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Can you use a Partial Action to Ready for later in the round?
- Thread starter FlimFlam
- Start date
I´m basing on my interpretation of what the phb says on page 120 :How surprise works.
...With that, the surprise round ends and the first regular round begins. If Liddas initiative result is better than the trolls,she get to act again before it does (and it will still be flatfooted)...
and from How combat works from the phb, page 115-116, where the example clearly (imho,and if I understand this right) describes the clarification on page 120.
But, I´m problably wrong, but this is always how we have played it: everybody is flatfooted during the surprise round,and you are flatfooted until your next initiative comes in the first regular round
Asmo
...With that, the surprise round ends and the first regular round begins. If Liddas initiative result is better than the trolls,she get to act again before it does (and it will still be flatfooted)...
and from How combat works from the phb, page 115-116, where the example clearly (imho,and if I understand this right) describes the clarification on page 120.
But, I´m problably wrong, but this is always how we have played it: everybody is flatfooted during the surprise round,and you are flatfooted until your next initiative comes in the first regular round
Asmo
Celebrim
Legend
Well, I think the thing that is confusing him is that normally, if it was surprised, the Troll would not get a partial action during the surprise round, in which case the Troll _would_ get sneak attacked twice because it still hasn't acted when Lidda attacks again.
But in the case where both Lidda and the Troll get a partial action during the surprise round, it is not Lidda OR the Troll that is surprised, but some third party not yet mentioned.
But in the case where both Lidda and the Troll get a partial action during the surprise round, it is not Lidda OR the Troll that is surprised, but some third party not yet mentioned.
Wow,now I´m really confused!
All this time I´ve belived I had it right,but apparently I didn´t.
It´s annoying
And the PHB doesn´t do it for me.Is there some other source that explains it so I can get this right?
Perhaps with some actual examples of play?
I wish that there was a PHB in swedish...
Asmo
All this time I´ve belived I had it right,but apparently I didn´t.
It´s annoying
And the PHB doesn´t do it for me.Is there some other source that explains it so I can get this right?
Perhaps with some actual examples of play?
I wish that there was a PHB in swedish...
Asmo
Celebrim
Legend
The basic sequence in combat is thus:
1) Is everyone aware of everyone else's precence (through spot and listen checks). If yes, start a normal round. If no, start a surprise round.
2) Surprise Round: Everyone that is aware of thier foes is not surprised. If you are not surprised, roll initiative. If you are surprised DO NOT roll initiative, because you do not get an action this round. Everyone who is not surprised may on thier initiative take a partial action. Everyone who has not yet acted, is flat-footed and thus subject to a sneak attack.
3) First Regular Round: If you do not yet have an initiative, roll initiative. Everyone may on thier initiative take a regular action. Everyone who has not yet acted, is _still_ flat-footed and thus subject to a sneak attack.
For example: Through stealth, Lidda (7th level Rogue) surprises a troll. Lidda and the Troll are the only combatants. Lidda rolls a 10, but modified by dex and improved initiative, this becomes an 18. Lidda takes her action, and fires her +1 light crossbow at the troll, hits and applies sneak attack damage: 1d8 + 1 + 4d6 = 20 damage. Bam! The troll doesn't get to act, because he's totally surprised to find a crossbow bolt sticking out of his throat. This ends the surprise round. The troll now rolls his initiative: a 13. This isn't good enough to beat Lidda's 17, so Lidda goes again. Because the Troll still hasn't taken an action it is still flat footed. Lidda cocks and fires faster than the Troll can stagger toward her, and hits again. This time she scores a critical hit for 2d8 + 2 + 4d6 damage = 28! The troll has now taken 48 damage, and finally gets a chance to rend that scrawny halfling limb from limb.
1) Is everyone aware of everyone else's precence (through spot and listen checks). If yes, start a normal round. If no, start a surprise round.
2) Surprise Round: Everyone that is aware of thier foes is not surprised. If you are not surprised, roll initiative. If you are surprised DO NOT roll initiative, because you do not get an action this round. Everyone who is not surprised may on thier initiative take a partial action. Everyone who has not yet acted, is flat-footed and thus subject to a sneak attack.
3) First Regular Round: If you do not yet have an initiative, roll initiative. Everyone may on thier initiative take a regular action. Everyone who has not yet acted, is _still_ flat-footed and thus subject to a sneak attack.
For example: Through stealth, Lidda (7th level Rogue) surprises a troll. Lidda and the Troll are the only combatants. Lidda rolls a 10, but modified by dex and improved initiative, this becomes an 18. Lidda takes her action, and fires her +1 light crossbow at the troll, hits and applies sneak attack damage: 1d8 + 1 + 4d6 = 20 damage. Bam! The troll doesn't get to act, because he's totally surprised to find a crossbow bolt sticking out of his throat. This ends the surprise round. The troll now rolls his initiative: a 13. This isn't good enough to beat Lidda's 17, so Lidda goes again. Because the Troll still hasn't taken an action it is still flat footed. Lidda cocks and fires faster than the Troll can stagger toward her, and hits again. This time she scores a critical hit for 2d8 + 2 + 4d6 damage = 28! The troll has now taken 48 damage, and finally gets a chance to rend that scrawny halfling limb from limb.
Thanx for the reply,Celebrim.
Yesterday,after I begun to post in this thread, I grabbed my PBH and re-read the combat section.
I guess that the problem with our group is that the dm:s( including me - up until now) has never paid any particular attention to who is aware and not.
More like going straight for the action,and missing out on the finer aspects of combat (like in the example where Lidda actually sneaks the troll twice).. Oboy, no wonder that it´s been kinda dull to play a rogue,missing all that sneak-attack action
It´s good to know that it´s never to late to learn something new.
Asmo
Yesterday,after I begun to post in this thread, I grabbed my PBH and re-read the combat section.
I guess that the problem with our group is that the dm:s( including me - up until now) has never paid any particular attention to who is aware and not.
More like going straight for the action,and missing out on the finer aspects of combat (like in the example where Lidda actually sneaks the troll twice).. Oboy, no wonder that it´s been kinda dull to play a rogue,missing all that sneak-attack action
It´s good to know that it´s never to late to learn something new.
Asmo
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