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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hriston" data-source="post: 6470525" data-attributes="member: 6787503">I'll address this first since you asked. Yes, I believe that that the rules would allow this. If the goblin is successful in making a stealth check versus every PC's passive perception and then attacks them before their initiative count on the first round I'd say they were surprised allowing the hobgoblins to attack as well. There is no guarantee this strategy will work 100% of the time. It depends on the goblin's stealth check as well as initiative if the first round has already started. He could very well give himself away and even if he didn't, jumping out in front of a party of PCs capable of taking on 30 hobgoblins would amount to suicide. Do you usually run your monsters without any sense of self preservation?Which brings me to my next point, even though I do think this is allowed by the rules, I don't think it's a good idea because it is meta gaming on the part of the DM. Also if your PCs can't survive a round of attacks from these hobgoblins, why did you throw that challenge at them? It certainly does seem unfair but not because the rules allow you to do it. It would just be irresponsible DMing. Your original scenario seems quite reasonable, but this one not so much.</blockquote>