Questions tagged [cover]
For questions primarily about cover, an element in the environment that provides a measure of protection against incoming attacks.
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Does a Tower Shield providing Total Cover in a 5-foot doorway block Channel Energy from going through?
So, like the title is asking, does a Tower Shield providing Total Cover in a 5-foot doorway block Channel Energy from going through?
Aka, can a party heal safely if the tower-shield fighter blocks ...
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Can you attack through full cover?
An eldritch knight wants to attack a guard behind a wall. Before, he casts scrying and thus can see the target and where they are behind the wall.
How should this be resolved?
Is he unable to attack ...
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Does Invisibility provide cover for the purpose of ending Witch Bolt?
So I have a Warlock using Witch Bolt. For the purpose of ending the spell, does Invisibility provide full cover? If not, doesn't this mean you can use the Witch Bolt to locate the invisible creature?
...
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Does a prone creature grant cover to its allies against ranged attacks?
It seems like it's a no-brainer that against ranged attacks, prone creatures would not provide cover to allies, but I don't see any specific rules about it.
Also I guess you could argue that larger ...
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Can you aim for something behind an invisible creature to avoid the disadvantage?
Inspired by the question here. I wanted to ask if someone knows that there is an invisible creature in front of him can the person declare an attack on something behind the invisible creature in order ...
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Does a target have total cover from a ranged attacker positioned on an opposite corner of a hallway?
Consider the diagram below:
N ******* * = Wall
W E ....... . = Open Space
S .A***T. A = Attacker
T = Target
Does the target have ...
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Does a creature have cover when moving through an ally's space?
Suppose that creatures A, B, and C are positioned in a straight line, with A at the start, then an empty space, then B in the next space, and C in the space after that.
A has a reach weapon (and is ...
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Does cover protect against an aura if it only has a gap outside the aura?
I understand that the aura originates from the target and moves with it, and that as long as the center of a creature is within the radius of the aura it is subjected to the aura's effect.
There is ...
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Does Eldritch Blast travel in a straight line?
My DM and I have researched this at length and we can't seem to find an answer anywhere. Eldritch Blast states:
A beam of crackling energy streaks toward a creature within range. Make a ranged spell ...
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How does attacking from cover work?
A goblin is behind a rock that gives it half cover. It shoots its crossbow at an adventurer in the open, and the adventurer returns fire with a bow. For the sake of argument, the goblin, the rock, and ...
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Can I use an enemy as a shield, thus gaining benefits from cover?
Can I grapple the enemy and then use him for cover?
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Does cover work both ways for enemies behind a portcullis or similar?
As the RC and DMB say, an enemy behind an obstacle has either partial or superior cover. The example often used is that of a creature fighting behind a portcullis or window (e.g. in DMB page 141). The ...
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How much cover does Wall of Stone give against a dragon's breath weapon if arrow slits are included in the wall?
I am currently a sorcerer in the Rise of Tiamat campaign (plenty of dragons to come I assume). I am obviously asking this as a player; I am not a DM and never go through the DMG/Monster Manual (so ...
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What is the difference between “partial cover” and “cover”?
Degrees of cover and concealment are defined in the Player's Handbook (pp 280-281). There it discusses cover, superior cover, concealment, and total concealment.
However, many powers and features ...
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How are attacks that hit invisible creatures acting as cover resolved?
| Y | - | C | - | T |
Y = You
C = Invisible Creature
T = Target
The DM rules that C provides half cover for T. The table uses the optional rules for hitting cover:
If a creature is ...
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Does a ranged attack around a corner incur cover penalties?
In case A attacks B with a ranged attack, does B get cover?
I ask because it seems to me that he might not. In the image above I assumed that A has chosen the upper right corner of his square as ...
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If a tiny creature is inside the space of a medium creature, does it gain cover against a second medium creature adjacent to the first one?
I'm the GM in a game, and a player and I have been using a rule for a while now, and suddenly neither of us can remember where we found it.
