Plane Sailing
Astral Admin - Mwahahaha!
There are two issues at stake. One is encounter distance and the other is spot/listen.
If the two parties would normally see each other before they are in effective combat range, then don't roll spot/listen. This might happen in plains, in big caverns and many other situations.
If two parties are blundering into one another then you can roll spot/listen checks for *both* sides (and the monsters might hear the guy in plate but not the rogues/rangers/monks and so underestimate the parties numbers).
If one side has set an ambush for another, then only roll spot checks for the group being ambushed (although presumably the ambushers will have to have had some reason to set an ambush - perhaps a well used trail, perhaps they heard noisy talking around the corner in the mountain pass or woods?)
The DMG has some useful stuff about beginning encounter distance buried in the terrain section.
Hope this helps
If the two parties would normally see each other before they are in effective combat range, then don't roll spot/listen. This might happen in plains, in big caverns and many other situations.
If two parties are blundering into one another then you can roll spot/listen checks for *both* sides (and the monsters might hear the guy in plate but not the rogues/rangers/monks and so underestimate the parties numbers).
If one side has set an ambush for another, then only roll spot checks for the group being ambushed (although presumably the ambushers will have to have had some reason to set an ambush - perhaps a well used trail, perhaps they heard noisy talking around the corner in the mountain pass or woods?)
The DMG has some useful stuff about beginning encounter distance buried in the terrain section.
Hope this helps
