Interrupting the BBEG to Start Combat

[Darklone]

Han shot first. Luckily.

 

[Brace Cormaeril]

Han shot first. Luckily.

I think Han used Sleight of Hand to get a suprise round...
no, I think Han won an initiative roll. Catching his opponent flat-footed as he had not yet acted in the round. Catching opponents flat-flooted rules.

Anyway, the monologue has to be of importance to the players, otherwise you're just slamming stat-blocks into each other. Story elements are very important to D$D; it offers a framework for these sword and sorcery stat-blocks to bang around in.
If commando barbarian cleaves through or slips past BBEG's defences, charges the BBEG and kills him flat out, how will the PC's ever find out where the Dark Tome of Nyarlethotep has been hidden? And when the cultists of Nyarlethoptep summon the memory of the Old Ones, the party fails, and they die.

 

[pawsplay]

Han could certainly Bluff Greedo into letting his guard down. But that's not going to work on a BBEG, even a stupid one, who can see you are still armed, dangerous, and in his throne room. Also, Han has a really good initiative roll.

 

[Nail]

readied action - standard or move action that goes off before opponent can react

surprise round - move or standard action that goes off before opponent can react

....Personally don't see much of a difference...

That's because you've mis-characterized what a readied action is. (shrug)

 

[Goblyn]

Impudent whelp!

I've had the interruptions as well, but I've enjoyed the 'talking as a free action, even not during your turn' thing.

"For your impudence, you will be the first to die!" Is the reward an interrupting PC gets. And if the BBEG is B enough and E enough, this equals a dead PC. It's a brave soul who deigns to interrupt the future conquerer of the world.

It really is the only logical outcome of the described scenario. BBEGs have big egos, and foes storming your castle to kill you is one thing, but interrupting your monologue? That's just insulting.

 

[Darklone]

BBEG (made by Darklone): "... " starts monologue.
PC1: "I'll waste him with my crossbow."
*rolls initiative*
BBEG (mbD maxxed for initiative) wastes PC with Disintegrate: "I hate to be interrupted."