I am still realatively new to tabletop RPGs, I'm more of a video gamer. In my initial experiences with pathfinder and Paizo's published APs there seem to be a lot of what I would call "ambush" type encounters. These are where the PCs open a door, round a corner, or cross a certain spot and POOF, a bunch of enemies appear. Everyone rolls for initiative and if the NPCs win, one player could be eating a half-dozen crossbow bolts. Or they could have a ready action to cast something on whoever opens the door.
As someone who is used to video games, this seems highly artificial to me, a byproduct of the turn-based system and all NPCs going at once, as well as the somewhat cramped quarters of rooms in tabletop maps. In real-time, it takes a second or two to aim a crossbow or cast a spell, enough time that the players could simply close the door or go back around the corner or whatever. Enemies that rapidly flinch off shots should take a hefty penalty.
So I'm wondering does pathfinder offer some simple solution to this? Can't you "peek" around a corner or open a door, peek, and then close it if you see 10 crossbows pointed at your head? If not, it seems like a simple line of archers would defeat any level 1 party. I realize at higher levels you could summon a monster or use some spell to scout ahead, but what about at low level?
