party, surprise ensues, with an appropriate check for it (talking to an NPC who ups-and-clubs a party member without provocation? Opposed check on Sense Motive - that sort of thing)
Finally, in the case of our rogue example, let me remind you that you can take ten outside combat if you have reasonable ability to do something undistracted. Sneaking up on orcs qualifies, IMO. Thus, I check passive stealth vs passive perception. No rolls made at all and I know as a DM immediately whether it will succeed or not, which lets me shift my attention to handling the resolution.
If their action would surprise the other party, surprise ensues, with an appropriate check for it (talking to an NPC who ups-and-clubs a party member without provocation? Opposed check on Sense Motive - that sort of thing)
Finally, in the case of our rogue example, let me remind you that you can take ten outside combat if you have reasonable ability to do something undistracted. Sneaking up on orcs qualifies, IMO. Thus, I check passive stealth vs passive perception. No rolls made at all and I know as a DM immediately whether it will succeed or not, which lets me shift my attention to handling the resolution.
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