Surprise round question...

Let's pretend your party is wandering a wilderness trail and is ambushed by
a Giant party. They were lying in wait and no one spotted them, the first
sign of danger is the whistling sound of a boulder flying through the air.
2 of the party members make listen checks and hear the boulder before it
hits the group. The group now rolls initiative and only the two who made
their listen checks can act in the next round. Player X rolls real low on
their initiative and did not make their listen check, so does not get to act
in the surprise round, and their initiative is so low that they in fact
don't get to act until the giants have had three volleys of boulders.

So the question is, should the first attack have been the surprise round?
It seems rather unfair that the Giants get to attack three times before
Player X can act. I can definitely see twice given the a failed spot/listen
and low initiative roll, but the first boulder attack should have been the
surprise round IMHO

Thoughts from the community??

"Master Grunthros the Flatulent" <erich__G DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote in
news:9TpMf.134436$0G.41040@dukeread10:

> Let's pretend your party is wandering a wilderness trail and is
> ambushed by a Giant party. They were lying in wait and no one spotted
> them, the first sign of danger is the whistling sound of a boulder
> flying through the air. 2 of the party members make listen checks and
> hear the boulder before it hits the group. The group now rolls
> initiative and only the two who made their listen checks can act in
> the next round. Player X rolls real low on their initiative and did
> not make their listen check, so does not get to act in the surprise
> round, and their initiative is so low that they in fact don't get to
> act until the giants have had three volleys of boulders.
>
> So the question is, should the first attack have been the surprise
> round? It seems rather unfair that the Giants get to attack three
> times before Player X can act. I can definitely see twice given the a
> failed spot/listen and low initiative roll, but the first boulder
> attack should have been the surprise round IMHO


When the giants attacked, combat started. At THAT point, not when the
boulders are in the air or hitting the party, you have to determine who
is aware of whom, and who gets to participate in the surprise round.
Since everyone failed their spot checks, only the giants participate.
After the surprise round, everyone is aware of combat, and acts in
initiative order.

The extra listen check is just, well, weird.