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<blockquote data-quote="Man in the Funny Hat" data-source="post: 5828583" data-attributes="member: 32740">The dm determines surprise. It either exists or it doesn't.&nbsp; Either the rangers declaration that he is quiet, cautious and prepared is good enough to grant him surprise when he walks around that corner or it isn't.&nbsp; If surprise does exist then the dm has no business calling for an initiative check yet.&nbsp; If it doesn't exist then question itself illustrates the difficulties inherent in allowing a character to Ready outside of combat.&nbsp; How do you grant surprise advantages even as initiative says he doesn't HAVE a surprise advantage?&nbsp; You've put the cart before the horse.Surprise is supposed to be merely awareness of the presence of opposition.&nbsp; The OP description suggests that the hobgoblin and ranger ARE aware of each other at the same time.&nbsp; Then it becomes necessary for the dm to either GRANT initiative to the ranger or give him a bonus to his roll and accept that the normal, random consequences of combat then still apply.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Man in the Funny Hat, post: 5828583, member: 32740"] The dm determines surprise. It either exists or it doesn't. Either the rangers declaration that he is quiet, cautious and prepared is good enough to grant him surprise when he walks around that corner or it isn't. If surprise does exist then the dm has no business calling for an initiative check yet. If it doesn't exist then question itself illustrates the difficulties inherent in allowing a character to Ready outside of combat. How do you grant surprise advantages even as initiative says he doesn't HAVE a surprise advantage? You've put the cart before the horse. Surprise is supposed to be merely awareness of the presence of opposition. The OP description suggests that the hobgoblin and ranger ARE aware of each other at the same time. Then it becomes necessary for the dm to either GRANT initiative to the ranger or give him a bonus to his roll and accept that the normal, random consequences of combat then still apply. [/QUOTE]

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