Teleport and Initiative

[Fieari]

Oops.

I'm going to have to admit, I've not before some across this situation, even though it sounds like other DMs deal with it regularly. I'm DMing a wargame in PbP right now, and the good guys have just coordinated a massive number of attackers into the bad guy's vicinity. Two mages intend to cast Finger Of Death as soon as they arrive, and another unit is going to attempt to shatter a mirror of mental prowess with an arrow.

This is a sudden attack. The good guys scried, sent out the message that everyone was to go there now, and then did it. The bad guys detected the sensor, and have reason to expect an attack.

How do I handle initiative? Who goes first? Does casting Teleport disorient you any? It would seem to me that such would be the case... but I don't see anything like that specifically written out. I'm also concerned as to WHEN I roll initiative. If I roll it BEFORE they 'port in, then that means they've used their turn and the badguys get to go regardless of initiative...

So, what do I do?

 

[LGodamus]

The bad guys likely ready an action if they know an attack is on the way so ...

 

[Fieari]

Let's say the bad guys DIDN'T ready an action... hypothetically. These are players on both sides, I might add. The bad guys are PCs, and the good guys are PCs too. I don't think "I ready an action" popped up. I've been given general guidelines as to what they want to do, but nothing that specific... the evil dragon PC, for example, plans to both attack the mage when he appears, but also act as a body shield for the evil druid also in the room... that doesn't look like readying an action exactly. That's more "wait to see what happens then act"...

Perhaps I'm answering my own question... either the bad guys readied an action, or they're waiting to see what happens first... either way, initiative is settled.

 

[reiella]

If they suspect incoming battle, and they're teleporting into 'their general area' (as opposed to teleport nearby, and sneak in), roll initiative.

Anyone who isn't reasonably aware, will be subject to a surprise round.

Act as a body shield/attack incoming mage reads mostly as a readied action (although not literally, so it's up to ya if you want to consider it as such), it's a specific readied action to move between the evil druid and the mage, and possibly move to attack. But that's your call really (Since it wasn't specifically a readied action, imo).

 

[James McMurray]

If both sides are aware of an upcoming battle, just roll initiative before the teleport even happens. If the bad guys get higher init and still want to delay, let them. But don't force them to delay past their foe's arrival and first action. That's effectively giving the attackers a free surprise round and initiative on the first real round of combat.

 

[dcollins]

It sounds to me like this is a situation where initiative should be rolled as soon as the teleport happens (i.e., afterwards). Seems identical to two parties hearing each other on opposite sides of a door -- no surprise, but initiative is not rolled until they actually make contact to begin fighting.

 

[Jeff Wilder]

It sounds to me like this is a situation where initiative should be rolled as soon as the teleport happens (i.e., afterwards). Seems identical to two parties hearing each other on opposite sides of a door -- no surprise, but initiative is not rolled until they actually make contact to begin fighting.

I agree with this in principle, but there's a difference between teleport dropping you into the room anywhere you wanna be, and coming in via the door, when presumably the defending party knows its location and will be watching it.

I'm not sure there's a way to do it without tipping the 'porters hand, but if the defenders are truly expecting an imminent attack, ask each to pick a 90-degree arc they're watching. I'd give teleporters surprise against anyone not watching the area in which they blink in. (Blindsense and the like would function normally ... critters with blindsense are hard to surprise.)

 

[Plane Sailing]

I don't think the defenders could ready an action to attack incoming attackers with anything targetted because they don't know exactly where they will be coming in. There are some obvious defensive moves they can set up though, even with low level spells available.

1. Cast obscuring mist in the room. No matter where the good guys arrive they aren't going to be targetting any spells right away!

2. If you can, everyone get against the walls and fill the room with webs (or if higher level prepare an Evards Black Tentacles).

Basically the BBEG's should use their preparation time to prepare area-denial stuff within the demesne.

Other options?

3. Throw caltrops all over the floor

4. Clump together in defensive formation and put a wall of force up around yourselves, probably leading to the incoming attackers wasting their best attacks against the premier defensive spell.


(I'd be rolling initiative once people arrive. Pop the teleporters all appear, then roll initiative from that point onwards (rolling for both sides as normal because everyone will be in different positions from when the scrying took place, for instance)

 

[nameless]

I'm obviously (to you, anyways) one of the players involved, but I'm fairly certain that the Teleportation occurs as the surprise round's partial action, and then everyone rolls initiative to see who gets to perform their first actual actions. I can't decide if the attackers are ready and the defenders are flat-footed, or if both sides are flat-footed until their initiative, though. I can see rationale for both sides.

 

[Tonguez]

I'm obviously (to you, anyways) one of the players involved, but I'm fairly certain that the Teleportation occurs as the surprise round's partial action, and then everyone rolls initiative to see who gets to perform their first actual actions. I can't decide if the attackers are ready and the defenders are flat-footed, or if both sides are flat-footed until their initiative, though. I can see rationale for both sides.

Hi Evil Druid here

I agree with my hated enemy that initiative happens before the Teleport
however its also a suprise round so basically cancels out - the Attackers spend their suprise action on teleporting

The initiative roll determines the real action

Just my opinion but