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Should I be able to use the Gloom Stalker ranger's Dread Ambusher class feature when attacking before initiative has been rolled to add a d8 damage?

When exactly does combat start and surprise take effect?Is the Alert Feat better than an Ability Score Improvement for a Rogue?Can a hidden attacker shoot around the corner?How does a Gloom Stalker's Dread Ambusher interact with Extra Attack?How does a Gloom Stalker's Dread Ambusher's timing interact with Extra Attack?What are the impacts of changing a Ranger's spellcasting ability?Can an abjuration wizard willingly dismiss their Arcane Ward or allow an attack to bypass it?How high can a PC's initiative bonus get?Does this level 10 multiclass combo work?Does the Gloom Stalker ranger's Dread Ambusher feature grant a separate attack?How powerful is the invisibility granted by the Gloom Stalker ranger's Umbral Sight feature?

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4

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There was a case in a in a session of my Homebrewy D&D 5e game that I played recently where I was playing a Gloom Stalker Ranger lvl 4 and was hidden from an enemy that was unaware of an incoming attack. In the spirit of the ambusher that is the Gloom Stalker my DM allowed me to role the extra d8, normally granted to me by Dread Ambusher feature on the bonus attack that I would get on the first turn of initiative order, for the damage that I dealt to the creature; similarly to a rogues sneak attack.

Should a Gloom Stalker Ranger always get a additional d8 when attacking an unaware creature outside of initiative order?

dnd-5e class-feature ranger initiative

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edited 5 hours ago

V2Blast

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asked 8 hours ago

BrianBrian

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• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  What do you mean by "outside of initiative order"?
  $endgroup$
  – NautArch
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @NautArch I have been playing the same way for so long that I was not aware that making an attack before you role for initiative is not technically something you can do with out home ruling as Sandra pointed out.
  $endgroup$
  – Brian
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  No worries! Clearing up misconceptions can be an important part of a good answer :)
  $endgroup$
  – NautArch
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Related on When exactly does combat start and surprise take effect?. Has more related links in the comment to that question as well.
  $endgroup$
  – NautArch
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

4

1

$begingroup$

There was a case in a in a session of my Homebrewy D&D 5e game that I played recently where I was playing a Gloom Stalker Ranger lvl 4 and was hidden from an enemy that was unaware of an incoming attack. In the spirit of the ambusher that is the Gloom Stalker my DM allowed me to role the extra d8, normally granted to me by Dread Ambusher feature on the bonus attack that I would get on the first turn of initiative order, for the damage that I dealt to the creature; similarly to a rogues sneak attack.

Should a Gloom Stalker Ranger always get a additional d8 when attacking an unaware creature outside of initiative order?

dnd-5e class-feature ranger initiative

share|improve this question

edited 5 hours ago

V2Blast

30.6k5112185

asked 8 hours ago

BrianBrian

365

New contributor

Brian is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  What do you mean by "outside of initiative order"?
  $endgroup$
  – NautArch
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @NautArch I have been playing the same way for so long that I was not aware that making an attack before you role for initiative is not technically something you can do with out home ruling as Sandra pointed out.
  $endgroup$
  – Brian
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  No worries! Clearing up misconceptions can be an important part of a good answer :)
  $endgroup$
  – NautArch
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Related on When exactly does combat start and surprise take effect?. Has more related links in the comment to that question as well.
  $endgroup$
  – NautArch
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

There was a case in a in a session of my Homebrewy D&D 5e game that I played recently where I was playing a Gloom Stalker Ranger lvl 4 and was hidden from an enemy that was unaware of an incoming attack. In the spirit of the ambusher that is the Gloom Stalker my DM allowed me to role the extra d8, normally granted to me by Dread Ambusher feature on the bonus attack that I would get on the first turn of initiative order, for the damage that I dealt to the creature; similarly to a rogues sneak attack.

Should a Gloom Stalker Ranger always get a additional d8 when attacking an unaware creature outside of initiative order?

dnd-5e class-feature ranger initiative

share|improve this question

edited 5 hours ago

V2Blast

30.6k5112185

asked 8 hours ago

BrianBrian

365

New contributor

Brian is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

share|improve this question

edited 5 hours ago

V2Blast

30.6k5112185

asked 8 hours ago

BrianBrian

365

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Brian is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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share|improve this question

edited 5 hours ago

V2Blast

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asked 8 hours ago

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edited 5 hours ago

V2Blast

30.6k5112185

edited 5 hours ago

V2Blast

30.6k5112185

asked 8 hours ago

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Mechanically speaking, it is not possible to attack an unaware creature outside of initiative order.

Such a situation should be resolved by an initiative roll in which the unaware creature is Surprised until the end of their first turn - and then the Dread Ambusher feature applies as normal, during the Gloom Stalker's first turn bonus attack.

---

Thematically speaking, if your DM adjucates surprise with an attack "outside of initiative", applying the extra d8 to a Gloom Stalker's attack is appropriate.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

SpeedkatSpeedkat

4,9061037

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5

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Yes

XGE p 42 says "at the start of your first round in combat" to describe the Dread Ambusher ability.

Making Attack actions without (or before) initiative having been rolled is a house rule, since PHB p 189 says that Initiative is rolled at the start of combat to determine the order of turns, and PHB p 192 says that you take the attack action on your turn.

My group uses a similar house rule (i.e. making attack actions without rolling initiative), we have a Gloom Stalker ranger in our party and that's how we've been running it. The "spirit" of the rule that we employ to adjudicate the situation is that they get to do one dread ambush, and that's at the start of the combat.

