Currently I'm running a homebrew game that's made it to 3rd level. Our primary villains are kobolds and they use Cover often. I've been told though by a player that I may be running it wrong.
I've had these kobolds (upgraded from using slings to bows) firing arrows from corners, behind stalactites and boulders, etc. In this instance I've given them +4 AC and +2 Ref saves until the moment they pop out to fire; then I give them Partial Cover; +2 AC, +1 Ref. They are not Sniping; they're not using Stealth and trying to target PCs' Flat-Footed AC.
My player is telling me that the PCs should be getting Cover from their shots. Since I'm giving the kobolds Partial Cover at the time they fire the PCs should have a +2 AC from that same cover. My players have also mentioned that the kobolds should be taking a 5'step and then firing, leaving them exposed for an entire round unless they have Shot on the Run and can Move/shoot/Move in a round.
Am I running this wrong by RAW?
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Yes, you are running it wrong, but your players are also wrong. It is worse for your players than they realize.
Draw a line from ONE of the shooter's corners to EACH corner of the target.
If any of those 4 lines crosses an obstacle or creature, then the target has cover.
If none of those 4 lines crosses an obstacle or creature, then the target does not have cover.
What this means is, an archer can fire around a corner at someone and maintain cover while the target gains no benefit of cover.
As an added bonus, it also means that an archer can be around the corner and shoot a medium creature 5' away without provoking an AoO.
Here is a picture illustrating this. The target on the left does not have cover from the shooter. The target on the right has cover from the shooter (red lines).
To determine whether your target has cover from your ranged attack, choose a corner of your square. If any line from this corner to any corner of the target’s square passes through a square or border that blocks line of effect or provides cover, or through a square occupied by a creature, the target has cover (+4 to AC).
So in the case of your kobolds, they continue to have cover (+4 AC) even while shooting. The PCs would not have cover unless they have an obstacle granting them cover (which is probably not the same object granting the kobolds cover).
Basically, this is the equivalent of shooting a gun around a corner, you don't have to expose yourself much.
What Gauss said (at which point the amazing advantages of obtaining cover should be pretty obvious).
Cover
To determine whether your target has cover from your ranged attack, choose a corner of your square. If any line from this corner to any corner of the target's square passes through a square or border that blocks line of effect or provides cover, or through a square occupied by a creature, the target has cover (+4 to AC).
Doesn't the "or border" clause cause the vertical green line in the left-hand drawing to be blocked as well ? That line is passing down the border.
No, as it does not pass through the border. The mention of borders refers to obstacles that don't fill a 5ft square but instead only run along the edge of one like a wall of force for instance.
Loving these images! Thanks for posting them!
Your original ruling could be accurate. If the kobolds stood up from behind boulders you would use:
<b>Low Obstacles and Cover</b>
A low obstacle (such as a wall no higher than half your height) provides cover, but only to creatures within 30 feet (6 squares) of it. The attacker can ignore the cover if he's closer to the obstacle than his target.
(The Kobolds right behind the boulder (treat like a low wall) would have cover, their targets wouldn't) AND if the boulder didn't cover that much of the kobold they'd have
<b>Partial Cover</b>
If a creature has cover, but more than half the creature is visible, its cover bonus is reduced to a +2 to AC and a +1 bonus on Reflex saving throws. This partial cover is subject to the GM's discretion.
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You might even have a mix - the biggest, strongest Kobold's claimed the best boulders - kobold chest high = cover, the smaller weaker ones got smaller boulders - kobold waist high = partial cover.
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Another thing to keep in mind is that ranged and melee cover do NOT work the same way. When determining whether you have cover from someone, use the following algorithm:
1) If the attack is a melee attack against a square adjacent to the attacker, use the melee cover rules.
2) In all other cases, use the ranged cover rules. (Ranged weapons, reach weapons, natural reach attacks against non-adjacent foes.)
Melee
Draw lines from each corner of the attacker's square to each corner of the defender's square.
If any of these 16 lines are blocked by a hard obstacle such as a wall (but not a creature¸ that's soft) then the opponent has melee cover.
Ranged
Draw lines from any one corner of the attacker's square to each corner of the defender's square.
If any of these 4 lines are blocked by any obstacle, hard (wall) or soft (creature), the opponent has ranged cover.
Bigger Creatures
If the attacker occupies multiple squares, the attacker picks one of his square to draw from. If the defender occupies multiple squares, the attacker chooses any of the defender's squares to draw to.
Partial/Improved Cover
If the defender is "visible" for > 50% the GM can count the cover as only partial. If the defender has "a lot" of cover the GM can grant improved cover. Both of these have much less exact criteria than cover in general.
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Here's an interesting side effect of the difference between ranged and melee cover. Consider the following situation in the dungeon:
A
WD
Where A is an attacker, D is a defender and W is a wall. Now if A makes a ranged attack, D doesn't have cover against it. A does have melee cover against D, so D doesn't even get to make an AoO in return.
There is also "soft cover" for ranged attacks, where creatures between you and your target provide +4 AC (but no bonus to reflex saves). That's the one that usually kills most archers.
So there's Ranged Cover, Melee Cover, Soft Cover, Partial Cover, and Low Obstacles, no two of which act EXACTLY the same. Huh, I can't IMAGINE how I could've been confused ;)
I think the thing that's confusing me and my players both is that the rules completely depend on who the shooter is as much as where they are. The guy questioning me specifically argued 2 points:
1. if the kobold can see him he can see the kobold so Cover shouldn't help them at the moment they're firing
2. by the logic of point 1, if the players use a Readied Action they should be able to hit the kobold bereft of Cover as soon as they pop out to fire
By RAW though if the kobold is around the corner or standing in a Small sized niche in the wall behind a 6' tall stone statue they can pop out, fire and Cover still applies even to Readied actions. Do I have that right?
They never "technically" pop out, as they are always in the square granting cover. But yes you have it right.
Mark Hoover,
I think the problem you and your players are having is the 'pop out' part. There is no 'popping out'.
Imagine yourself around a corner with your head, arms, and upper torso sticking out shooting. That is cover.
What you are describing is more of a 'total cover' situation where someone is completely obscured, pops out to attack (cover) and then retreats to total cover. An example of this is incorporeal creatures fighting from inside a wall.
Regarding Soft Cover, the main difference between Cover and Soft Cover (as they apply to ranged attacks) is that Soft Cover has no Reflex bonus and you cannot use Soft Cover to stealth (without special abilities).
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So there's Ranged Cover, Melee Cover, Soft Cover, Partial Cover, and Low Obstacles, no two of which act EXACTLY the same. Huh, I can't IMAGINE how I could've been confused ;)
I think the thing that's confusing me and my players both is that the rules completely depend on who the shooter is as much as where they are. The guy questioning me specifically argued 2 points:
1. if the kobold can see him he can see the kobold so Cover shouldn't help them at the moment they're firing
Ranged cover is not symmetric; just because I've got cover from you doesn't mean you have cover from me. If I can draw lines from ONE corner of my square to ALL corners of your square, you don't have cover from me; but that doesn't mean you can also draw lines to all corners of MY square.
2. by the logic of point 1, if the players use a Readied Action they should be able to hit the kobold bereft of Cover as soon as they pop out to fireBy RAW though if the kobold is around the corner or standing in a Small sized niche in the wall behind a 6' tall stone statue they can pop out, fire and Cover still applies even to Readied actions. Do I have that right?
There's no popping out going on. So no.
Although its not RAW, you could also give the kobolds total cover on any rounds they aren't firing, equating them to being pressed up against the cover instead of acting like electrons in a 5ft cube where whatever their position and exact movement inside of nobody knows.