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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DEFCON 1" data-source="post: 9452425" data-attributes="member: 7006">Some of my standard formats for running the starts of combats (that are never in the actual rules but are just what I do for my own "logical" methodology) include things like...- If a group has spent time setting up an ambush for an enemy they know is there and that they hear but the enemies don't... then when the ambush happens I let them take their attacks before initiative is even rolled.  Which is basically like your typical "Surprise round"... but I don't even have "rounds" starting yet for that initial ambush attack.  This oftentimes will occur when a group comes to a closed door and hears people on the inside talking or whatever (not expecting to be attacked), wins the Stealth vs Perception check, and then prepares for the fight and then storms into the room.  Everyone gets a "free action" to do whatever it is they wish in whatever order they wish, and then I'll have everyone roll Initiative on both sides after the ambush occurs.It's essentially the same as the "anyone surprised doesn't get to act in the first round" situation... but by not having them roll initiative, I let the players (or the monsters I'm running) select the order in which they act.  So if the signal to go is one of the PCs firing into the fray first or opening a door... you don't end up with the silly scenario where the PC tank who is supposed to be opening the door and rushing in to attack ends up rolling crappy on their initiative roll and thus has to "go last"-- thereby rendering the rest of the group needing to take their actions before the trigger for their movement even occurs.  So I just skip all that and say that the tank gets to open the door and rush in to start things, and the rest of the characters can stream in in whichever order they want and take their action.  Then once that has occurred, roll initiative and go with your regular combat.- In a non-ambush situation where the party is stealthing and just happens upon some monsters randomly but doesn't have time to set up an "ambush" (say the group turns the corner in the dungeon and happens upon some monsters with both of them now out in the open), then the standard Stealth vs Perception checks will occur for the movment up to the encounter) and then everything happens relatively simultaneously.  Those members of each side who didn't notice the other will not act in that first round like the normal game rules.  And whether I have both sides roll group Stealth checks  / Perception checks or individual Stealth checks / Perception checks will be dependent on the situation.I basically go with "cinematic style" for these kinds of things-- if this were a movie, how would this scene work?  And I'll choose the formatting that makes the most sense for what is occurring in the moment.</blockquote>

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