Do monsters block line of effect?

[boar]

Apologies if this has been posted before; I can't seem to find the search feature. Do monsters block line of effect? That is, if I'm standing on square E1 of a chessboard, and there's a monster on E4, can I center a scorching burst on E5? The rules for line of effect on page 293 say that "If every imaginary line you trace to a target passes through or touches a solid obstacle, you don’t have line of effect to the target." However, the phrase "solid obstacle" is never defined.

I'm pretty certain that monsters are not solid obstacles, but my DM disagrees. Does anyone have a link to official information which would prove I'm right (or wrong, I guess)?

 

[Nifft]

Apologies if this has been posted before; I can't seem to find the search feature.

Search is only available to members. Membership prices are quite reasonable.

Do monsters block line of effect?

No. Nor line of sight.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Regicide]

Apologies if this has been posted before; I can't seem to find the search feature. Do monsters block line of effect? That is, if I'm standing on square E1 of a chessboard, and there's a monster on E4, can I center a scorching burst on E5? The rules for line of effect on page 293 say that "If every imaginary line you trace to a target passes through or touches a solid obstacle, you don’t have line of effect to the target." However, the phrase "solid obstacle" is never defined.

I'm pretty certain that monsters are not solid obstacles, but my DM disagrees. Does anyone have a link to official information which would prove I'm right (or wrong, I guess)?

Monsters are not solid obstacles, this is pretty clear in the cover rules on page 280. If they were you'd have a very different game as they wouldn't be able to move through one another.

 

[Nail]

The rules for line of effect on page 293 say that "If every imaginary line you trace to a target passes through or touches a solid obstacle, you don’t have line of effect to the target." However, the phrase "solid obstacle" is never defined.

"Solid obstacle" means "a terrain feature that fills a square". The best evidence we have for this comes from the section (p. 280) that comes immediately before "Determining Cover", in which creatures are treated separately from terrain.


But it's true: the book doesn't directly define "solid obstacle".

 

[-Avalon-]

Apologies if this has been posted before; I can't seem to find the search feature. Do monsters block line of effect? That is, if I'm standing on square E1 of a chessboard, and there's a monster on E4, can I center a scorching burst on E5? The rules for line of effect on page 293 say that "If every imaginary line you trace to a target passes through or touches a solid obstacle, you don’t have line of effect to the target." However, the phrase "solid obstacle" is never defined.

I'm pretty certain that monsters are not solid obstacles, but my DM disagrees. Does anyone have a link to official information which would prove I'm right (or wrong, I guess)?

Creatures are not solid obstacles (unless maybe you are fighting Opaque Gelatinous Cubes, which may count)...

Also, something else... Area Burst type attacks are basically like hurling a grenade... the line of sight on the effect is based on the center square of the burst, not on the caster's location. Therefore, you could theoretically aim at an grassy area through a line or two of trees (basic cover, not total/superior/whatever) and any enemies in the covered area would then be under normal rules as they do not have concealment or cover against the originating square for the effect.

Just thought that may help as well.

 

[NMcCoy]

More notes:
Concealment only applies to Melee and Ranged attack rolls.

A creature provides cover to its allies behind it against Ranged attacks only.

Because of how cover is determined, having a corner between you and an adjacent enemy no longer grants cover. (Attacker picks a corner and draws lines to the four corners of an enemy's square - if one or two lines are blocked, the target has cover; if three or four are blocked (but you still have line of effect) the target has superior cover.)