Post by Rule Hound on Dec 23, 2015 21:33:05 GMT
Surprise
You may declare surprise if someone is NOT expecting you to attack or can reasonable react within the same round. You may have laid an ambush and are shooting a arrow at someone from cover, you may be popping out of a hidden location or attacking from Obfuscate. Surprise allows you to bypass many defensive bonuses such as those granted by celerity or that require a defender to be aware of their attacker.
However the Surprise round comes about the following rules are in effect.
Declare Surprise. ONE standard action can be used in the surprise round, by one person This means you can not gain extra surprise attack using Celerity.
If there is anyone else who could react and act at the same time they have the opportunity to do so (two of you are hidden behind tree's and both attempt to take the surprise action). However, only one of you will get to use a standard action. Initiative will be used to determine who gets the action.
This could theoretically be used to spoil another character's surprise attack if you can act faster than them.
ie. you are a scout and notice some desperado's hiding behind a tree. They ready their bow to shoot and declare surprise. As the only other person who could act you could also declare surprise. Only the one with the fastest initiative will get one standard action and be able to act in the surprise round. IF you are faster you could shout a warning, or attack first thus ruining the intended surprise.
After the ONE standard action in the surprise round a new round starts with everyone declaring initiative. And Celerity can be used.
If attacking from Obfuscate you can always declare surprise on someone who does not see you. This means they loose all defensive bonuses. If combat is already in progress you would act on your initiative and you become vulnerable to those acting after you. (Thing of it as a backstab from a thief in DnD)
You may declare surprise if someone is NOT expecting you to attack or can reasonable react within the same round. You may have laid an ambush and are shooting a arrow at someone from cover, you may be popping out of a hidden location or attacking from Obfuscate. Surprise allows you to bypass many defensive bonuses such as those granted by celerity or that require a defender to be aware of their attacker.
However the Surprise round comes about the following rules are in effect.
Declare Surprise. ONE standard action can be used in the surprise round, by one person This means you can not gain extra surprise attack using Celerity.
If there is anyone else who could react and act at the same time they have the opportunity to do so (two of you are hidden behind tree's and both attempt to take the surprise action). However, only one of you will get to use a standard action. Initiative will be used to determine who gets the action.
This could theoretically be used to spoil another character's surprise attack if you can act faster than them.
ie. you are a scout and notice some desperado's hiding behind a tree. They ready their bow to shoot and declare surprise. As the only other person who could act you could also declare surprise. Only the one with the fastest initiative will get one standard action and be able to act in the surprise round. IF you are faster you could shout a warning, or attack first thus ruining the intended surprise.
After the ONE standard action in the surprise round a new round starts with everyone declaring initiative. And Celerity can be used.
If attacking from Obfuscate you can always declare surprise on someone who does not see you. This means they loose all defensive bonuses. If combat is already in progress you would act on your initiative and you become vulnerable to those acting after you. (Thing of it as a backstab from a thief in DnD)