A couple of questions with a mounted ranger

[Michael Grate]

I have a main cavalier who is melee and a Ranged one (a squire gained with the feat of the same name). Recently a couple of questions have come up in regards to him or certain aspects of him.

First an enemy was to the far left of the board. Ten feet to the right was my main cavalier. A few squares right (I thing 3, maybe 4) was my squire. The enemy used a paralyzing (ranged touch) spell on my main character and he fell off the horse leaving just the horse between my cavaliers line of sight and the enemy. Since my squire is firing from atop a horse himself, how would cover be applied? Would it be partial cover or would my squire be sitting high enough to have full sight of the enemy?

Second, with the same situation, the horse was engaged in combat with a different enemy. Because of this and the fact that the first enemy was using a touch spell to attack (and my squire doesn't have precise shot yet), would I still take the penalty for firing on an enemy engaged in melee?

In an earlier part of the dungeon the characters were outside in harsh wind conditions meaning he couldn't use his ranged attacks. However, the dungeon was designed oddly in that after a wide open area, there was a smaller, outdoor 'corridor' section which based on physics (and the fact that at the end of the corridor section there was no wind implying it dies down there rather than originating from there) that means with the way we were traveling, the wind would have been at our backs(plus I asked the Gm and he confirmed anyway). Could a ranged character fire with the wind at his back or does harsh wind just mean harsh wind regardless of relative direction. If so, are there any penalties or bonuses (shooting with the wind) associated with this?

Thank you in advance for the help.

[Blakmane]

1) technically you aren't any higher than the horse when riding it (still 10ft), so the enemy does get cover due to the horse in the way.

2) I don't really understand. A ranged touch attack isn't 'engaged in melee'. If the original enemy is not currently in melee you don't take the firing penalty, regardless of whether other targets around you or in the way are.

3) This should give you the information you need. There's no direction built into wind effects except for the 'checked size'. Assuming 'severe wind' is what you are talking about, that's a -4 to ranged attacks but you are still capable of using them just fine. If it's a windstorm you cannot use normal ranged attacks at all. Your DM could houserule some interaction with wind direction and ranged attacks if he wanted to, but there is nothing as-written.

[Michael Grate]

Blakmane wrote:

1) technically you aren't any higher than the horse when riding it (still 10ft), so the enemy does get cover due to the horse in the way.

Alright, so would it be partial cover or full cover?

Blakmane wrote:

2) I don't really understand. A ranged touch attack isn't 'engaged in melee'. If the original enemy is not currently in melee you don't take the firing penalty, regardless of whether other targets around you or in the way are.

3) This should give you the information you need. There's no direction built into wind effects except for the 'checked size'. Assuming 'severe wind' is what you are talking about, that's a -4 to ranged attacks but you are still capable of using them just fine. If it's a windstorm you cannot use normal ranged attacks at all. Your DM could houserule some interaction with wind direction and ranged attacks if he wanted to, but there is nothing as-written.

Thank you, I figured that because it was touch attack it would count as melee but I guess the ranged part should have given me my answer and I didn't know about the wind page. Thanks for the information.

[Blakmane]

Michael Grate wrote:

Alright, so would it be partial cover or full cover?

It would be soft cover, which gives +4 to AC but no reflex bonus and you can't stealth using it. Read here for more information.

[Michael Grate]

Blakmane wrote:

Michael Grate wrote:

Alright, so would it be partial cover or full cover?

It would be soft cover, which gives +4 to AC but no reflex bonus and you can't stealth using it. Read here for more information.

Thanks for the info