Scry - Teleport - Initiative - Surprise?

[Vaxalon]

I want to put them at a disadvantage rather than equal footing.

I want PC's and NPC's alike to consider the alternative of teleporting to someplace quiet nearby the enemy, and then attacking from there once they've gotten their bearings.

 

[Thanee]

Give them a circumstance penalty to initiative? -4 maybe?

Bye
Thanee

 

[Felix]

You can do it the StarTrek way and have teleportation take a full round (or a standard action that sucks up their suprise round) for people to materialize as they come out of the Astral Plane...

 

[Gort]

So glad I houseruled Scry so I don't have to worry about this kind of rubbish.

 

[Coredump]

So glad I houseruled Scry so I don't have to worry about this kind of rubbish.

No need to house rule Scry. There is enough ambiguity in how it works that just using a stricter interpretation has the same effect.

.

 

[mikebr99]

Give them a circumstance penalty to initiative? -4 maybe?

Bye
Thanee

Sure, and the BBEG's party have all delayed to act all at once (already picked targets to charge etc.), the second they arrive... effectively giving them all a 20 on the init. roll, + Init modifier. Start combat as normal... everyone flat-footed until they act. Which should be all of the BBEGs, unless you have some uber-init guys in your party.

Mike

 

[random user]

Thanks all for the replies. I too thought that giving a surprise round seemed a bit egregious from a balance standpoint which is why I asked.

And actually, it's the players that are going to be doing the teleporting. But I figured what goes for my players goes for the bad guys too, so I decided to ask from the other perspective.

Oh another question about scry. What's the DC to detect the magical sensor?

 

[Destil]

You can do it the StarTrek way and have teleportation take a full round (or a standard action that sucks up their suprise round) for people to materialize as they come out of the Astral Plane...

This is how I've been running it, simply for balance (scry and fry is too brutal otherwise).

Thus the defenders almost always get the suprise round.

 

[Felix]

What's the DC to detect the magical sensor?

An INT check of 20 jumps to mind.

Detect Scrying will also alert you immediately to its presence, and this should be used in every case possible.

As far as preventing scrying and frying, a Permanent Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum will work just fine. Something every powerful good and bad guy should have.

 

[Old Gumphrey]

No need to house rule Scry.

That's why you house rule Teleport; All teleporters are dazed for 1 round after they show up at their new destination. You really never see the 'scry and fry' IMC.