Hey all just had a quick question about ranged attacks into melee, say there is person (A) fighting person (B) in melee and person (C) is on (A)'s side but (A) and (C) are in line with each other, let me do a little drawing: C---->(A)(B), my question is will (B) get cover or AC bonus from C even if C has precise shot?? Thanks Red.
Oh yeah they are all medium creatures
Yes. there is a separate -4 penalty for firing into melee and a +4 cover bonus: effectively a -8 penalty for your typical shoot the bad guy the meat shield is fighting in the corridor scenario.
Precise shot negates the -4 penalty for firing into melee but NOT the +4 cover bonus: you need improved precise shot for that and you can't get that till your BAB is at +11.
AH HA, we have been doing it wrong. Thanks B.N.wolf it has been hard to find a good ruling on that in the books, or i have been looking in the wrong place. Our ranger is going to be very sad though.
There would be a -4 to attack from firing into melee, in addition to a -4 to attack because A is granting B cover from C.