The rough wording of it is something like "If a Tiny or ...
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1answer
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Can multiple creatures completely block a ranged attack thus providing total cover?
I'm asking because we play on a grid and while DMG p.251 states that 3 or 4 lines blocked by an obstacle gives 3/4 cover if the attack can still reach the target, it doesn't state what happens if the ...
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1answer
339 views
Is the DMG 3/4 cover diagram incorrect?
From page 250 and 251 of the DMG:
To determine whether a target has cover against an attack or other effect on a grid, choose a corner of the attacker's space... trace imaginary lines from that ...
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Making attacks through a cage-shaped Forcecage
A PC traps an enemy inside a cage-shaped Forcecage:
A prison in the shape of a cage can be up to 20 feet on a side and is made from 1/2-inch diameter bars spaced 1/2 inch apart.
How should ranged ...
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3answers
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Can archers bypass partial cover by arcing their shot?
There are two basic ways an archer fires at a target. In close quarters engagements, archers (and anyone using a projectile weapon) would likely use "direct fire", ie. fire at an angle ...
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Is providing cover to an ally too powerful?
According to the rules on cover, when a creature provides cover to an ally or an enemy, it cannot be hit by an attacker and the covered target obtains +2 AC bonus (my group does not use the optional ...
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What wizard spells can create cover for allies without preventing them from moving or attacking? [closed]
Cover is great when you can get it. The +2 bonus to AC/saves for ½ cover and +5 bonus to AC/saves with ¾ cover can be godsends with bounded accuracy when fighting against spellcasters and archers. ...
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Does the area of the Spike Growth spell work around corners or through total cover?
The spike growth spell has a range of 150 feet, and its description states:
The ground in a 20-foot radius centered on a point within range twists
and sprouts hard spikes and thorns. The area ...
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Do the cover rules account for the type of material (e.g. silk vs. stone) between an attacker and their target?
The rules on cover state (Player's Handbook, p. 196):
Walls, trees, creatures, and other obstacles can provide cover during combat, making a target more difficult to harm.
However it only defines ...
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1answer
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If a creature is attacking my character and another shoots from behind, does my character get half cover?
I was fighting against 3 human (A,B,C). The first one (A) was attacking just in front of me, the second (B) was 10 feet at the left side but was engaged with my partner, and the third (C) was 15 feet ...
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1answer
534 views
Does the Eyebite Spell Work Through a Wall of Force?
Does the Eyebite spell work through a Wall of Force? Or is it blocked by Full Cover, even if the target can be seen?
This question is similar to this, but contrarily to Gaze effects the spell Eyebite ...
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2answers
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Does a slender pillar grant just bonuses or does it also grant other benefits?
Miscellaneous Features on Slender Pillar says
These pillars are only a foot or two across, so they donāt occupy a whole square. Place a
dot in the center of each square that has a slender pillar ...
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0answers
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Can I benefit from cover against an effect that destroys that cover? [duplicate]
The wall of ice spell creates a destructible wall, with each 10-foot section having 30 hit points:
The wall is an object that can be damaged and thus breached. It has AC 12 and 30 hit points per 10-...
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Could a strong character wield an object that gives them full cover?
My question is mostly in the title, but here's an example.
Jeff, a STR 19 Bear Totem Barbarian wants cover as he advances towards enemies. To do so, he rips a heavy wooden door off its hinges, and ...
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Hiding in a crowd / Hiding behind multiple creatures
When it comes to stealth, 5e is very vague on what can or cannot be done.
If we refer to the rules as written:
You canāt hide from a creature that can see you,... (PH. p177)
This means that being ...
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1answer
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Line of sight & cover along walls and around pillars
In these scenarios in DnD 3.5, do I have line of sight to the target? If so, does the target have cover?
(A = attacker, W = ...
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1answer
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Can a steed provide cover while riding it?
If I cast Greater Steed and fly straight up directly over my foe, can I get a cover bonus to my AC if the foe attacks me with a ranged weapon?
