The other night we were playing scenario 10 and this came up.  How does being suprised by an elusive monster work?  We ruled that you go to the first round of combat like normal.  The player wanted to run after the first round, and it seems logical that the monster also wants to avoid combat, but there are no special rules for fleeing elusive monsters so we decided the investigator was stuck with a normal sneak check.  (Our default rules question rule is whatever is worst for the investigators).  Does this interpretation seem right?

Surprise says you cannot evade the monster.

Elusive says that you must successfully evade it to initiate combat.

So you cannot evade it, you cannot engage a Surprised Elusive monster.  It would go back to the monster cup in this case without doing any combat.  If it were the Werewolf, it would deal its 2 Stamina damage and be gone.

Once you enter combat with an Elusive monster, it acts like any other monster.

The question here is, can an elusive monster surprise you?  I would rule yes, it can.  It would be rare for sure.  But also it would be rare for an elusive monster to think that, just once, "I can sneak up on this guy."

Maybe it's thematically something like: You open a door in an abandoned building, or turn a corner to find yourself staring at a darkened alley and something bursts out of that door or alley, brushes past you and flees. At first you're too surprised and a little startled to think of giving chase and once you react it's already gone.

ColtsFan76 said:

Remind me your reasoning behind this? I thought the stamina damage from the Werewolf was a movement ability only.

Tibs said:

My reasoning is that it doesn't say it is limited to movement.  It just says if it enters a location with an investigatpr.  I consider "A moster appears!" as entering a location.  But I also expect this one to be clarified one way or another if they ever get around to updating the FAQ.

ColtsFan76 said:

I think I ruled the opposite because they could have just made him a red monster instead of a green one that says to move like a red. Green is, after all "special movement" so it kind of implies that the ability is movement related only.

However, I can support the argument that the green in this case is merely to draw attention to the special text. I too await a clarification on this.

Kevin, JR; why hath thou forsaken us (and our rules questions)?

 Would do you to catch a elusive monster on the Terrible Experiment rumor?

MrsGamura said:

You would have to pass an evade to engage it.  Otherwise it would stay on the card.  But an elusive monster should never surprise you as a surprise only comes from encounters.