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Message: <blockquote data-quote="William_2" data-source="post: 2196599" data-attributes="member: 13925">Thanee is, once again, both succinct and correct, I think.  About the correct part, that is.The above description falls apart at 2, really.  The Spectre can do many things before the characters arrive- except have an encounter with them.  As a result, 3 is not a given- if there is no encounter and no initiative yet, then there is no readying either.  It is just waiting.  As I said before, and Thanee seems to be saying as well, if you rule that the Spectre is aware before the characters at the beginning of the encounter (which does seem possible in this case, certainly), then there is a surprise round.  That round starts and ends completely while the characters are still outside- the Spectre has NOT opted to attack during the surprise round (or even open the door), but to wait.  You can not act to preserve a surprise round until you think you need it- it arrives, and then it is gone.Characters enter, initiative rolled. If the Golem wins initiative, it can ready whatever it wants.  This scenario is just not a very good effort at jumping the characters, basically.  Golem in the corridor, Spectre using surprise to pop out of the floor, etc.- could very well make good use of a surprise round.  Staying hidden behind a door, while fine, does not take advantage of your earlier awareness that an encounter is taking place.  Just imagine it without the door.  You get a surprise round- you don’t move.  What happens next?  Your opponent moves, sees you, and you still strike first? I don’t think so- they at least get a chance to act first at that point.</blockquote>

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