An encounter begins when characters meet a monster, either because the referee has planned an encounter in the area being explored or because a wandering monster check indicates an encounter (see Wandering Monsters).

1. Surprise: The referee rolls for surprise, if applicable.
2. Encounter distance: The referee determines how far away the monsters are from the PCs.
3. Initiative: Any sides that are not surprised roll initiative to determine who acts first.
4. Actions: Any sides that are not surprised decide how they will respond to the encounter. The encounter is played out accordingly.
5. Conclusion: One turn has passed.

A check for surprise is made for any side that is not already aware of the other, as judged by the referee. For example, if PCs have been making a lot of noise (e.g. combat), a monster waiting quietly behind a door nearby would not need to roll surprise, but the party would.

Characters or monsters carrying a light in a dark environment usually cannot surprise opponents, because their presence is given away by the light.

The referee rolls 1d6 for each side that is not already aware of the other’s presence.
Results: A result of 1 or 2 means the side is surprised.

Surprised sides cannot move or act in the first round of the encounter.
Both sides surprised: There is simply a momentary confusion—neither side has any advantage.
One side surprised: The side that is not surprised gains a one round advantage. The surprised side cannot act that round.

The situation in which the encounter occurs often determines how far away the monster is. If there is uncertainty, the distance can be determined randomly:

• Dungeon: 2d6 × 10 feet.
• Wilderness: 4d6 × 10 yards (or 1d4 × 10 yards if either side is surprised).
• Waterborne: 4d6 × 10 yards (or 1d4 × 10 yards if either side is surprised).

Roll 1d6: For each side involved in the encounter (e.g. PCs and monsters).
Winner: The side with the highest roll acts first, followed by other sides in order from highest to lowest initiative.
Ties: Either both sides roll again, or actions on both sides are resolved simultaneously.
In combat: See Combat.

The players decide how they will act.

The referee determines monsters’ reaction to the party. Sometimes, circumstances make it obvious how a monster will react. Otherwise, the referee can roll on the table below, optionally with modifiers based on PCs’ actions. Further rolls may be made at any point in an encounter when monsters’ reaction is uncertain.
Charisma: If one specific character attempts to speak with the monsters, that character’s NPC reactions modifier due to CHA (see Ability Scores) is used to modify the monster reaction roll.

Unsure: The referee may optionally roll again after one round.

Any action is possible in an encounter, but the following are common:

• Combat: If one side attacks, casts spells, or makes tactical movement, begin tracking time in rounds, following the combat procedure.
• Evasion: If one side decides to flee, the other may decide to pursue. See Evasion.
• Parley: PCs can try to communicate with monsters. Opening an encounter in this way can influence monsters’ behaviour (see Monster Actions). If both sides decide to talk, the negotiation may be role-played. Roll initiative as necessary.
• Wait: To see how the other side acts.

During Encounters, characters can move up to their encounter movement rate per round in feet (in the dungeon) or yards (in the wilderness).
Maximum duration: Characters can move at this rate for at most 60 rounds (one turn).

If one side wishes to avoid an encounter, it can attempt to flee. This is called evasion and is only possible before combat has begun. When a side decides to attempt an evasion, the opposing side must decide whether or not to pursue.
Players: Can decide freely whether they wish to pursue fleeing monsters.
Monsters: The referee must decide whether monsters pursue fleeing PCs. (A low roll on the Monster Reaction Roll table can be taken to indicate that the monsters will pursue.)
No pursuit: If the opposing side decides to let the other side flee, then the evasion automatically succeeds; the encounter is avoided.
Pursuit: If the opposing side gives chase, the chance of the evasion succeeding depends on the environment being explored. See Evasion and Pursuit.

An encounter is assumed to take at least one full turn to complete, including time to rest, regroup, clean weapons, bind wounds, and so on, afterwards.