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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Arial Black" data-source="post: 7148245" data-attributes="member: 6799649">This is a question about 'when to start combat/when to roll initiative'.Before teleport is cast, there is no combat.Just like combat begins not with the triggering attack, but with the triggering intention to attack kicking off the surprise/initiative process.For your example, the Weapon of Warning pings not before teleport is cast, not after they arrive, but when the enemy are in transit.The weapon magically alerts the entire party that combat is about to begin. Teleport was not cast during combat so there as no initiative at that point. As they arrive, that's when combat begins, surprise is determined (none, in this case) and initiative rolled.The baddies are already present on initiative count 24 when your cleric/paladin takes their turn.Let's say that the baddy who cast the teleport rolls the highest initiative. He could very well be first to act. His first Action In Combat is not to cast teleport, because when he cast that spell there was no combat yet, therefore no Combat Rounds and no Actions In Combat permitted or needed to cast it.Teleporting in usually is an excellent surprise tactic. As DM, you determine who is or is not surprised. Usually, this might involve opposed checks, but the DM can and frequently does just rule that 'those guys are surprised, these guys are not', no roll needed. This is one of those times!The baddies are not surprised because of their scrying, the good guys ARE surprised, because there is no way they could notice the baddies before they even arrive.The thing is that Weapons of Warning, Alert feat, anything that makes you immune to surprise, supercede the DM's decision that the good guys are surprised. Nothing has gone wrong here! The Weapon of Warning and the game itself are all working as intended.</blockquote>

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