Barn fight, new house rule
Subject Barn fight
Surprise round
Mund hisses in exaltation when he hears his brother say "Take them." He reaches out and grabs Hanz (AC11, 14+12=26,hit, grabbed. Opposed grapple check, Mund 16+12=28, Hanz 18+3=21, Mund wins). Mund slides his forearm around Hanz's throat and pulls, choking him (Damage 8, non-lethal). As Salix starts to sit up he sees Hanz's eyes bulge and the mans hands grab at Mund's bulging arm.
Harp strikes at Franz next (AC11, 4+10=14, hit, grabbed. Opposed grapple check, Harp 11+10,21, Franz 14+3=17, Harp wins). Harp reaches out with one hand and grabs Franz. His other hand slaps the back of Franz's head (Damage 6, non-lethal).
Ran, who was also next to Franz, takes advantage of Harp's hold and slaps Franz hard with his fist, right in the nose (Opposed grapple check, Ran 8+9=17, Franz 2+3=5, Ran wins, damage 4). Harp has to shift his weight a bit as Franz goes limp in his arms.
Round 1
Initiative Mund, Harp, Ran
Mund pulls his arm tighter around Hanz's throat (opposed check, Mund 1+12=13, Hanz 3+3=6, Mund wins) and the barbarian strains until the man stops struggling (Damage 8, non-lethal). Mund then picks the man up and tosses him up on the wagon. "Ok we gots us a couple of prisoners. What now?"
OODM: How do you want to proceed?
From: Mark
Subject new house rule
This is something I have been thinking about for a while and I am going to start using it in this game and my real life games to see how it works.
From now on, if a group or party gets surprise, they will also get a +4 to their initiative roll on when setting the INIT order for the remaining combat. This might work for the parties benefit or to their detriminet.
Let me know if you do not understand.
From: Josh
Subject New house rule
So they would get a +4 to init as well as a suprise round?
From: Mark
Subject New house rule
The get the surprise round. In the next round, what would be listed as round 1, they would get the +4.
From: Josh
Subject New house rule
Would that +4 last into the following rounds or only the first?
From: Mark
Subject New house rule
It would last the combat.
To me it reflects that the party that had surprise is more prepared for battle. They would be more likely to be the ones leading instead of responding.
It does not mean that people on the surprised side can not act quickly. I mean a person can still roll high, have a good dex and Improved init and go before someone who had done the surprising.
From: Kevin
Subject New house rule
I am sure it will be fine until the first time it goes against us. Then we will be howling like little babies at how unfair it is.
It is your world, lets try it and see how it works.
From: Kevin
Subject Barn fight
Harp says to Ran " Get Ragnar to help you get the wagon inside the building and close the doors. Surin, can you come help tie these guys up? Kal, can you keep a watch at the door and let us know if anyone is coming."
"OK, Salix, what do you want to do with them now that we got them?"
OOC: Karl was going to have occaisional access to e-mail. I will give him a chance to check in tonight. If he does not get a chance, then I will write something up for him tomorrow.
Mark, did Chris ask you about running Surin? Karl did not mention it and I do nto know if Chris was going to be travelling with Karl for this 2 week span.
From: Mark
Subject Barn fight
Chris is with Karl out west. If Karl gets a chance I am hoping that Chris will as well. I am going to do the same as you, give them both a chance to answer and then go on.
From: Jason
Subject Barn fight
Isn't the wagon already inside the building? If its not, Ragnar will bring it in. If it is, Ragnar will take a quick look at the unconscious guards and see if he can figure out how long they'll be unconscious. (Can he do that with a heal check, and if so, can he take 10? If so he'll do that.)
From: Mark
Subject Barn fight
The wagon was already in the barn and the doors had been closed. Ally had ordered Ran to do that before the bodies were to be unloaded.
Franz seems to be close to coming to. Hanz seems really dazed.
From: Kevin
Subject Barn fight
Sorry, I missed that part. Delete that part. Harp will still ask Kal to keep an eye on the door to make sure they don't get surprised.
If the question comes up, Harp will offer to do a cure minor wounds to try and wake up one of guards.
From: Kevin
Subject Barn fight
"Allistair, do you know what this Faldor character looks like from when you were reading Olt's mind? If not, you might want to ask these guys for a description. Also, see if you can get a an idea of where the Stormfather might be."
From: Porter
Subject New house rule
Personally, I think that getting an entire extra round is sufficient for those who get the surprise, but you're the DM. :)
From: Kevin
Subject New house rule
The surprise round is only 1 standard action. It usually allows you to move into position but rarely gets you a chance to attack in that round. It is more than possible (and I have seen it happen) where you set up an ambush, make your move action, and then when initiative is set, the other side gets such good rolls that they get the first attack. With this, if a character has decent dex, and improved initiative (what I still consider the most basic feat to take) and then this bonus when you have a surprise round, then that character will have no less than an 11 intiative count, and more likely a 20+. I know that in the real life games that Mark DM's for me, my characters are almost always ending up with initiatives over 15, and that was before he made this change. I always like getting the first shot in if possible.
Of course, if WE get surprised, this will hurt us just as much. But, so the dice rolls.
From: Porter
Subject Barn fight
Mund gets Franz in a sleeper hold before he wakes up.
To facilitate interrogation. :)