Cover & Opportunity Attacks

[Ninja-to]

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).

 

[Pickles JG]

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 .

 

[webrunner]

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.

 

[Ninja-to]

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.

 

[keterys]

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."

 

[dragon23ca]

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.

------------
| |M|P|F| |
------------
hall 1 sq wide

 

[Greyson]

Yes

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.

 

[Mort_Q]

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.

------------
| |M|P|F| |
------------
hall 1 sq wide

Yes. That's precisely what Reach weapons are good at!

A medium creature isn't squeezing into a single square, so despite the length of the polearm, there is no penalty.

 

[Infiniti2000]

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.

 

[Krensus]

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.