What exactly initiates a surprise round and in what order do you resolve one? I know it follows the initiative order, but let me give an example:
Me (a Witch) and my party are trying to ambush some Demons. We're waiting and hiding party behind a bush, partially covering ourselves with snow (because Winter Witch ftw). The Demons pass by and I decide to cast the Slumber Hex. Would the casting initiate the surprise round or would the surprise round be initiated directly before I cast, allowing my teammates to be able to beat me in initiative and act before me, even though I could afterwards change my mind and just act like nothing happened, effectively negating the fact that the surprise ever should have happened. What I think should happen is that everyone aware of the ''surprise'' should be able to act according to initiative except for the person initiating it, who acts first, because otherwise the surprise round would not (yet) exist.
What are your thoughts about this or is there any rule I missed that (partially) sorts this out?
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In cases like that can often be helpful to consider whether you'd have the same answer if the situations were reversed.
Would a player accept hidden monsters throwing an attack being the trigger rather than the monsters' surprise round action?
Generally, I feel the intent is that any hostile action cannot take place prior to the surprise round. Because hostile acts are govenred by th combat rules, and so how can hostile acts take place before hostile acts may take place?
The way I try to think of it, is initiative starts when both parties would have the chance to notice the threat. So depending on perception capabilities, cover, etc.
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We do it like that.
If you are successfully Sneaking, every person can time it actions that "accur at the same time" after these prepared actions are resolves we roll for iniative and the enemys are surprised till they act.
If someone of the Enemy Party notices you sneak up (Perc higher than your Sneak) the Suprice Round starts as a regular Suprice round where everyone alert is allowed to act.
If they all notice you there is no surprise round.
In cases like that can often be helpful to consider whether you'd have the same answer if the situations were reversed.
Would a player accept hidden monsters throwing an attack being the trigger rather than the monsters' surprise round action?
Generally, I feel the intent is that any hostile action cannot take place prior to the surprise round. Because hostile acts are govenred by th combat rules, and so how can hostile acts take place before hostile acts may take place?
I agree, that's why I proposed letting the person that initiates the surprise round go first in the initiative order, regardless of the actual initiative score. And yes, this also counts for enemies.
We do it like that.
If you are successfully Sneaking, every person can time it actions that "accur at the same time" after these prepared actions are resolves we roll for iniative and the enemys are surprised till they act.If someone of the Enemy Party notices you sneak up (Perc higher than your Sneak) the Suprice Round starts as a regular Suprice round where everyone alert is allowed to act.
If they all notice you there is no surprise round.
About ''occur at the same time'', that might be true, but characters still react accordingly to actions happening in the same round prior to theirs.