Here's the scenario: PCs have to break through a barred door to get into a room. It takes them a few tries to do so, alerting the enemies on the other side of the door who take up positions on either side of the door and ready attacks to attack the PCs as soon as they come through the door, while archers are standing on the other side of the room ready to fire as soon as the door gets broken. How does this play out mechanically?
1. Can the archers shoot as soon as they get a clear shot? Does this count as a surprise round?
2. Can the ambushers attack as soon as the PCs come through the door?
3. When is initiative rolled, and who gets to roll initiative and when?
You would roll initiative for everyone as soon as actions start. Which is when they start pounding on the door.
However, the archers would be holding their actions until they have a clear shot. So their initiative (held for several rounds) would change to be immediately after the guy that finally breaks down the door.
The ambushers would be holding their action until someone steps through the door. So their initiative would change to go on the turn of the first guy to step through the door.
That's how I would do it anyway.
1. Can the archers shoot as soon as they get a clear shot?
As soon as the door gets broken. If the readied action trigger was "a clear shot" then they could shoot as soon as they get a clear shot. If the door breaks but there's cover or concealment or whatever, they either take the shot or lose the action.
Does this count as a surprise round?
Are the PCs surprised? If so, surprise round. If not, regular round.
2. Can the ambushers attack as soon as the PCs come through the door?
Yes.
3. When is initiative rolled, and who gets to roll initiative and when?
As soon as combat begins, everyone, as soon as combat begins.
NOTE: This is how I would probably run it, other DMs may do it differently. This is only my opinion.
So, scenario A) the PCs don't know there's enemies behind the door.
They break down the door. Decide if there's stuff in the way, or dust kicked up, or whatever environmental stuff you choose. (I would just have it go to flinders and be out of the way)
Everyone rolls init.
Maybe give the PCs a perception check to notice the impending doom. Anyone who makes the check is not surprised, anyone who doesn't is surprised.
Surprise round happens.
Archer readied actions go off (door is broken), PCs are flat-footed. Archers shoot in initiative order, be sure to fix their inits to when they act (See Initiative Consequences of Readying).
Any PC who made the perception check to not be surprised may now act, in initiative order. If a PC steps through the door before the init count of an ambusher, the readied action triggers. Fix init if it does.
If an ambusher's init comes up before a PC steps through the door, they can act normally, or ready again.
Once you've gone through the inits (remember surprised PCs can't act) start the first round as normal. PCs remain flat-footed until they act.
Scenario B) the PCs know there's enemies behind the door.
Everyone rolls init.
PCs begin acting in init order (they can delay to re-order if they want) taking prep actions, or sundering the door or whatever. NPCs continue to Ready their actions each round.
The PCs break down the door. Decide if there's stuff in the way, or dust kicked up, or whatever environmental stuff you choose. (I would just have it go to flinders and be out of the way)
Archer readied actions go off (door is broken), PCs are not flat-footed unless they did not act after init was rolled. Archers shoot in initiative order, be sure to fix their inits to when they act (See Initiative Consequences of Readying).
Everyone else begins acting in initiative order. If a PC steps through the door before the init count of an ambusher, the readied action triggers. Fix init if it does.
If an ambusher's init comes up before a PC steps through the door, they can act normally, or ready again.
Continue with round 2.
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The only addendum I would make to Grick's post is that unless you roll initiative when the PCs start smashing the door the archers can't ready actions since you can't do that outside of combat.
You either start the initiative and they have readied actions or they get a surprise round(unless you gave your PCs a perception check to hear them). Either way it pretty much equates to the same thing.. Baddy's get a shot as you open the door.
EDIT: If you really want them to go first just don't give your PCs a perception check... They get surprised... The busting on the door is just too loud for them to hear the subtle knocking of arrows.
Thanks, I think Grick laid it out for me. As far as the PCs knowledge, it breaks down in three ways:
1. The PCs know there are enemies behind the door (through successful perception checks, recon, etc.)
2. The PCs don't know for sure that there are enemies waiting behind the door but are going to assume there are and proceed accordingly.
3. The PCs have no idea there are enemies behind the door.
#3 seems pretty straightforward; the PCs are surprised. #1 also seems pretty simple, everyone rolls initiative and acts accordingly. It's #2 that I'm unsure of. If the PCs merely think there's an ambush waiting for them but aren't 100% certain and are going to act as if there is, do they get to roll initiative?
Also: If two characters ready actions to occur during the same moment, who gets to act first? For example, suppose the archer as above has a readied action to shoot as soon as the door is broken down while the PC caster has a readied action to cast Obscuring Mist also as soon as the door is broken down. Whose action gets off first?
If the PCs merely think there's an ambush waiting for them but aren't 100% certain and are going to act as if there is, do they get to roll initiative?
GM's call, I guess.
Some PCs may try to cheese the system by wanting to stay in initiative all the time, so they are never flat-footed. This is not good.
The only real rule is:
"1. When combat begins, all combatants roll initiative."
So if combat has not begun, no inits yet. I probably wouldn't let them mechanically 'act' as if they know people are there, or they would _always_ act as if people are there. Which is reasonable if you're pounding through dungeon doors. You can still be surprised. So I would rule #2 as PCs are surprised if they don't make a perception check or something.
If two characters ready actions to occur during the same moment, who gets to act first?
Whoever has the higher initiative.