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Stormcrow · 06-17-2019, 08:15 AM

The Basic Set says that "the GM is responsible for determining when the attackers have achieved surprise," but it does go on to help explain when surprise happens. Let's assume we're only talking about characters like adventurers or guards.

Total surprise: Something happens when the character is asleep, or something literally impossible to have anticipated happens. The book gives the example of werewolves charging through the door of a library. This rather assumes you're not monster hunters looking for monsters; in that case it would be only partial surprise.

Partial surprise: Something happens when the character is expecting trouble but not previously alerted to it. Awake adventurers are usually expecting trouble, so this is the most surprise they can usually suffer.

If you're not an adventurer or guard or the like, you'll probably bump partial surprise up to total surprise, and you'll be partially surprised by things that wouldn't surprise an adventurer.

One thing the rules don't explain is what happens if a party is partially surprised but the other party is not. I think in situations like that the initiative roll can be made as per the rules, but the unsurprised side will never freeze regardless of who wins initiative.

So let's think about some possible situations.

Two parties encounter each other rounding a corner in a dungeon. I'd give each party sense rolls to detect the other coming. If either side failed they'd be partially surprised.

A wild animal pounces from a hidden location on the adventurers. I'd use a quick contest of the animal's Stealth vs. the party lookout's (or the lead character's if no lookout) Vision roll to determine if the party can detect the wild animal. If the party fails they will be partially surprised and will freeze if they fail initiative.

An adventurer ambushes a non-adventurer. A roll of Stealth by the adventurer, modified by however alert the non-adventurer is. If successful, the non-adventurer is totally surprised.

Two non-adventurers in a bar, and one suddenly attacks the other. I'd allow the person attacked a Body Language roll if they have the skill. If they failed, they'd be totally surprised. If they succeeded, but only a moment before the attack, I'd consider them still to be partially surprised, and an initiative roll would be in order.

06-17-2019, 08:15 AM	#5
Stormcrow Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ronkonkoma, NY	Re: Examples of "surprise" from B393? The Basic Set says that "the GM is responsible for determining when the attackers have achieved surprise," but it does go on to help explain when surprise happens. Let's assume we're only talking about characters like adventurers or guards. Total surprise: Something happens when the character is asleep, or something literally impossible to have anticipated happens. The book gives the example of werewolves charging through the door of a library. This rather assumes you're not monster hunters looking for monsters; in that case it would be only partial surprise. Partial surprise: Something happens when the character is expecting trouble but not previously alerted to it. Awake adventurers are usually expecting trouble, so this is the most surprise they can usually suffer. If you're not an adventurer or guard or the like, you'll probably bump partial surprise up to total surprise, and you'll be partially surprised by things that wouldn't surprise an adventurer. One thing the rules don't explain is what happens if a party is partially surprised but the other party is not. I think in situations like that the initiative roll can be made as per the rules, but the unsurprised side will never freeze regardless of who wins initiative. So let's think about some possible situations. Two parties encounter each other rounding a corner in a dungeon. I'd give each party sense rolls to detect the other coming. If either side failed they'd be partially surprised. A wild animal pounces from a hidden location on the adventurers. I'd use a quick contest of the animal's Stealth vs. the party lookout's (or the lead character's if no lookout) Vision roll to determine if the party can detect the wild animal. If the party fails they will be partially surprised and will freeze if they fail initiative. An adventurer ambushes a non-adventurer. A roll of Stealth by the adventurer, modified by however alert the non-adventurer is. If successful, the non-adventurer is totally surprised. Two non-adventurers in a bar, and one suddenly attacks the other. I'd allow the person attacked a Body Language roll if they have the skill. If they failed, they'd be totally surprised. If they succeeded, but only a moment before the attack, I'd consider them still to be partially surprised, and an initiative roll would be in order.