[APG] Zen Archer and Trick Shot: How much do they need to know?

[brreitz]

Trick Shot, from the Zen Archer monk archtype, allows a monk to spend various amounts of ki to avoid various amounts of concealment and cover. From the APG: "By spending 3 points, he can ignore total cover, even firing arrows around corners. The arrow must still be able to reach the target; a target inside a closed building with no open doors or windows cannot be attacked."

My question: Just how much does a monk need to know about his target? Does he need to know the exact position/5-ft. square? Would he be able to hit a target that has been moving around inside of an obscuring mist? Could he say "I bet the bad dude's in that building, I'mma gunna fire an arrow and see."?

It came up recently when a the Zen Archer in the party tried to shoot a villain who had dimension door'd away, thinking that it would track him down if in range. I had it crash into the ocean (Spoiler Alert, the villain had cast water breathing earlier), but I'm not sure if I should have allowed it to "track" him that far.

[Stubs McKenzie]

Without the APG in front of me, it sounds like you wouldn't have to know exact square, just know the target is in range, and general location (ran around the side of the building last round? Works. Dimension door'd to a completely unknown place? Doesn't work).

To be able to use the ability in the first place, the arrow must still be able to reach the target. If the target is no longer valid, the ability fails to function.

[Chooky]

I've had the same questions about Trick Shot.

For reference, Trick Shot is:

TRICK SHOT(Su)
At 11th level, a zen archer may hit targets that he might otherwise miss. By spending 1 point from his ki pool as a swift action, the zen archer can ignore concealment. By spending 2 points, he can ignore total concealment or cover. By spending 3 points, he can ignore total cover, even firing arrows around corners. The arrow must still be able to reach the target; a target inside a closed building with no open doors or windows cannot be attacked. These effects last for 1 round.

Say for instance there's an invisible monster attacking your party, say within a dense forest. There's a party member that can see invisible, and the Zen Archer is not within melee range of the monster.

1: Can the Zen Archer use 3 Ki Points (ignore total concealment & total cover) and attack the invisible creature WITHOUT directions from the party member that can see invisible? The Zen Archer knows the party is engaged in melee fight against an invisible monster, but doesn't know which square specifically.

-- 1a: If he can, could he do so using only 2 Ki Points? (Ignore Total Concealment & anything not total cover)

-- 1b: Does he need to make a Intelligence Check to understand the directions of the party member that can see invisible, should he need help attacking said invisible monster?

2: The invisible monster decides to run away. The party knows it has no magical means of transport, and that it can only run/swim/fly, and last saw it going in a certain direction. The maximum range of a longbow is 1000ft, so can the Zen Archer continue to shoot arrows at the monster (albeit with range penalty) with 3 ki points (Total Cover) until it runs outside of the 1000ft range?

[Stone Dog]

I know that this is an old thread, but the question is coming up in my game recently.

I was thinking that Trick Shot was only negating the miss chance and a Zen Archer still had to target a square and hope that a target is in it, but I am not as sure about that as I was.

[Pizza Lord]

I would say he still need to know where the target is. Just from the description of the ability that's been posted, it sounds like a true strike effect. You would still have to see the target duck behind a tree, or around a corner or step back from a ledge above you.

[Dalmatan]

The rule say that I can spend 3 point to ignore total cover and to fire arrows around corners. It specifies that "these effects last for 1 round". Now I'm confused: I can use this ability for all my shots into that round or just for one shot? So I can shot all my attacks or I can attack only with one arrow?

[Alderic]

Swift action to activate. Lasts 1 round. You should be able to ignore cover/concealment on all your attacks, and also on any attack of opportunity you might be allowed to take, until the beninning of your next turn.
I also think you need a way to target the enemy or it's square in case of total cover/concealment, so good luck on your perception check on that aether elemental 1000 feet away

[Dalmatan]

This ability can be used also with Flurry of Blows?