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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Zaruthustran" data-source="post: 6544599" data-attributes="member: 1457">One of the great things about 5E is the whole "rulings not rules" philosophy. So I'd like to query my fellow DMs' ruling on a vague rule: surprise.The rules text is on page 189. My key takeaways from the above are:1. DM determines. 2. In order for there to be Surprise, at least one side has to "try to be stealthy."3. Any creature that doesn't notice a threat is surprised.So here's my questions to the group. In which of these scenarios is it possible for Surprise to occur?1. AMBUSH. Character makes Dex (Stealth) check to hide behind tree and wait for monster.2. FOREST SNEAK. Character makes Dex (Stealth) check to sneak through forest and approach monster.3. CROWD SNEAK. Character makes Dex (Stealth) check to blend with crowd and approach enemy.4. CROWD BLEND. Character makes Cha (Deception) check to blend with crowd and approach enemy.5. ANONYMOUS DISGUISE. Character makes Cha (Deception) check to disguise himself as a generic harmless NPC (commoner, laborer, guard, anything the target wouldn't normally consider a threat), then attacks target when he is in range.6. SPECIFIC DISGUISE. Character makes Cha (Deception) check to disguise himself as an NPC that's trusted by the target (specific person), then attacks target when he is in range.7. SPELL DISGUISE. As 5 or 6 above, but using Disguise Self spell. No Dex or other check is made--just the Disguise Self spell (assume the target does not use its action to inspect the character).8. BETRAYAL (aka, THE RED WEDDING). Character suddenly, and without provocation, attacks the well-known trusted ally sitting beside him at dinner (or during some other calm, noncombat situation). No Dex or other check is made.9. ASSASSIN'S CREED. Character calmly strolls down crowded street toward target, with no visible weapons displayed, and suddenly attacks when in range. No Dex or other check is made.10. SANDMAN. Character approaches and stabs sleeping target. No Dex or other check is made.11. INVISIBLE MAN. Character is invisible and standing still, and attacks when target gets within range. No Dex or other check is made.12. POOF. Character scries target, teleports to target and attacks. No Dex or other check is made.13. POOF 2. Character is sorcerer, in a crowded city street, and uses Subtle Spell to conjure monsters adjacent to target (without somatic or verbal components). No Dex or other check is made.14. PIT. Character falls through hidden pit trap into pit of skeletons, who've all been set to stare upward and attack first thing they see. No Dex or other check is made.As you can see, these scenarios play with the 2nd ("try to be stealthy") and 3rd ("creature doesn't notice a threat") takeaways. I'm most curious how this community treats scenarios 5-9, where the target is aware of the character (or at least, not unaware) but does not recognize him as a threat.In other words, does disguise/deception satisfy the "trying to be stealthy" requirement? Does betrayal? In the case of the pit, or teleporting from 100 miles away and attacking the target from thin air, does surprise (the mundane definition of the word) count as Surprise? All of the above rely on takeaway 1, "DM determines." So DMs: what determination do you give to the above?</blockquote>

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