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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Osirisx" data-source="post: 7006060" data-attributes="member: 6872476">Hey guys,So we're introducing ourselves to 5E through Lost Mine of Phandelver, and first encounter, we ran into an issue. We've read through the basic rules, starter rules, PHB and DMG. We've gone through other Threads on the subject. But we still don't have a clear answer.Here's the confusion.1. The starter book explicitly says "The characters cannot surprise the goblins." It does not say why this is so. They do not have the Alert feat. 2. A halfling rogue, if playing by the stealth v perception/passive perception, successfully used stealth to sneak up ahead of the party to the area in which the book says the goblin ambush should be triggered. She also successfully hid behind the horses laying on the road.3. The goblins did not surprise her.As far as I can tell, she should, by the rules, surprise the goblins, and therefore gain advantage on her attack and use sneak attack. But by certain wording in the starter rulebook, it seems that's not possible.So how would you suggest handling the described encounter? And why can the party not surprise the goblins? Any opinions would be appreciated. Thanks!</blockquote>