Encounter (PSR Supplement)

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Optional Rule: Surprise

At the start of an encounter, your narrator might decide that some creatures are Surprised. Such a creature is unaware of the fight once it breaks out. A Surprised creature can't move, and can't take any action or reaction, until after its first turn ends. This is summarized in the Surprised condition.

An encounter is a period of chaotic or tense action in which the actions of each creature are broken apart into turns, to make the action easier to follow. An encounter typically portrays combat involving the protags fighting monsters, but it can be other situations like the escape of a crumbling cave, chasing a fleeing criminal, or sneaking quietly into a tightly-guarded fortress.

Rounds & Turns. The chaos of an encounter is organized into a cycle of rounds and turns. A round represents 6 seconds in the game world, so there are 10 rounds in a minute. During a round, each creature in the encounter takes a turn, which are meant to happen near-simultaneously in the game world. The turn order is decided at the beginning of the encounter. Once every creature has had their turn, the encounter moves to the next round, with every creature taking another turn.

Order of an Encounter

1. Decide position. Your narrator decides the locations of protags and other creatures based on the players' choices prior to the start of the encounter, such as the players' marching order. A combat grid can help, but it's optional.
2. Determine turn order. Which creature or side takes the first turn is decided, as detailed blow.
3. Take turns. Each creature or side takes their turn in the encounter as decided in the previous step.
4. Start the next round. Once every creature or side has taken their turn, the next round begins. The same turn order decided in step 3 is kept between rounds. Rounds continue until the encounter ends.

A combat encounter usually continues until one side stops fighting. Other encounters end when the tense moment has resolved, such as when everyone escapes the cave, when the chase concludes, or when everyone makes it into the fortress.

Turn Order

Turn order, or "initiative," is decided at the start of an encounter.

Depending on how the encounter starts, your narrator might decide who gets the first turn. If starting a brawl with a sucker punch for example, the puncher clearly would have the first turn. When turn order is more ambiguous, each creature in the encounter makes a Reflex save. The creature with the highest result takes the first turn. Your narrator might decide some creatures have advantage or disadvantage on this save; an Invisible creature for example normally makes the save with advantage.

In some cases your narrator might call for a d20 roll other than a Reflex save to determine order. In an encounter that's about racing to the finish line for example, it might make more sense to start with a Dexterity (Athletics) check.

How turns flow after the first turn depends on the priorities of your gaming group. Your narrator decides on one option between round-table turns, group turns, and staggered turns. The turn flow method used by default in 5e is not described in PSR, but that's an option too.

Communication During Encounters

Generally, there is no limit to how much you can communicate with other players during an encounter.

However, you can meaningfully communicate to other NPCs only on your turn — or on the NPC's turn if they initiate communication — through brief spoken words or gestures. The Influence action is required for more complex communication, or communication impactful enough to positively affect attitude.

Rarely, brief spoken words are still impactful enough to change attitude — such as admitting to a murder, or performing a vulgar gesture — without an ability check or the Influence action.