D&D 5E Adjudicating Hide, You Decide Challenge!

[el-remmen]

By the same token though, the enemies can be anywhere within their squares, which is why the rules for determining cover on a grid have you choose any corner of the seeker’s square and draw lines from it to every corner of the hider’s square. This gives you a kind of superposition where both creatures are assumed to be occupying the entirety of their square simultaneously, or you could think of it as the “average” of how well the creatures would be able to see each other, given that they are all probably in near-constant motion in the heat of combat.

It would seem silly to me to rule that the halfling has to be assumed to be "occupying the entire square" if he were not actually engaged with anyone that might cause him to move around the square during the fight. (And to be clear, I am a strong proponent for the idea that using a mini/token and grid does not mean the characters are standing around and that is really a representation of their general position but are really moving around if in the midst of fighting).

So in that case, I'd allow the halfling's player to say how they are occupying that square, including being pressed against the wall. If the enemy has a low crate between him and the halfling, for example, I might as DM declare that he squats behind the crate to get some cover on his turn. In fact, I frequently do. . . assuming that enemy is not otherwise occupied and the halfling is the only thing he is worrying about in that moment.

I guess, I determine the enemy's specific location within square based on the circumstances. What you describe is fine when all things are otherwise straightforward, but when there are objects and people that can provide cover during the heat of the fight and it is reasonable to describe them as using it, I go by that.

Then again I use rules for firing into combat and the potential for striking allies. I am really talking about how i imagine combat.

 

[Charlaquin]

It would seem silly to me to rule that the halfling has to be assumed to be "occupying the entire square" if he were not actually engaged with anyone that might cause him to move around the square during the fight. (And to be clear, I am a strong proponent for the idea that using a mini/token and grid does not mean the characters are standing around and that is really a representation of their general position but are really moving around if in the midst of fighting).

So in that case, I'd allow the halfling's player to say how they are occupying that square, including being pressed against the wall. If the enemy has a low crate between him and the halfling, for example, I might as DM declare that he squats behind the crate to get some cover on his turn. In fact, I frequently do. . . assuming that enemy is not otherwise occupied and the halfling is the only thing he is worrying about in that moment.

I guess, I determine the enemy's specific location within square based on the circumstances. What you describe is fine when all things are otherwise straightforward, but when there are objects and people that can provide cover during the heat of the fight and it is reasonable to describe them as using it, I go by that.

Then again I use rules for firing into combat and the potential for striking allies. I am really talking about how i imagine combat.

I just think, if we assume the Halfling presses themselves flat against the wall, we should also assume the enemies lean to get a peek around the corner. Using the full square just seems to me to be the most unbiased way to make a call in these situations.

To each their own though! I do think your method is perfectly valid. The rules are meant serve the DM, not the other way around.