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1answer
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An archer firing through an arrow slit has improved cover. Do his targets have cover?
I'm running a module that features a fort with arrow slits and murder holes, and I'm trying to figure out what the cover rules are for people on each side of them.
Under the Combat rules, the CRB ...
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From which squares does a Tower Shield provide Total Cover?
When a character uses a tower shield for total cover, which squares does that protect against? Obviously the square on the other side of the shield, but what about the diagonals?
Total Cover: If ...
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Does firing a ranged weapon through a doorway give cover?
I understand that cover works by the attacker deciding on a corner of their square and checking if a line to any of the defenders squares hits something that gives cover.
But if the attacker is on ...
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1answer
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Is the dragon fouling the horse-monster's attack?
A is a Large (tall) creature armed with a longspear, giving the creature a reach of 20 ft. B, a Small creature that's hovering 5 ft. above the ground, has 10 ft. between him and the the Large (tall) ...
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Should an Aqueous Orb provide cover for a creature hiding behind it?
There's an Archer in my party, and I'm playing the party Wizard. It's likely going to come up that there will be a time when an enemy ends up behind the 10' diameter sphere of churning water made by ...
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Using the Hitting Cover variant rule, is it impossible to hit the covering creature if its AC is 2 higher than the target's?
After reading the optional rule of Hitting Cover, it strikes me that the rule is flawed.
The Hitting Cover variant rule states (DMG p. 272):
When a ranged attack misses a target that has cover, you ...
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2answers
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Does a metal box with eye holes count as total cover?
I wish to play as a necromancer. However, despite the undead hordes protecting me, if someone were to snipe me I would be knocked out of the fight due to my low health as a squishy wizard. As a ...
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1answer
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Would the Sacred Flame cantrip hurt a person whom the target is holding as a hostage/human shield?
An enemy had grabbed a friendly NPC and was using him as a hostage and standing behind him as cover. The (new) DM seemed to be implying that the archers in our party would risk shooting the friendly.
...
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1answer
483 views
How to have Goblins Spring Out of Barrels
I would like to make an encounter in a storage room which is full of barrels and chests. The room is, seemingly, only guarded by goblin archers. When a PC runs past certain barrels, I would like ...
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Can an Elf take cover behind a 3-foot square wall?
Given a three-foot square wall produced by a conjuration wizard's minor conjuration feature, what PC races, including those in SCAG, EE, and Volo's, can duck behind it and gain total cover?
...
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Star Wars Saga Edition; Cover and blocking LoS
My group encountered a big problem. Our DM made us fight some enemies (level 5 or so) that used to take cover behind crates/walls/even cars, and used the following order of actions:
-move to cover
-...
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1answer
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Can allies take cover behind my tower shield?
I am a champion who is wielding a tower shield. I raise my shield, and then Take Cover. On their turns, can my allies attempt to take cover behind my tower shield also?
The Take Cover action requires:...
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1answer
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How does the Earthquake spell interact with total cover?
The rules on "Area of Effect" state (emphasis mine):
[...] A spell's effect expands in straight lines from the point of origin. If no unblocked straight line extends from the point of ...
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1answer
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Can I somehow set the tower shield down as cover?
Is it possible to set a tower shield in a place to gain cover but without the the need to hold it with one arm?
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1answer
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How to resolve multiple sources of cover when using a grid?
The cover rules in the PHB say:
There are three degrees of cover. If a target is behind multiple sources of cover, only the most protective degree of cover applies; the degrees aren't added together. ...
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1answer
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How do hidden enemies interact with the soft cover rules?
A pack of wolves are fleeing from the PCs, who are shooting at them with longbows from an entrenched position. One of the wolves is injured and has abandoned stealth in favor of a more rapid escape: ...
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Obscurement encounter advice with size differences
I would like to run a 5e encounter in a grassy plains, with tall grass about 3ā4ft high. Based on the RAW in the PHB, I am taken to thinking that small creatures (goblins) are effectively under heavy ...