(However, if they were unable to take actions during their first turn, for example if they are Surprised, then they miss their chance to dread ambush.)

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

SandraSandra

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Yes.

Dread Ambusher (XGtE 42):

At the start of your first turn of each combat

The ambush necessarily starts combat and thus triggers the Dread Ambusher every time with that creature that is unaware of you and not part of any combat with you. The ambush is the first turn of the combat.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

AkixkisuAkixkisu

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9

$begingroup$

Mechanically speaking, it is not possible to attack an unaware creature outside of initiative order.

Such a situation should be resolved by an initiative roll in which the unaware creature is Surprised until the end of their first turn - and then the Dread Ambusher feature applies as normal, during the Gloom Stalker's first turn bonus attack.

---

Thematically speaking, if your DM adjucates surprise with an attack "outside of initiative", applying the extra d8 to a Gloom Stalker's attack is appropriate.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

SpeedkatSpeedkat

4,9061037

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

9

$begingroup$

Mechanically speaking, it is not possible to attack an unaware creature outside of initiative order.

Such a situation should be resolved by an initiative roll in which the unaware creature is Surprised until the end of their first turn - and then the Dread Ambusher feature applies as normal, during the Gloom Stalker's first turn bonus attack.

---

Thematically speaking, if your DM adjucates surprise with an attack "outside of initiative", applying the extra d8 to a Gloom Stalker's attack is appropriate.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

SpeedkatSpeedkat

4,9061037

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

Mechanically speaking, it is not possible to attack an unaware creature outside of initiative order.

Such a situation should be resolved by an initiative roll in which the unaware creature is Surprised until the end of their first turn - and then the Dread Ambusher feature applies as normal, during the Gloom Stalker's first turn bonus attack.

---

Thematically speaking, if your DM adjucates surprise with an attack "outside of initiative", applying the extra d8 to a Gloom Stalker's attack is appropriate.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

SpeedkatSpeedkat

4,9061037

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

SpeedkatSpeedkat

4,9061037

answered 8 hours ago

SpeedkatSpeedkat

4,9061037

answered 8 hours ago

SpeedkatSpeedkat

4,9061037

5

$begingroup$

Yes

XGE p 42 says "at the start of your first round in combat" to describe the Dread Ambusher ability.

Making Attack actions without (or before) initiative having been rolled is a house rule, since PHB p 189 says that Initiative is rolled at the start of combat to determine the order of turns, and PHB p 192 says that you take the attack action on your turn.

My group uses a similar house rule (i.e. making attack actions without rolling initiative), we have a Gloom Stalker ranger in our party and that's how we've been running it. The "spirit" of the rule that we employ to adjudicate the situation is that they get to do one dread ambush, and that's at the start of the combat.

(However, if they were unable to take actions during their first turn, for example if they are Surprised, then they miss their chance to dread ambush.)

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

SandraSandra

511410

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

5

$begingroup$

Yes

XGE p 42 says "at the start of your first round in combat" to describe the Dread Ambusher ability.

Making Attack actions without (or before) initiative having been rolled is a house rule, since PHB p 189 says that Initiative is rolled at the start of combat to determine the order of turns, and PHB p 192 says that you take the attack action on your turn.

My group uses a similar house rule (i.e. making attack actions without rolling initiative), we have a Gloom Stalker ranger in our party and that's how we've been running it. The "spirit" of the rule that we employ to adjudicate the situation is that they get to do one dread ambush, and that's at the start of the combat.

(However, if they were unable to take actions during their first turn, for example if they are Surprised, then they miss their chance to dread ambush.)

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

SandraSandra

511410

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

Yes

XGE p 42 says "at the start of your first round in combat" to describe the Dread Ambusher ability.

Making Attack actions without (or before) initiative having been rolled is a house rule, since PHB p 189 says that Initiative is rolled at the start of combat to determine the order of turns, and PHB p 192 says that you take the attack action on your turn.

My group uses a similar house rule (i.e. making attack actions without rolling initiative), we have a Gloom Stalker ranger in our party and that's how we've been running it. The "spirit" of the rule that we employ to adjudicate the situation is that they get to do one dread ambush, and that's at the start of the combat.

(However, if they were unable to take actions during their first turn, for example if they are Surprised, then they miss their chance to dread ambush.)

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

SandraSandra

511410

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

SandraSandra

511410

answered 8 hours ago

SandraSandra

511410

answered 8 hours ago

SandraSandra

511410

2

$begingroup$

Yes.

Dread Ambusher (XGtE 42):

At the start of your first turn of each combat

The ambush necessarily starts combat and thus triggers the Dread Ambusher every time with that creature that is unaware of you and not part of any combat with you. The ambush is the first turn of the combat.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

AkixkisuAkixkisu

4,10311548

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

2

$begingroup$

Yes.

Dread Ambusher (XGtE 42):

At the start of your first turn of each combat

The ambush necessarily starts combat and thus triggers the Dread Ambusher every time with that creature that is unaware of you and not part of any combat with you. The ambush is the first turn of the combat.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

AkixkisuAkixkisu

4,10311548

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

Yes.

Dread Ambusher (XGtE 42):

At the start of your first turn of each combat

The ambush necessarily starts combat and thus triggers the Dread Ambusher every time with that creature that is unaware of you and not part of any combat with you. The ambush is the first turn of the combat.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

AkixkisuAkixkisu

4,10311548

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

AkixkisuAkixkisu

4,10311548

answered 8 hours ago

AkixkisuAkixkisu

4,10311548

answered 8 hours ago

AkixkisuAkixkisu

4,10311548