Interrupting the BBEG to Start Combat

[Olaf the Stout]

Ok then, looks like a pretty general consensus on this. Roll for initiative as soon as anyone tries to attack or something similar.

Do you find that asking for initiative tends to lead to put players into "combat mode", even if they didn't look like they were going to fight them before you asked for initiative?

I also think I'll relax the "no more than 6 seconds of speech per round" rule. I agree that there should always be time for witty banter!

Olaf the Stout

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I find that once initiative is rolled I also go into "combat mode" as I try to think more about the bad guys tactics and keeping things moving and less about what witty remarks they might make to the PC's.

Does anyone else have trouble running combat and trying to intersperse the combat with banter?

Olaf the Stout

 

[Tonguez]

The BBEG Template gives all Villains the Monologue special ability

Durring the BBEGs Monologue all time stops and heroes are not permitted to take any actions unless they have the cheap backstab ability from the "Base-Backstabbing Scoundrel-PrC" (which of course has Cha - 10 as a prereq)

 

[pallandrome]

My BBEGs almost invariably employ magic users (assuming they aren'y magic users themselves) to confront the group socially well before the PHYSICAL confrontation via Programed Images, Magic Mouths, and other such effects. This has a few benifits, notibly that the players can't easily interrupt the monologue by entering combat, and that I get to absolutely infuriate the party before they enter the dungeon, making their eventual victory all the sweeter. I've also trained them not to cut off such messages. The only time they ever dispelled a Programed Image, the last words heard out of it were "If you ever want to see your wife alive again you'll meet me in two days at..."

 

[Bad Paper]

wha? Why would the interrupting PC get a surprise round? If everyone involved is aware of everyone else, then it's just a straight initiative check.

I try to intersperse witty banter, but the PCs are so damn brutal that it's nearly impossible to get a word in edgewise. Heck, in our very first game together three years ago, they spied the BBEG from a distance and started lobbing alchemist's fire. They never learned about his grand plan or nothin

And now they have that damnable wand of silence, so at this point I should just throw out all the monologuing completely

 

[airwalkrr]

If the PCs, or even just one of them, wish to interrupt the BBEG while he is monologuing, that is their loss. Just roll initiative and start combat. Some of the other PCs may still want to talk, and if they beat the offending PC in initiative may do something to halt him (e.g. forcecage). It is unlikely, but it depends on whether the other PCs think combat is truly inevitable.

 

[irdeggman]

This suprise for acting first is a common thing that seems to pop up in games.

As others have pointed out it is not supported by the rules.

SURPRISE
When a combat starts, if you are not aware of your opponents and they are aware of you, you’re surprised.

Determining Awareness
Sometimes all the combatants on a side are aware of their opponents, sometimes none are, and sometimes only some of them are. Sometimes a few combatants on each side are aware and the other combatants on each side are unaware.
Determining awareness may call for Listen checks, Spot checks, or other checks.
The Surprise Round: If some but not all of the combatants are aware of their opponents, a surprise round happens before regular rounds begin. Any combatants aware of the opponents can act in the surprise round, so they roll for initiative. In initiative order (highest to lowest), combatants who started the battle aware of their opponents each take a standard action during the surprise round. You can also take free actions during the surprise round. If no one or everyone is surprised, no surprise round occurs.
Unaware Combatants: Combatants who are unaware at the start of battle don’t get to act in the surprise round. Unaware combatants are flat-footed because they have not acted yet, so they lose any Dexterity bonus to AC.

Also speaking is a free action that can occur outside of your turn.

Speak
In general, speaking is a free action that you can perform even when it isn’t your turn. Speaking more than few sentences is generally beyond the limit of a free action.

Now a long speak is a different matter.

 

[pallandrome]

Also remember, speaking does not prevent the BBEG from readying an action to cast hold person on the first character that moves...

 

[lukelightning]

I think the consensus is you are free to interrupt and shoot the BBEG, but he (or she) won't be surprised and gets normal initiative, so you may very well find yourself on the receiving end of an Evard's Spiked Tentacles of Forced Intrusion spell.

 

[Nail]

Twice now in my game one of the PC's has interrupted a BBEG talking to start combat. ...(snip)

Then have everyone roll initiative. The interupting player receives NO benefit. None. Nada.

Why on earth do you give him an advantage? That's rewarding him for interupting you, which will make him do it more!