D&D 3.x [Rule questions] Surprise, Teleportation & Invisibility

[Zeddok]

Yesterday, we took a deep dive into surprise rounds. “Aware or unaware”—that is the question.

How do you do it—when does the group get a surprise round? When do skill checks come into play?

And—most importantly—how are these cases handled according to 3.5 RAW?

• A group teleports into the middle of a fight.
• A group teleports invisibly into the middle of a fight.
• A group teleports outside of the fight near an enemy group to initiate combat.
• A group teleports invisibly outside of the fight near an enemy group to initiate combat.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

 

[bloodtide]

Well....

1. RAW does not say how teleport interacts with surprise. In general, someone in combat can't be "surprised" by things in combat. Teleporting in is not any different then a summons or even tactical teleportation. So, no surprise.
2.This would get the invisible ones surprise, the same way if they were invisible and walked over to the fight area.
3.No surprise. They are out of the area.
4.No surprise, until they enter combat.

Of course, note the above notes that the people in combat don't have detect invisibility, scent or other such abilities.

 

[smetzger]

Agreed with bloodtide... with an additional assumption.... the teleporters know they are teleporting into an ongoing fight (if they don't... well then most likely they are the ones who are surprised)

Assuming the teleporters cannot time their entrance, I would have them teleport in at the beginning of the round, they roll initiative and everything moves along. I would also only allow the person who cast teleport to make a move action on the first round.

If the teleporters can for some reason time their entrance, they could then all ready actions for when they appear. They would then all go on whatever initiative count they teleported in on.

 

[haakon1]

This scenario has never come up in my 24 years of DMing 3x.

I rarely use Surprise - I did it more in AD&D.

I think it’s appropriate with planned ambushes while doing Overland movement, but not in dungeon crawling or situations where people are already on their highest alert. I do make careful dungeon crawling movement much slower than Overland movement to reflect constant vigilance for traps and foes.