Ambush and Surprise
Ambush and Surprise
Sometimes, an individual or party might want to sneak up on another with the intent of surprising them with ambush. This is broken into two parts: Ambush and Surprise.
Ambush
Each member who wants to attempt the ambush must make a Dexterity (Stealth) check, adding any modifiers or bonuses as appropriate. Not every party member needs to participate in an ambush, but those who do not make the attempt do not gain the benefits of the ambush.
The result of each member’s Dexterity (Stealth) check is contested against the highest of the opposition’s Wisdom (Perception) check. Typically, this would be against their passive Perception, though if the opposition is actively watching for an ambush they might instead roll. Each ambushing member who succeeds on this contest gains the Ambushing condition which lasts until the end of their first turn in combat.
Surprise
If all ambushing members succeed on this contest, the enemy also gains the Surprised condition until the start of their first turn in combat.
Additionally, there might be an encounter where one—or—both sides of an encounter are surprised, such as two parties stumbling upon each other in the wilderness. In these circumstances, your GM would determine who is surprised, if anyone.
Alternative Surprise
Surprise can also be managed with alternative ability checks depending on the scenario. For instance, if a party is engaged in a social encounter, and they want to ambush the other party, they might disguise their intentions with Charisma (Deception) checks rather than Dexterity (Stealth), contested by the opposition's Wisdom (Insight) check. You might even allow a Dexterity (Deftness) check instead of Stealth, still contested by the opposition's Wisdom (Perception), in a more close-quarters stealthy scenario.
Circumstances
Certain circumstances might add bonuses or penalties to the ambushers or the opposition. For instance, if the opposition is positioned near the top of a hill with clear sight in all directions, they might have advantage on their Wisdom (Perception) check, the ambushers might have disadvantage on their Dexterity (Stealth) check, or even both. Alternatively, if the ambushers have obvious hiding places in which they can get close to the opposition, they might have advantage on their Dexterity (Stealth) check, the opposition might have disadvantage on their Wisdom (Perception) check, or even both.
Openers
Sometimes, one creature might initiate combat with an opening action, such as throwing a grenade or casting a power. In these circumstances, ambush, surprise, positioning, and initiative should be determined as normal. During the first round, regardless of where they end up in in the initiative order, the opening creature takes their turn first instead of their normal place in the order. During subsequent rounds, the creature acts during their normal place in the initiative order. The creature must take the opening action they declared before anything else on their turn. Once the opening action has been resolved, the player can take any additional activities they could normally when their turn occurs in the initiative order.
New Conditions
Two new conditions are introduced as a part of this overhaul to ambushing.
Ambushing
Some effects can bestow a beneficial condition called ambushing, which grants the following benefit:
- You have advantage on ability tests. If you would already have advantage, you can instead reroll one of the dice once.
Surprised
Some effects can cause a detrimental condition called Surprised, which renders the following penalties:
- You cannot take reactions.
- You have disadvantage on ability tests. If you would already have disadvantage, you must instead reroll one of the dice once.
