Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2018 0:34:54 GMT -5
I can't think of this rule without hearing Gomer Pyle yelling sur-PRISE, sur-PRISE, sur-PRISE! lol!
At any rate, I thought I would discuss how I handle this rule, along with my thoughts on same; and solicit your house rules. Naturally, if you like running it from the RAW that's "on topic" as well.
My views on surprise are tempered by 2 ideas:
(a) OD&D combat is deadly enough without making it deadlier, and ...
(b) I like my game to run simple, fast, and easy.
So I use a simple d6 roll per faction. Mutual surprise cancels out and in such a case the encounter takes place at "surprise" range. A thought I'd like to leave with regard to this ruling is this. Monsters in the Underworld are rarely surprised. Almost all have (what has come to be known as) infravision and the players are quite literally in their house!
Surprise means you get a free round of actions, I'm pretty liberal as to what players can do in that round.
But additional surprise rounds, or using Dr. Holmes' idea of potentially dropping one's weapon as a result of surprise? Though I like the idea it seems a bit too much, in this referee's opinion.
One last aside ... promise! My player learned negotiation is a smart tactic and not a opportunity for me to stick it to 'em. Why fight when you can talk? You get information when you talk to the "locals," and information is power!
How about you? Do you run surprise encounters BtB or do you house rule them?
At any rate, I thought I would discuss how I handle this rule, along with my thoughts on same; and solicit your house rules. Naturally, if you like running it from the RAW that's "on topic" as well.
My views on surprise are tempered by 2 ideas:
(a) OD&D combat is deadly enough without making it deadlier, and ...
(b) I like my game to run simple, fast, and easy.
So I use a simple d6 roll per faction. Mutual surprise cancels out and in such a case the encounter takes place at "surprise" range. A thought I'd like to leave with regard to this ruling is this. Monsters in the Underworld are rarely surprised. Almost all have (what has come to be known as) infravision and the players are quite literally in their house!
Surprise means you get a free round of actions, I'm pretty liberal as to what players can do in that round.
But additional surprise rounds, or using Dr. Holmes' idea of potentially dropping one's weapon as a result of surprise? Though I like the idea it seems a bit too much, in this referee's opinion.
One last aside ... promise! My player learned negotiation is a smart tactic and not a opportunity for me to stick it to 'em. Why fight when you can talk? You get information when you talk to the "locals," and information is power!
How about you? Do you run surprise encounters BtB or do you house rule them?
