Surprise and Initiative
Surprise and Initiative, though related are based on two different aspects of combat. Surprise, being surprised, is a state of mind. The individual or group is taken unawares and experiences a few moments of shock, or surprise, as they gather their wits and respond.
Initiative is entirely a reflection of the combatant’s reflexes and how quickly they can take physical action in a combat situation. Individuals with higher Dexterity scores respond more quickly then those with lower Dexterity scores. Dexterity does NOT impact an individuals ability to be Surprised. The most dexterous individual in the world can still be taken unawares while the biggest klutz may have noticed something was amiss.
Surprise
Surprise occurs based on the degree of Situational Awareness that the players have versus the NPCs.
If you are not aware of your opponents and they are aware of you, you’re surprised. Being Surprised, especially in a gunfight, can be catastrophic!
Determining Awareness
Sometimes all the combatants on a side are aware of their opponents, sometimes none are, and sometimes only some of them are. Sometimes a few combatants on each side are aware and the other combatants on each side are unaware.
Determining awareness may call for Listen checks, Spot checks, IQ or Perceptiom rolls or other checks. These are rolled by the GM, not the players!
In most circumstances Surprise rolls are made on an individual character basis. Some individual characters are harder to surprise then others, Outdoorsman and some types of Rogues, for example are more difficult to surprise in some circumstances.
In the event of an ambush or mass attack against a group, a single dice roll to determine Surprise is made for the entire targeted party, using the most alert and aware character present. (This presumes that the alert party member who notices the impending attack, actually WARNS the rest of the party.)
The roll to determine surprise for the PC party is made by the GM. In situations where the NPC’s group may potentially be surprised, (either by deliberate actions of the players or circumstances) the roll for them is made by a player. Modifiers that may affect the NPC’s result are applied by the GM and do not need to be announced.
The Surprise Roll is made using a D10.
Any Modifiers are applied. Modifiers may reduce OR increase the chance of being surprised.
The ‘average’ individual (NOT an Outdoorsman or specialist Rogue) is Surprised on a result of 1, 2, 3 or 4 out of 10.
Assuming that one or more individuals achieves Surprise then a Surprise Combat Round occurs.
The Surprise Combat Round: If some but not all of the combatants are aware of their opponents, a surprise round happens before regular rounds begin. Any combatants aware of the opponents can act in the surprise round, so they roll for initiative to determine the order in which THEY act. (This is NOT a roll against the opposing party.) In initiative order (lowest modified roll to highest.) combatants who started the battle aware of their opponents each take a Standard Action during the surprise round. You can also take free actions during the surprise combat round. If no one or everyone is surprised, no Surprise Combat Round occurs. Instead you go straight to regular initiative rolls for all combatants.
Unaware Combatants: Combatants who are unaware at the start of battle don’t get to act at all in the Surprise Combat Round. Unaware combatants are flat-footed so they lose any Dexterity bonus to AC. This makes being surprised a potentially deadly affair!
Surprise Modifiers By Class
Some classes have greater Situational Awareness in the environments and circumstances they are most comfortable with. This allows them to notice and process the little clues that give away a potential ambush or the otherwise unnoticed arrival of an enemy. It also helps them in initiating a situation where the enemy is surprised.
Outdoorsmen/women
Being Surprised
-2 to Surprise Roll in the countryside or rural/wilderness environment
-1 to Surprise Roll when Outdoors even in an urban environment
0 modification when Indoors.
Surprising Others
+2 to Surprise Roll in the countryside or rural/wilderness environment
+1 to Surprise Roll when Outdoors even in an urban environment
0 modification when Indoors.
Rogues
Burglar or House Breaker
Being Surprised
-2 to Surprise Roll when Indoors
-1 to Surprise Roll when outside in an urban environment
0 modification to Surprise Roll in the countryside or rural/wilderness environment
Surprising Others
+2 to Surprise Roll when Indoors
+1 to Surprise Roll when outside in an urban environment
0 modification to Surprise Roll in the countryside or rural/wilderness environment
Footpad or Mugger
Being Surprised
-2 to Surprise Roll when Outside in an urban environment
-1 to Surprise Roll when Indoors
0 modification to Surprise Roll in the countryside or rural/wilderness environment
Surprising Others
+2 to Surprise Roll when outside in an urban environment
+1 to Surprise Roll when Indoors
0 modification to Surprise Roll in the countryside or rural/wilderness environment
Other Surprise Modifiers
Certain circumstances can make it easier to achieve surprise, or more likely to be surprised. Multiple factors CAN stack but Surprise Modifiers can never exceed +9 or 9 out of 10. There is always a chance, no matter how dark, foggy, noisy it is, for the character to notice something and not be surprised.
