Linked Questions
11 questions linked to/from What happens when initiative allows a player to act before the player that started the combat?
8
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Can you cast a spell before Initiative has been rolled? [duplicate]
I've started Lost Mines of Phandelver a week ago and I want to know if I'm doing this right. My group has a rogue and a sorcerer in it.
When the rogue sneaks up on a target (he rolls a Stealth Check ...
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4
votes
3
answers
770
views
Is initiative order affected by a player volunteering to begin combat? [duplicate]
In the campaign I run, it is frequently the case that one player will make an attack against an unsurprised enemy to start combat. For example:
DM: "At the end of the long hall, you see a large ...
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51
votes
9
answers
13k
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What to do when surprise and a high initiative roll conflict with the narrative?
Consider the following situation. Two creatures A and B sneak up on a creature X, successfully remaining unnoticed by it. Without signalling this to B in any way, A then throws a dagger at X from its ...
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49
votes
4
answers
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Can I choose to delay my turn in combat?
In D&D 4e there was an option to Delay your initiative:
Perform your actions as desired and adjust your initiative to your new
position in the order.
Does this rule to change initiative ...
- 763
22
votes
7
answers
4k
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Would this house rule on initiating combat be balanced?
My question is similar to this question about a house-rule that the initiator of combat acts first but skips their first turn in initiative, but about the opposite situation. The author of that ...
- 46k
31
votes
6
answers
35k
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At which moment does the 'Surprised' state disappear?
I am trying to figure out if the surprised state ends on a creature after the first attack of a surprise round, or if the surprised state (which I would then see almost as an unofficial condition) ...
- 783
19
votes
7
answers
3k
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Is this alternative initiative house-rule balanced?
As a fairly new DM, one thing that has commonly occurred in my sessions so far is my PC's starting combat outside of initiative.
For example after a telepathic conversation with a Nothic was going ...
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9
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6
answers
4k
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Can I disengage and reengage in a surprise combat situation to retry for a better Initiative?
There are lots of questions posted about surprise and initative, but one scenario still seems ambiguous to me. If this has been answered, please link, as I couldn't find it.
Scenario: A player is ...
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25
votes
2
answers
5k
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How much can a surprised character do?
When a character is surprised, they can't move or take actions (including bonus actions) on their first turn, and they can't use a reaction until the end of their first turn.
Well and good.
But can ...
- 72.8k
13
votes
5
answers
2k
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How does initiative work when teleporting into combat?
A Wizard PC Teleports their party from a safe place directly to the location of a group of foes, who the party intends to attack.
If the foes did not know this was about to happen, they should be ...
- 19k
21
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3
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If an attack alerts someone to your presence, can their initiative save them from being surprised in time?
In D&D 5e "Surprise" is a condition that can affect a creature during the first round of combat, only until the end of their turn:
[... T]he GM compares the Dexterity (Stealth) checks ...
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