Post by K Man on Jul 18, 2006 15:17:51 GMT -5
In the most recent round of battle in "The Gods Are Crazy" a PC fired a ranged touch attack (Eldritch Blast) against an enemy surrounded by oppoenents. Normally, such a thing with regards to cover would be easy to rule, but here's the kicker, the PC firing the spell was flying. He was 20 feet in the air, firing at a huge attacker surrounded by large or smaller enemies.
It was Japic's PC and during a converation via IM, I ruled that the enemy had cover (much to his dismay )--but was I right? There are no rules for flying creatures and cover and it certainly makes sense that a creature with most of its mass on the same level as you should not be granted cover as there is nothing impeding your shot...but I wanted to see what other people think.
Here are the rules for cover from the SRD;
And since it was a huge creature, here's Big Creatures and Cover;
My thoughts were that because Japic's PC could not draw an unhindered line to the base of the Prince due to companions in the way, the enemy had cover. If you look at it at side view, it makes sense;
HH
HH
HH = Huge creature side view
CC
CC = Large companion creature side view
P = Flying PC
It makes sense to see it like this, the huge creature easily gets cover as the large companion creature blocks half its mass...but why can't the beam be straight and hit the top unimpeded? In this particular instance, the PC was robbed of a killing villain blow because the bolt missed due to cover so it was worth arguing for sure.
Or is this just introducing too much geometry into D&D? Should we be concerned with determing lines of sight from angles to bases when flight is involved because it makes logical sense?
What do you guys think?
It was Japic's PC and during a converation via IM, I ruled that the enemy had cover (much to his dismay )--but was I right? There are no rules for flying creatures and cover and it certainly makes sense that a creature with most of its mass on the same level as you should not be granted cover as there is nothing impeding your shot...but I wanted to see what other people think.
Here are the rules for cover from the SRD;
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).
When making a melee attack against an adjacent target, your target has cover if any line from your square to the target's square goes through a wall (including a low wall). When making a melee attack against a target that isn't adjacent to you (such as with a reach weapon), use the rules for determining cover from ranged attacks.
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).
When making a melee attack against an adjacent target, your target has cover if any line from your square to the target's square goes through a wall (including a low wall). When making a melee attack against a target that isn't adjacent to you (such as with a reach weapon), use the rules for determining cover from ranged attacks.
And since it was a huge creature, here's Big Creatures and Cover;
Big Creatures and Cover
Any creature with a space larger than 5 feet (1 square) determines cover against melee attacks slightly differently than smaller creatures do. Such a creature can choose any square that it occupies to determine if an opponent has cover against its melee attacks. Similarly, when making a melee attack against such a creature, you can pick any of the squares it occupies to determine if it has cover against you.
Any creature with a space larger than 5 feet (1 square) determines cover against melee attacks slightly differently than smaller creatures do. Such a creature can choose any square that it occupies to determine if an opponent has cover against its melee attacks. Similarly, when making a melee attack against such a creature, you can pick any of the squares it occupies to determine if it has cover against you.
My thoughts were that because Japic's PC could not draw an unhindered line to the base of the Prince due to companions in the way, the enemy had cover. If you look at it at side view, it makes sense;
[/pre]
P
HH
HHCC
HHCC______
HH
HH
HH = Huge creature side view
CC
CC = Large companion creature side view
P = Flying PC
It makes sense to see it like this, the huge creature easily gets cover as the large companion creature blocks half its mass...but why can't the beam be straight and hit the top unimpeded? In this particular instance, the PC was robbed of a killing villain blow because the bolt missed due to cover so it was worth arguing for sure.
Or is this just introducing too much geometry into D&D? Should we be concerned with determing lines of sight from angles to bases when flight is involved because it makes logical sense?
What do you guys think?