Re: Questions Concerning Total/Partial Surprise
 

You can rule whatever you want, but the wording is fairly unambiguous. If an orc charges me from the front, I can see him, meaning that I am in fact "aware" of the attack.. and if you were my GM, telling me that the orc gets a free shot because he's able to attack me before my nervous system can register the event and jump out of the way, I'd be mighty annoyed.

The reason thugs ambush people isn't just to surprise them; it's to lure them into danger in the first place. If you looked down a dark alley, and saw a stranger waiting there with a weapon in hand, would you stroll in?

Re: Questions Concerning Total/Partial Surprise
 

You can make a free perception roll to see it. This perception roll is usually at a large advantage once the target is actually out in the open, close to you, and moving.

However, since you cannot recover from mental stun until your action comes up, you will be mentally stunned and defend at -4, which for non-cinematic characters generally means defense isn't very relevant.

Re: Questions Concerning Total/Partial Surprise
 

The wording is pretty unambiguous. You cannot defend against attacks you don't know about. And you wouldn't know about the Orc coming at you if you failed the contest your Vision vs. his Stealth. B402, under Attacks from above give a Vision vs Stealth to spot the attacker, -2 because the attacker is above you. Attackers not above don't get the -2. But no where do any of the rule imply that is not possible to ambush a foe in melee unless that foe is above you.

Also, under Instant Death on pg. B423 it discusses unaware victims. It says since your attack is a surprise attack, they won't be hitting you back and they get no defense.

Melee ambush surprise attacks seem completely in the rules to me.

Re: Questions Concerning Total/Partial Surprise
 

Yeah, the orc charging you from the front in the open... Trying to be sneaky? Okay, it's a roll of your perception against his stealth-10 (-5 for moving fast, -5 for moving without any adequate cover).

Doesn't mean it can't happen, though. I've SEEN people get "surprised" by a rush from the front. It's kinda funny.

Anyway, assuming you see him coming, but he wins initiative, so he gets to you while you're still stunned... An attack from the front isn't the greatest idea. Sure, you're at -4 for being stunned, but you can always retreat to negate part of that (Making the penalty for a dodge only -1).

And for the record, I have been the victim of "surprise" in both ranged and melee combat, in real life. Typical melee surprise is often nothing more than someone who was seemingly peaceful one moment abruptly attacking, and you just simply not reacting appropriately (For me, it's generally some form of making sure this is REALLY happening before reacting... A reaction I'm trying to work out of myself). I've also seen a "melee suprise" reversed, where I'd definately consider the attacker "stunned" by the turn of events, though very rarely (Appropriately enough, by someone I would definately give Combat Reflexes to).

Re: Questions Concerning Total/Partial Surprise
 

B420 "You may perform any active defense while stunned, but your defense rolls are at -4 and you cannot retreat." Looks like you're dead meat unless you have good DR.

Re: Questions Concerning Total/Partial Surprise
 

Sure.

I wouldn't fail the contest as soon as he stepped in front of my eyes. IMO, the people here suggesting a free perception roll are being terribly generous.. to the orc.

They are, but you appear to be confusing surprise (a state of mental confusion during which a character can't act effectively) with blissful ignorance.. or stealth with invisibility.

Re: Questions Concerning Total/Partial Surprise
 

[QUOTE=Xplo]I wouldn't fail the contest as soon as he stepped in front of my eyes. IMO, the people here suggesting a free perception roll are being terribly generous.. to the orc.

The attacking from above rule allows a person to come from a hidden place, drop down in front of (or behind or wherever...or optionally on top of) a person and get a surprise attack...if the person doesn't make their Per roll vs. the attacker's stealth. Additionally, because the person is coming from a hidden place that is above, the spotter is at -2.

To me, this implies that the rules recognize a situation were a person is hiding and then pops out to attack someone. In that situation the victim gets a Per roll vs. the attacker's Stealth. If they fail roll, that attack is a surprise attack with no defenses allowed. If that Orc is hiding in the shadows/darkened doorway/etc, rather than above, then the spotter wouldn't get the -2...but the rules seem to me to allow a person to hide and then pop out and get a suprise ambush attack if the don't beat the attackers Stealth roll.

Re: Questions Concerning Total/Partial Surprise
 

Actually the situation I described was not an orc charging you from the front out in the open. But an Orc who successfully hid from you in the shadows, jumping out and whacking you as walk down the darkened alley.

Re: Questions Concerning Total/Partial Surprise
 

Quoted for truth. It's entirely possible to see someone, but not be responding appropriately against aggressive moves. This might be someone innocuous seeming who suddenly lunges, or someone unseen who pops out of hiding with a weapon in motion.

One key here is that rolls for surprise and initiative ought to take place as soon as the combatants can be aware of their mutual hostile intent. So if an orc pops out of hiding and charges, roll for surprise then. So the first turn of the PC's surprise and mental stun might happen as the orc is making Move manuvers. If the initial distance is great enough (i.e. the combatants are several Moves apart) it's possible for the surprised side to overcome their mental stun before the surprising party manages to effectively close. This is bad tactics, perhaps, but it may happen.