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Precise Shot eliminates the -4 penalty on ranged attack rolls against an opponent in melee.
It seems the -4 penalty results from the opponent's +4AC advantage of soft cover.
If that is so, does Precise Shot also eliminate an opponent's +2AC advantage from partial cover?
This novice GM thanks you for sharing your patience and experience,
Larry
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Precise Shot eliminates the -4 penalty on ranged attack rolls against an opponent in melee.
It seems the -4 penalty results from the opponent's +4AC advantage of soft cover.
If that is so, does Precise Shot also eliminate an opponent's +2AC advantage from partial cover?
This novice GM thanks you for sharing your patience and experience,
Larry
This is a non-PFS specific rules question so it belongs in the rules forums, not in the PFS forums.
However, to answer the question, the -4 to ranged attacks for firing into melee is separate from soft cover and is determined by whether or not the target is threatened, and not whether or not there is a creature in the way. Precise Shot only eliminates this penalty. It has no effect on cover of any kind. Though Improved Precise Shot does.
To add to trollbill's response, a person firing into melee where the target is engaged AND has soft cover is effectively at a -8 to hit. Precise shot only gets rids of the original -4 to hit for shooting into melee.
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There are several modifiers that affect your ranged attacks.
You can get a -4 for firing into Melee. This has nothing to do with cover.
You can alleviate the above penalty with precise shot.
Your target also gains a cover bonus to AC of +4 if your target has cover. Extremely small windows of access to your target (such as an arrow slit) might provide improved cover that confers a +8 Cover bonus to AC. A wiast high table might only give partial cover at the GMs discretion, and the Cover Bonus to AC is also at their discretion as long as its less than +4.
If you target is prone, you have a -4 to hit that stacks with the melee penalty and is not alleviated by precise shot.
Soft Cover is only designated by a creature that provides cover and the only aspect of cover that it has is the Cover bonus to AC.
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To add to trollbill's response, a person firing into melee where the target is engaged AND has soft cover is effectively at a -8 to hit. Precise shot only gets rids of the original -4 to hit for shooting into melee.
Well, technically it is still -4 to hit, +4 to the target's AC.
It can make a difference in rare situations (some extreme edge cases).
Also, make sure you ask your GM about who he or she expects to be applying this. Some will assume that since players don't tend to remember, they'll be automatically applying the penalties and bonuses themselves. Some assume the players are applying the to-hit penalty, and they apply the cover. Some assume that the players are doing what you are saying, and taking a -8 penalty.
As always, it pays to ask before confusion sets in.
To add to trollbill's response, a person firing into melee where the target is engaged AND has soft cover is effectively at a -8 to hit. Precise shot only gets rids of the original -4 to hit for shooting into melee.Well, technically it is still -4 to hit, +4 to the target's AC.
It can make a difference in rare situations (some extreme edge cases).
That's why I said effectively...a -4 to hit on top of a +4 to a target's AC is a swing of 8 in what's needed on the die to hit.
