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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Celtavian" data-source="post: 6609852" data-attributes="member: 5834">You could handle this by rolling initiative well before the door is opened determining both sides are effectively in combat including the bandits are on the other side of the door (since they would have heard the battle well in advance). Thus allowing them to take actions on their initiative according to when you determine they heard the battle (which could be a few to several rounds before the party opens the door). You don't necessarily need to see someone to roll initiative. When someone is hiding, you still roll initiative when they are about to attack even though the party or enemy can't see them. I see no reason why a group of bandits on the other side of a door that have clearly heard a battle and are readying for it cannot roll initiative and take preparatory actions to answer someone coming through the door and vice versa if the party is in a similar situation.Once the party opens the door, the battle will continue from the other room including spell durations. So you're well within the rules to allow initiative to be rolled for the bandits in the other room even if they don't come through the door to help their buddies.</blockquote>