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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Paraxis" data-source="post: 6544653" data-attributes="member: 13009">My take.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The DM determines who might be surprised. </li> </ul>This is explaining that the DM uses the following rules/guidelines to determine surprise.  Mostly a fluff sentence used to reinforce rule 0.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If neither side tries to be stealthy, they automatically notice each other.</li> </ul>This doesn't use the language, hidden or "takes the hide action" so it leaves surprise open to all kinds of situations that count as stealthy, like shooting the guy under a table you are talking to with your blaster...er I mean hand crossbow.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Otherwise, the DM compares the Dexterity (Stealth) checks of anyone hiding with the passive Wisdom (Perception) score of each creature on the opposing side. </li> </ul>This gives the default method of determining surprise, it is skill check vs a passive skill resolution.  So we could use Deceptions vs passive Insight, Disguise vs passive Perceptions/Investigation, or other not so obvious combinations players like to dream up.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Any character or monster that doesn’t notice a threat is surprised at the start of the encounter.</li> </ul>This tells us what happens when the passive skill of the creatures not trying to be sneaky are compared to the sneaky characters skill result.  This also seems to indicate you have to notice ALL the threats in the encounter, if there is three groups and your passive is high enough to notice only two of them you are still surprised at the start of combat.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If you’re surprised, you can’t move or take an action on your first turn of the combat, and you can’t take a reaction until that turn ends.</li> </ul>This is what surprise is and surprisingly people seem to get this wrong while playing 5e, as they bring baggage from past editions to the game.  Everyone involved in the combat rolls for initiative at the start of combat.  A surprised individual can actually go first and has a turn, they just can't move or take any actions on that turn.  This affects things like some rogue abilities, or special spell or zone effects that trigger off of the start of your turn or your turn ending.I would never allow surprise without some kind of skill check vs a passive notice skill.  In the examples the OP lists as no check I would use Deception vs Insight in most of them.  Some like the pit trap would just be straight up initiative rolls without the chance for surprise.Never forget as a DM if you feel like giving advantage/disadvantage to ability checks like initiative that is well within the scope of your duties/powers.  So if you feel someone might not be surprised but still a little slow on the uptake give the other side advantage on initiative, if you feel someone was totally caught off guard with their pants down and surprised give them disadvantage on the initiative roll.</blockquote>

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