In order to understand how the game has changed from its original concept, one has to research the rules of later systems and the changes made. Any changes in the rules, such as leaving out the movement rate in the table header, are errors and arent changes in the rules.Accessories/ 1 11:14 - Al-Qadim/ 1 10:37 - Birthright/ 1 11:29 - Core/ 1 12:12 - Dark Sun/ 1 12:57 - Diablo II/ 1 13:08 - Dragonlance/ 1 14:49 - Forgotten Realms/ 1 16:55 - Greyhawk/ 1 16:03 - Lankhmar/ 1 16:28 - Modules/ 1 19:03 - Planescape/ 1 18:24 - Ravenloft/ 1. They are the exact same rules, with a new layout, art, and trade dress. The reprints of AD&D 2nd edition core books are not new editions in the game sense, just new editions in the book-printing sense.

Really the only thing Im not getting with it is how the number is used to actually determine the order of actions, because in one section it states that initiative is re rolled. So me and some friends are going to be playing 2nd edition here really soon, and so far everything seems to make perfect sense, except for initiative. I'll use the 2nd Edition rules (originally printed in 1989) to show how the rules evolved from confusion towards clarity.Ad&d 2nd Edition.

Casting times, speed factors, and segment movement were all tied to this structure in some way. In AD&D 1E, the one minute round was broken down into 10 segments of 6 seconds each. The important thing to remember through all this is that the round structure changed from 1st to 2nd Edition. There are also a few paragraphs and a chart in the Dungeon Master's Guide.

I have learned that Gygax also used a d10 for Initiative in his own campaigns, but that has no bearing on this discussion (it's simply interesting to note that the game was evolving even after the AD&D rules were developed).Includes all the content from the D&D 5th Edition SRD, allowing you to start creating. The next important thing to know is that the die used for surprise changed from a d6 (which were easier to locate for AD&D 1E players) to a d10 (which, by the time 2E came along, polyhedral dice could be found virtually anywhere). A melee round is still 1 minute long, but it is now the smallest unit of time in the game.

In this version, the chance is 3 in 10 (or 30%) which is also very close to the 33-1/3% of rolling a 2 in 6 (probably intentionally done). Mine is a 1st printing, so if your page structure differs, or the rules were amended at some point with corrections, then you can disregard any statements that may differ from your rulebook.The very first line seems to indicate exactly what I've been stressing in my other surprise articles: surprise is usually unilateral. Not all printings have the same page structure so it may be different in your book.

If no one is paying particular attention to something, saying they are alert for danger, or are otherwise distracted, then they can roll as a group. Curiously, it says that the DM can have the group check or require individual checks. Again, it stresses that it's the DM's call as to whether surprise conditions exist, and it depends entirely on the situation. It then gives examples as to how surprise can or cannot be avoided.

Thus, if a monster is silent (-2) and invisible (-2), the party's die roll is reduced by 4. Light, excessive noise, and other types of prior warning can negate the need for a surprise roll, and surprise is not usually possible when no form of concealment is present (such as two ships at sea), but darkness, storms, fog, and the like can act as concealment.It is important to note that the modifiers listed in the DMG apply to the DIE ROLL, not the chance to surprise. Here it explains that surprise may be possible for BOTH sides. 102 (mine is a 10th printing to replace a badly damage 1st printing). The modifiers are given in the DMG, p.

Individual surprise is the DM's call. Now, if the same party had never encountered the wounded orcs, and the trogs had not previously battled the orcs and released their stench, then they would have a modifier of -3 to their surprise roll, thus doubling the chance of being surprised! The decision to roll group vs. So long as the party rolls a 3 or above they will not be surprised. Yes, this can become very convoluted! However, the 3 in 10 chance remains the same regardless, and the die roll is modified by (+1 - 3 - 1 + 2 + 2 =) +1. If the party comes near a patrol of 12 troglodytes (+1 per 10 in group) who are camouflaged (-3) in a dimly lit tunnel (-1), the DM is within reason to give the party a bonus for the distinctive stench of the trogs (+2) and an additional +2 because a small band of fleeing, wounded orcs encountered earlier warned the party of the presence of trogs ahead.

Elves, when alone or well in advance of a party and not in metal armor, impose a penalty of -4 to their opponent's surprise rolls (or -2 if they have to open a door or screen to attack). A character with a 5 Dexterity (-1 Reaction Adj.) would be surprised, while a character with an average Dexterity or more would not be surprised. Say that the group surprise roll was a 4 with no other modifiers to the roll.

However, they do gain access to Hide in Shadows and Move Silently (as do Thieves), so they benefit from the modifiers to the roll given in the DMG for being silent (-2) or invisible (-2). Rangers in 2E no longer have surprise modifiers built into the class. Half-elves do not share this ability in either edition of the game. Halflings have the same modifiers as Elves. Elves also tend to have better Dex scores, so they would be less likely to be surprised by others. Granted, 70% and 66.6666% is close, but 50% chance is much more than 33.3333%.

Unfortunately, instead of converting from 1E AD&D percentages to d10 increments, the authors kept the weird, non-standard surprise chance of the dark elves. It states that they are only themselves surprised 1 in 10 (to which standard modifiers are likely to be added). Finally, the accursed Drow are STILL listed as surprising 75% of the time (can't be rolled on a d10 guys) and also move silently (which is apparently already factored into their elven cloak and boots). This is an improvement over 1E AD&D. Bugbears, another traditionally stealthy monster, are specifically listed as surprising with a -3 penalty to their opponent's surprise roll (which is better than simply silent movement at -2). Troglodytes are camouflage attackers, so one would think a modifier would be nailed down on these creatures, but the Monstrous Compendium only states that they have camouflage ability, and in the DMG camouflage is given a range of -1 to -3 (which oddly enough can equal or EXCEED being invisible, which is only -2).

If the ambush succeeds, the ambushing group gets its initial attack AND the other group must roll for surprise as well in the following round, so an ambushing group may gain TWO rounds of attacks before the other group can reply. A properly set ambush allows the use of spells and attacks before the other side reacts. Here it states that an ambush is prepared by one group to make an unexpected attack on another group but ONLY if the DM decides that the other group CANNOT detect the ambush.

Although one would see this as being very unfair for magic-users, they can still use magic items (if available) and prevents instant-cast magic missiles and charm person spells from overtaking the party. If you can do it in a round, then you can do it in a surprise round, with the only exception being that spells cannot be cast. This means that all the fiddly surprise rules are basically out the window in 2E! You don't have to worry about movement rates in segments, casting times for spells, or anything else. Instead, all surprised opponents suffer the same penalty - one round of attacks by melee, missile, or magical items only (no spells can be cast during a surprise round!). However, there are no segments in 2E.

Ad&D 2Nd Edition