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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 5139778" data-attributes="member: 82106">This does come up pretty often, and I think it stems from the designers not making explicit their concept of how surprise and initiative play off in the initiating of combat.There are basically 4 possibilities in any encounter, both sides are ready, the monsters are surprised, the party is surprised, both sides are unready.If both sides are ready then nobody is surprised and combat simply starts as normal, if you react quickly enough (get a high init roll) you can set your defenses or get off a shot before the other side acts. Both sides could be in this situation to whatever extent vs some members of the other side.If both sides are unready then neither is surprised (or both are, same difference). This plays out just like above.In the other two cases the surprising side can set up its actions or whatever. The other side is flat footed and the surprise round IS the point where all that happens. Initiative always happens at the instant one side or the other initiates its actions against the other. Anything that happens before that is just 'exploration mode' and doesn't bear on the combat outside of it may precipitate it or determine if you get surprise(d) or not.When a party comes to a door or something similar and is wary, they won't be surprised, at least not by anything that is apparent on the other side when they open the door. If they were stealthy, then they can get surprise and do their thing, otherwise its just a matter of case 1 above where members of both sides react as swiftly as their initiative says they do.If the monsters were to have prepared an ambush on the other side of the door, well then assuming the party doesn't perceive them, nothing happens instantly. Combat hasn't be joined yet. The characters will presumably enter the room and at some point after that the monsters will initiate combat and get a surprise round (or not if someone notices them first).Readying actions before initiative just doesn't need to come up. If your side has surprise then you effectively HAVE a readied action. If it doesn't then you are no more or less prepared than the enemy. As Amaroq said, your normal state is assumed to be wary and ready for action. If its not, then you're surprised! And note that in a surprise round the surprised side DOES grant combat advantage, so that accounts for not having their defenses up.</blockquote>

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