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I can't seem to find a rule in the PHB that says cover prevents opportunity attacks as it did in 3.5. The question came up too whether allies provide cover when a character passes through a space.
A(Ally)B
------(Enemy)
If you can figure out my diagram, a PC tries to move from A, through an ally's space, then to B. If there was no ally, the enemy normally would get an attack of opportunity because the PC has moved from the threatened space in the corner.
In 3.5 there would be no Attack of Opportunity. Allies provided cover for each other. I can't find any rule in 4th edition that states the same thing. As far as I can tell in 4th edition, the enemy still gets an OA.
Correct me if I'm wrong but you can also engage in melee around corners too, but this usually gives both defenders cover. If one defender moves away, given the 3.5 rules, he'd not get an OA either. But again it seems that in 4th edition, there *would* be an attack of opportunity because I can't find where cover prevents OA's.
Similarly, can enemies still grant combat advantage if they have cover/concealment. This is yet another 3.5 rule I find missing from 4th edition (in 3.5 there would be no attack of opportunity if the enemy had cover or concealment).
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Last edited by Ninja-to; 6th April 2009 at 01:01 PM..
Cover & concealment no longer prevent OAs. This answers most of your questions. You do still need to be able to see the target of the OA so total concealment will usually work.
As to allies providing cover in their own square I dunno - I was wondering the same.
I think that they would provide cover by detailed rules - if you trace a line to each corner of the square that you & your ally share then at least one of them must be obstructed. As it's less critical than in 3.5 (-2 to hit not no OA) then I think as long as you are consistent you will be OK .
Cover & concealment no longer prevent OAs. This answers most of your questions. You do still need to be able to see the target of the OA so total concealment will usually work.
Just a quick clarification so people don't get confused: Total Concealment does, as you have to see your target to get an opportunity attack.
So I guess I didn't miss anything. I suppose it's simpler this way too. Now all I have to do is understand how Stealth and sniping works... ugh.
Thanks guys.
__________________ Minions are a convenience, a way to allow a dm to run many guys with little effort, and a chance for players to really strut their stuff. They are not so that Bobo the clown can kill the legion of the damned. - Stalker0
For ref, the correct answer to the 'does the ally in my square provide cover' question:
PHB p280 'Cover' "neither allies nor enemies give cover against melee, close, or area attacks."
I have a question. in a 1 sq wide hall can a fighter with a polearm fight from behind a paladin to attack the monster fighting the paladin.
Yes, your fighter may attack a creature with a reach weapon from a square behind an ally (or enemy). Said fighter cannot, however, make an opportunity attack.
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In 3.5 there would be no Attack of Opportunity. Allies provided cover for each other. I can't find any rule in 4th edition that states the same thing. As far as I can tell in 4th edition, the enemy still gets an OA.
As a 3.5 aside, this is not true. Cover from an ally did not, in fact, prevent AoO. So, at least you're not missing that.
As a 3.5 aside, this is not true. Cover from an ally did not, in fact, prevent AoO. So, at least you're not missing that.
Wow I guess my group played that wrong for years then. Even when 4th ed. hit, we assumed that allies still granted cover. It kinda sucked for the fighter because once I swarmed him with minions, the brutes just moves right on past into the squishies.
As a 3.5 aside, this is not true. Cover from an ally did not, in fact, prevent AoO. So, at least you're not missing that.
Well, actually...
... in 3.5, cover from an ally did prevent AoOs. (For example, you could close with an ogre through his threatened space by first moving in behind an ally adjacent to the ogre, and the soft cover would prevent the AoO.)
However, moving through an ally's space didn't provide cover, and thus didn't prevent AoOs.
Just a quick clarification so people don't get confused: Total Concealment does, as you have to see your target to get an opportunity attack.
Can I get an exact reference for this as my DM is allowing OAs against my drow while in my cloud of darkness.
Under Invisible, it says you don't provoke from those who can't see you. It doesn't actually say that under total concealment. My DM interprets this as a special feature of invisibility. Doesn't make much sense to me but there you go.
So a specific clarification, errata, etc would be useful.
Can I get an exact reference for this as my DM is allowing OAs against my drow while in my cloud of darkness.
Under Invisible, it says you don't provoke from those who can't see you. It doesn't actually say that under total concealment. My DM interprets this as a special feature of invisibility. Doesn't make much sense to me but there you go.
So a specific clarification, errata, etc would be useful.
I'm AFB so I can't direct you to an exact page. I can however tell you what to look for. In one of the entries describing Opportunity Attacks (I think the one titled exactly that), there's a section describing requirements for making the attack. One of the requirements is that you can see the target.
Ergo, if you can't see the target, you can't make an OA on them, even if you otherwise know exactly where they are.
t~
edit: PHB p. 290, Opportunity Attack, Able to Attack
Last edited by tiornys; 8th April 2009 at 02:44 PM..
Reason: got to book
Well thank god I don't play 3.5 anymore then, as it seems I didn't even have that right...
At least I now know that in 4th edition no cover is granted by allies in terms of AoO. It's a bit of a big deal since the question comes up every combat they get into melee.
Hm now about those corners... I'm assuming cover around a corner gives the standard -2 in a melee situation, but doens't help vs AoO.
In fact, in 4th edition, cover and AoO have nothing to do with each other unless it's total cover or total concealment. Right?
__________________ Minions are a convenience, a way to allow a dm to run many guys with little effort, and a chance for players to really strut their stuff. They are not so that Bobo the clown can kill the legion of the damned. - Stalker0
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