[RPG] Can you pass an entire surprise round

dnd-3.5epathfinder-1esurprise

Looking at this question about sniping, in this situation:

Example 3

A wields a loaded crossbow and waits on on a cliff overlooking a valley for B to walk by. A is unobserved and has a low obstacle for cover. B, 360 ft. away, walks by. An opposed skill check is made (A's Hide skill versus B's Spot skill at -36 for distance). A wins the opposed skill check. A's presence is unknown to B. A, during the surprise, fires his crossbow round at B.

The problem is that A doesn't get a move action to hide again. With only two combatants, the surprise round lets A act but not B. Can A choose not to act, waiting until the first round of combat actually begins, and thus getting a full action? B cannot see A and does not know A is there, so can combat actually begin at all?

(The original question was targeted at 3.5 but I play Pathfinder, so both answers would be useful for me to understand the situation)

Best Answer

Well, it depends.

If you go purely RAW, you can't.

But that is silly.

The rules of when combat starts are really a disapointment. I would suggest you to see this with your DM. Most DM's house-rule obvious silly things, like the XP-Penalty for multiclassing, so maybe your DM would go the same way with those rules.

Afterall, what sense would make if you got penalized by going first?

In this special case, I would let the sniper shoot his arrow and do his hide check. That's a valid way to rule this situation that won't really break the game.

Talk to your DM and check with him. There's no better person that address this besides him.

Want a RAW solution?

Create a diversion.

Use your surprise round to throw a rock somewhere so the enemy look to that side. Done.

Problem solved.

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