A stalker gains an ability called hidden strike, which allows him to deal an extra 1d8 points of precision damage on melee attacks (or ranged attacks from within 30 feet) against foes who are unaware of his presence, who consider him an ally, or who are made flat-footed by startling appearance. This extra damage increases by 1d8 at 3rd level and every 2 vigilante levels thereafter. A stalker vigilante can also deal hidden strike damage to a target that he is flanking or that is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC, but in these cases, the damage dice are reduced to d4s. A stalker can deal hidden strike damage against targets with concealment (but not total concealment).
Once this choice is made, it can’t be changed. While many vigilante talents are usable by both specializations, some are unique to each specialization. A stalker vigilante can apply only one talent marked with an asterisk (*) to a given hidden strike, and only when that hidden strike is dealt against a foe that is unaware of the stalker vigilante’s presence (or who considers him an ally), unless otherwise noted.
Up Close and Personal (Ex): When the vigilante attempts an Acrobatics check to move through an opponent’s space during a move action, he can attempt a single melee attack against that opponent as a swift action. If the Acrobatics check succeeds, this attack applies the vigilante’s hidden strike damage as if the foe were unaware of the vigilante. Otherwise, the vigilante applies the hidden strike damage he would deal if the target were denied its Dexterity bonus to AC. Only a stalker vigilante of at least 4th level can select this talent.
Leave an Opening* (Ex): The vigilante’s hidden strike leaves an unbalancing opening in a foe’s defenses, setting up the foe to be attacked again. At the beginning of the foe’s next turn, if the vigilante threatens the foe, the foe provokes an attack of opportunity from the vigilante. Multiple attacks against the same foe don’t create multiple attacks of opportunity in the same round (but attacks against several foes can cause each to provoke one attack of opportunity). Only a stalker vigilante can select this talent.
My group's stalker vigilante has Leave an Opening. Somehow, we haven't gotten the drop on anything since she got that talent, but we surprised some magical beasts (Can't remember their name. It's not important.), and we all won initiative on top of that.
Surprise Round
Vigilante: Move action, makes an Acrobatics check to move through Beast 1's space. She succeeds.
Swift action, per Up Close and Personal, she hits with her dagger and applies hidden strike damage. She opts to use the Leave an Opening talent on her hidden strike.
Wizard, Cleric, Fighter: Take actions; they're not important.
Beasts: They don't act; they're surprised.
Round 1
Vigilante: Same thing. Standard action, single attack. Move action, makes an Acrobatics check, succeeds. Swift action, she hits with her dagger and applies hidden strike damage. She opts to use the Leave an Opening talent on her hidden strike.
Wizard, Cleric, Fighter: Take actions. Beasts 2, 3, and 4 die.
Beast 1: At the beginning of its turn, per Leave an Opening, it provokes an attack of opportunity from the Vigilante. She hits and kills it.
End of Combat.
My question concerns the italicized portion above. None of us were sure if Beast 1 provoked an AOO on its "turn" in the surprise round. We didn't find an answer immediately, so the Vigilante decided to forgo the attack to keep the game moving.
Unaware Combatants: Combatants who are unaware at the start of battle don't get to act in the surprise round.
It's not explicit whether in a surprise round, they get a turn in which they are unable to act or if they don't properly have a place in the turn order. I've read some other rules questions posted here about things that proc on turn during the surprise round, and there doesn't seem to be a consensus, but the common knowledge seems to be that they do indeed trigger. (e.g. A monster gets surprise and wins initiative, on its surprise attack it deals bleed damage on Barbarian. On Barbarian's "turn" in the surprise round, he takes bleed damage, then takes it again on his turn on Round 1.) Vigilantes play atypically, though.
TL;DR Do things that trigger on a creature's turn (at the start of, during, or after) trigger on that creature's "turn" in a surprise round? Does Leave an Opening, specifically?
EDIT: I oversimplified Vigilante's Round 1 action for the sake of the question, but I reread and realized that my simplifications made the turn incorrect. Fixed.
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A surprised creature doesn't act during its turn, but, according to to "HOW COMBAT WORKS", p. 178, it has its turn:
5. When everyone has had a turn, the next round begins with the combatant with the highest initiative, and steps 3 and 4 repeat until combat ends.
There are several things that trigger when your turn comes, like bleeding, so even if you don't act, your turn comes and goes. RAW is that "Leave an Opening" works on flat-footed opponents.
Thank you! I appreciate the page and section citation, too. That's good enough for me.
I was starting to think that we had the same thought and you beat me by seconds. Thanks for clearing that up haha