I’m fairly new to the hobby. I’ve only been playing for a few months. Nonetheless, I’ll be hosting my first one-shot this Friday! I’m pretty excited and a bit nervous.

My question is fairly simple: if the characters surprise an enemy who is currently seated, should I consider the enemy prone?

I also wouldn’t mind any other quick tips for me. Thank you :)

i have been DMing for over a year now and honestly i would rule no, prone to me would suggest it would take time and effort to correct such a position like lying on the ground being seated like in a chair could easily and quickly corrected but that is my opinion lol

i would also like to add a quick tip in general is i know being a DM can be intimidating but my advice is to remain calm and have fun with it, you dont have to be perfect and always remain stern but fair, dont let your players walk all over you but dont rule them with an iron fist, you dont have to know all the rules off the top of your head but keep the players guide and dungeon master guides ( if available to you ) within arms length and dont be afraid to ask questions, again im a DM of over a year and i constantly forget rules and always need to look things up :)

My immediate knee-jerk reaction on the common-sense everyday definition of "prone" is no. But, looking at the rules, according to the "prone" condition: 

• A prone creature's only movement option is to crawl, unless it stands up and thereby ends the condition.
• The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls.
• An attack roll against the creature has advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature. Otherwise, the attack roll has disadvantage.

This actually seems like it is probably a good summary of how being seated in a chair would affect you... You can't walk around unless you stand up from the chair. "Crawling" in this case would be shimmying the chair around, I guess. You should have disadvantage on attack rolls for most types of attacks while seated (you won't have the proper freedom to fire a bow, swing a sword, etc). Attack rolls against you from adjacent enemies should have advantage, because while seated you cannot easily dodge. Ranged attacks have disadvantage because while seated you present a slightly smaller target than if standing (this one is the least applicable, but I can still see it).

Looking at the effects, I believe that I would probably rule that yes, the prone condition applies to a seated opponent.

Nah, because then Han would be shooting at Disadvantage.

Take some pepto bismol before the game.

If you don't know the answer to something, make a judgement call and tell the players you'll look it up after. Stopping the game for a ruling can spoil the fun. Keep up the flow.

If the party is getting smashed, let the next hit on the bad guy kill him.

Sometimes the PCs do dumb stuff. As long as it isn't murderhobo, then let it go.

Quote from Wysperra >>

Nah, because then Han would be shooting at Disadvantage.

LOL.

Han has the Lucky feat so he was able to re-roll his fail.