Ambushes?

[Erithinal]

I was a little curious. Is it possible, maybe codewise, to introduce a bonus to hit/dam while attacking from a hidden position? I mean, it only seems natural, since one would have the time to line up whatever they were doing, and pay more attention. Plus, the opponent was caught offguard.

?

[Glim]

Well, you automatically get the initiative if you attack first, so this is an advantage.

[Forgoil]

Well what kind of hidden position are speaking about? Maybe using the actual skill "hide" or what?

[Isolrem]

That seems to be the basic idea in http://www.forgottenkingdoms.com/board/ ... php?t=4487
basically a sneak attack was granted to rogues in some D&D versions, but is replaced by backstab and initiative in FK

[Kregor]

You have it backwards, Isolrem.

FK predates 3E D&D, and many of the skills are based on older AD&D skills. Backstab is included in these. In the days of old D&D, a thief got one strike, and it had to be either from a hidden position or delivered to the back of an unaware individual.

Initiative is also something that is D&D, both new and old. Initiative basically means who gets to strike first. When you attack someone from an ambush or a surprize position, you get to roll for surprize, if the surprize is successful, you gain the initiative automatically. If there was no surprize, initiative was determined by who rolled highest on the dice, then each player and opponent or NPC would attack in descending order of their initiative die roll. Now, in the old days of D&D, initiative was rolled once, at the start of combat, and that was the picking order for the entire melee. In new D&D, initiative is determined per round, so, you only get the benefit of surprize, if you have it, for one round.

The MUD takes initiative rolls into play, which is what the improved initiative feat helps, an invisible die roll that says, who hits first. Now, if you are hidden against an aggressive or hostile mob, and you attack from your hidden state, you automatically get the first attack, that's your benefit. The only additional benefit you can get is if you're a rogue with backstab, and you succeed in an attempt. Otherwise, your benefit is the first strike.

[Timaeus]

Actually the MUD does not take initiative rolls into play, there aren't any never has been any. Aggressive mobs always have "initiative" over PCs they can see. A PC only gains "initiative" if they begin the combat. So calling it initiative is not very correct. Its first strike and then whoever is attacked first suffers a lag on their actions which is then mitigated by the improved initiative feat as the code stands.

[Sean]

In new D&D, initiative is determined per round, so, you only get the benefit of surprize, if you have it, for one round.

Suprise applies for one round, because you get a suprise round. But in 3.5, Init is checked at the start of the battle, and remains constant unless someone's Init check changes (Readying an action, waiting, ext).

See PHB v3.5, Pg 136, right column, 2nd to last paragraph labeled "Initiative Checks:"

"The DM finds out what order characters are acting in, counting down from the highest result to the lowest, and each character acts in turn. <b>In every round that follows, the characters act in the same order</b> (unless a character takes an action that results in his or her initative changing;...)"

[Kregor]

Heh, you're right, Sean. I got it backwards. In AD&D it was an initiative roll every round:

Second Edition PHB states: "At the start of each round of battle, an initiative roll is made. This roll can be modified by the abilities of the combatants and by the situation. The person or side with the with the lower modified die roll acts first."

In 3.5E, as you said, they cut it to once a melee. My mistake.