Can you hit enemies-as-cover?

[Particle_Man]

Note: I don't have an MM so am making stats and monster attitudes up here.

A Goblin mage with AC: 13 is cowering behind a Beefy Well-Armored Bugbear Warrior with AC: 20.

A Ranger shoots an arrow at the Mage. Beefy Well-Armored Bugbear Warrior acts as Cover. (-2). Ranger missed Mage by 1, since her modified roll ends up a 12.

Does that arrow his the Beefy Well-Armored Bugbear Warrior for damage, even though it would not have hit at all if aimed at the Beefy Well-Armored Warrior, since it would have been a 14 (well below the 20 needed to hit)?

 

[James McMurray]

AFAICT 4e doesn't have rules for striking the cover anymore. If you add them, or adapt the 3.x rules, I'd definitely make it so that you can't hit cover unless you also hit it's AC. It shouldn't be easier to hit someone by aiming behind them than it is for aiming directly at them.

 

[ozziewolf]

As the rules are written no you can't.

Keeping in mind you're not necessarily missing your target because you hit the guy infront of him. You're actively trying to hit your target and not the monster infront of your target. With that being said it's more likely the monster infront caused you to shoot wide and miss completely because you're trying not to hit him but the guy behind him.