Loud Background Noises, such as a passing train, steam whistle, factory noises, music… Can make it more difficult, or impossible, to hear an approaching enemy. +1 to +4 (Based on volume and duration)
Fog, especially the Pea Soupers that London has, can reduce visibility to as little as ten feet and muffle sounds. The Pea Soup fogs of London are also known for their odor. +1 for thick mist to +4 for ‘Pea soup’
Darkness. Twilight +1, Half Moon or less +2, No Moon/starlight +3, Total Darkness (like in a coal mine) +4 Full Moon is treated as normal daylight. However, cloud cover may reduce that visibility. Light Clouds = Twilght, Moderate Clouds = Half Moon or Less, Heavy Clouds = Starlight
Precipitation. Light rain or snow has no effect. Medium rain or snow +1. Heavy Rain or Snow +2. Very Heavy rain or snow +3. Driving/Windy Rain or Snow (Hurricane/Blizzard) +4 Sand Storms are treated as Hurricane/Blizzard +4
INITIATIVE
Initiative within the Combat Round is determined by EACH CHARACTER rolling a D10 and applying any modifiers that he or she has. These include Reaction Adjustments for Dexterity, Modifiers by Class, any magic that might apply and any situational or circumstances that might impact the roll. The cumulative result is the Adjusted Initiative Roll. Initiative rolls are made by each character at the start of each Combat Round.
Reaction Adjustments
High dexterity is of benefit when it comes to Initiative rolls.
A Dexterity of 16 subtracts 1 from the Initiative Roll.
A Dexterity of 17 subtracts 2 from the Initiative Roll.
A Dexterity of 18 subtracts 3 from the Initiative Roll.
A Dexterity of 19 subtracts 4 from the Initiative Roll.
Initiative Modifiers by Class
For some classes, intensive training, practice, drilling and combat experience have honed reflexes and cut response times in a combat situation.
Professional (Military ONLY) Fighters
-2 to Initiative Rolls
Sportsmen/women
-1 to Initiative Rolls
Rogue Robbers and Footpads
-1 to Initiative Rolls
Spell Casting in Combat
In regards to Spell Casting in general, where spell descriptions say Casting Time, Duration, Time to Complete etc is 1 minute or X minutes. These are full minutes (6 segments.)
If the description says 1 Round or x Rounds, it means Standard Rounds or 30 seconds. There are 2 Standard Rounds in a minute.
If the description refers to Combat Rounds or Segments it means 10 seconds
If the description refers to Instantaneous it means it will occur at some point in THAT Segment of the combat. The number on the Spell Caster’s Initiative roll, 1 to 10, is the point (in seconds) where he or she decides to act to cast the spell. An ‘Instantaneous’ spell will occur in the NEXT second. So if the Spell Caster’s Initiative Roll, after adjusting for Dexterity, is 6, the sixth second of the ten second Combat Round, then the spell will go off (providing the Spell Caster is not interrupted) on the seventh second of the Combat Round. IF the Spell Caster had an Initiative Roll of 10, then the spell will go off in the first second of the NEXT Combat Round. NOTE: The Caster will STILL roll for initiative in that Combat Round, but MUST add 2 to his/her Adjusted Initiative Roll. This reflects the first second being occupied by the spell from the last round and a one second pause to gather their wits and decide how to act in this round.
Initiative Ties
In the event that characters tie on their Adjusted Initiative Roll and the resulting actions conflict (A spell caster’s concentration is broken, or the damage delivered is enough to incapacitate one, or both, of the characters) a second, unmodified, D10 is rolled to narrow down the tenth of a second that one character beat the other. IF that roll ties, then the character with the higher Dexterity wins. If that number is the same, then a D6 is rolled for each character until a winner, the LOWEST score, is determined.
If this Initiative Tie is in resolving characters firing guns at each other or one firing at someone else. And the second D10 roll is a Tie, then BOTH shooters get their shots off, even if one, or both, received mortal wounds.