Suprise?

[spacemonkeydm]

I apologize if this was asked in the past.
Am i reading the suprise rules right. In the case of a suprise it is a wisdom attribute check? So wis modifer, plus level at a difficulty modified by hit dice?
When i ran this last night it seemed almost impossible not to be suprised? Am i reading this right?
Thanks in advance.

[Rigon]

It is a Wis attribute check, which would be 1d20+Wis Mod+level vs the hit die of the surpriser.

That being said, there are a number of things a party can do to get a bonus to the check as well as not even have to check in the first place. If a party is taking the appropriate steps (scouting, moving quietly, being aware of their surroundings, listening, etc), I would not even bother with a surprise roll.

R-

[spacemonkeydm]

Thanks. I am happy I was doing it right.
I am used to AD&D and btb you rule suprise all the time. So a habit i got to break.

[Captain_K]

I rarely roll for surprise.. its normally just roll played.. I only give rolls NOT to be surprised if someone is really in a position to surprise them. My assumption is two random parties roaming along will hear each other or see each other more or less randomly or one who has the advantage of scent and wind, or hearing, or elven eyes.... it all kind of depends.. many times, simple logic should rule, a merchant wagon train guarded by PCs will not surprise a stealthy orc hunting party on the war path, the vigilant PCs may not be totally surprised, but they also may not notice until the Orcs are just 30 yards away.. a predator cat seeking prey will surprise a party of adventurers without a ranger or druid unless the half orc is down wind.... things like that, nothing hard and fast.. you are the CK so if you want to surprise them set it up to likely do that and if, as Rigon notes, they're being careful they should get a chance not to be surprised..

Normally I don't mess with it all the time, just some times, otherwise it gets tedious.

[Rigon]

Thanks. I am happy I was doing it right.
I am used to AD&D and btb you rule suprise all the time. So a habit i got to break.

That was the hardest thing for me, as a CK, to get right. Not every situation demands a roll. The SIEGE Engine works best for things that have a moderate chance of failure. For example: A rogue who has several long minutes to inspect a locked door's lock may not even have to roll to see if he can unlock it. Especially if the lock is a poor one or the rogue is sufficiently high in levels. It really just takes time running the game to get a feel for when a roll will be necessary and when you can hand wave it. After you figure that out, a lot of the stuff, btb, the seems off, will make sense.

R-

[alcyone]

If you don't roll for surprise, then barbarians don't ever get to use their +2 bonus from combat sense.

[Buttmonkey]

If you don't roll for surprise, then barbarians don't ever get to use their +2 bonus from combat sense.

Good riddance. Barbarians suck and should discouraged from existing.

[alcyone]

If you don't roll for surprise, then barbarians don't ever get to use their +2 bonus from combat sense.

Good riddance. Barbarians suck and should discouraged from existing.

Funny, they had such nice things to say about you.

[Captain_K]

When you roll it they get their bonus, they are also more likely to not be surprised when others are.. that's the shining advantage to the barbarian not surprised while fellow team members are.

[bestialwarlust]

If you don't roll for surprise, then barbarians don't ever get to use their +2 bonus from combat sense.

Good riddance. Barbarians suck and should discouraged from existing.

Strangely I normally feel the same as barbarian is a culture not a class. In this instance I think that TL got it right for my tastes as a class if I had a player that wanted to play a classed barbarian type.

[Treebore]

If you don't roll for surprise, then barbarians don't ever get to use their +2 bonus from combat sense.

Good riddance. Barbarians suck and should discouraged from existing.

Living up to my sig line, I see.

[Captain_K]

Am I the only one who found "wild elves" or a barbarian elf, well, wrong?