Cover/Concealment/Obscured and all the Rest

[JohnnyO]

All -

I was just looking for some rules clarifications on a wide variety of terminology in 4e and when it applies.

We have a ranger with the Hidden Sniper feat, which gives him combat advantage whenever he was concealment.

What we weren't clear on was if Cover = Concealment = Obscured are effectively synonyms in that regard, or if there are any gotcha's we should look out for. I understand there is a difference between COVER and CONCEALMENT when it comes to area/burst attacks against him, but we were less clear as it pertained to the stated feat.

For example, assume that the Ranger is shooting into an area from behind an large stone pillar. He obviously has COVER, the question is does this imply he has CONCEALMENT as well, for the purposes of the feat? Similarly, if he is in a low-light situation where he'd be considered lightly obscured, does that also count in terms of concealment as it pertains to the feat.

We've been getting headaches trying to parse the terminology differences at the table, so if anyone has some shorthand rules to use, we'd appreciate it.

 

[Quickleaf]

Concealment only applies to effects that obscure vision without physically preventing attacks. Firing from behind a pillar may be cover, but it's definitely not concealment.

I played a sniper ranger-seeker so I had to know these rules backward and forward.

There's 6 things I recommend jotting down in quick reference form:

1. Requirements to Make a Stealth Check
Superior Cover or Total Concealment
Outside line of sight

2. Benefits of Being "Hidden"
Combat Advantage
Don't provoke opportunity attacks
Target can't see you

3. Requirements to Maintain "Hidden"
Partial Cover or Partial Concealment
Be Quiet!
Stay Still!
Don't attack!

4. Targeting What You Can't See
Perception vs. Stealth
> Success: realize creature's presence and approximate direction
> Success +10: know exact square creature ended it's turn in
Pick a square and attack!

5. What is Cover?
Partial Cover (-2 attack): around corner, behind pillar/door, in small tree
Superior Cover (-5 attack): window, portcullis, grate, arrow slit

***Creatures grant allied creatures cover against ranged attacks only***

6. What is Concealment?
Partial Concealment (-2 attack): dim light, light fog/foliage, heavy rain/snow, OR in heavy smoke/fog/foliage/dim light and adjacent
Total Concealment (-5 attack): in heavy smoke/fog/foliage/dim light, complete darkness, or invisible

***Close/Area attacks ignore all concealment***

 

[NewJeffCT]

All -

I was just looking for some rules clarifications on a wide variety of terminology in 4e and when it applies.

We have a ranger with the Hidden Sniper feat, which gives him combat advantage whenever he was concealment.

What we weren't clear on was if Cover = Concealment = Obscured are effectively synonyms in that regard, or if there are any gotcha's we should look out for. I understand there is a difference between COVER and CONCEALMENT when it comes to area/burst attacks against him, but we were less clear as it pertained to the stated feat.

For example, assume that the Ranger is shooting into an area from behind an large stone pillar. He obviously has COVER, the question is does this imply he has CONCEALMENT as well, for the purposes of the feat? Similarly, if he is in a low-light situation where he'd be considered lightly obscured, does that also count in terms of concealment as it pertains to the feat.

We've been getting headaches trying to parse the terminology differences at the table, so if anyone has some shorthand rules to use, we'd appreciate it.

yes, cover and concealment are different, and not just for area/burst attacks against him.

Page 219 of the Rules Compendium
Cover means solid obstructions that can physically deflect or stop attacks.
Concealment means objects or effects that don't physically impede an attack, but instead hide a creature from view.

 

[mudlock]

The cover/concealment difference has been... covered (), but no one's hit obscured yet, so:

Obscurement is a property of terrain, which grants creatures concealment. There are 3 types (light, heavy, and total) that grant different amounts of concealment (partial or total) depending on how far away the attacker is.

This (and the cover and concealment stuff) is all spelled out in plain-and-excruciating detail in the Rules Compendium, so I'd suggest rereading the appropriate sections until you've got it down pat. (I don't have page numbers handy, use the index.)

 

[mikebr99]

The Rules of Hidden Club

hi there,
I've found this is very helpful... The Rules of Hidden Club

Mike