D&D 5E How much cover is peeking through a wall?

[Nebulous]

Core rules say you can’t attack from around a corner without moving into the open, so you can stick with that if players insist.

Ah, I think I had forgotten that tidbit too. It doesn't come up often. Well, it used to not, I have a new player and a rules lawyer and power game, so he's always forcing situations and weird rulings I'm not used to.

 

[Li Shenron]

There are only three levels of cover in 5E: 1/2, 3/4, and Total.

Peeking around a corner clearly isn't 1/2, and it's clearly not Total, so that only leaves 3/4.

"Clearly" is an overrated word. The rules do not support detailed movements such as peeking your head out of a corner, much less also stretching your hands out to shoot an arrow.

3/4 is a sensible choice as much is 1/2, as much is either granting the same bonus to the target or not.

It is also fine to rule you can't peek like that and attack normally at the same time, in fact I might suggest the player to just step 5ft out in the open if they want to attack, and then step 5ft back into full cover.

Static cover bonuses IMO are more meant to represent an average than an instantaneous condition.

 

[Prakriti]

It is also fine to rule you can't peek like that and attack normally at the same time, in fact I might suggest the player to just step 5ft out in the open if they want to attack, and then step 5ft back into full cover.

That is how I would rule it too.

Edit: I missed the part in the OP about the character attacking from around a corner. I definitely wouldn't allow that. You lose your cover when you come out to attack.

 

[Olrox17]

I still use the excellent cover rules from 4e, adapted to 5e.

Determining Cover: To determine if a target has cover, choose a corner of a square you occupy (or 
a corner of your attack’s origin square) and trace imaginary lines from that corner to every corner
 of any one square the target occupies. If one or 
two of those lines are blocked by an obstacle or an enemy, the target has 1/2 cover (a line isn’t blocked if it runs along the edge of an obstacle’s or an enemy’s square.) If three of those lines are blocked, the target has 3/4 cover. If all four lines are blocked, the target has total cover.

I also rule that cover from creatures can't be better than 1/2 cover, unless there's more than one creature in the way.

 

[jaelis]

I still use the excellent cover rules from 4e, adapted to 5e.

Determining Cover: To determine if a target has cover, choose a corner of a square you occupy (or 
a corner of your attack’s origin square) and trace imaginary lines from that corner to every corner
 of any one square the target occupies. If one or 
two of those lines are blocked by an obstacle or an enemy, the target has 1/2 cover (a line isn’t blocked if it runs along the edge of an obstacle’s or an enemy’s square.) If three of those lines are blocked, the target has 3/4 cover. If all four lines are blocked, the target has total cover.

I also rule that cover from creatures can't be better than 1/2 cover, unless there's more than one creature in the way.

Is that any different than the 5e rules, DMG, pg 251? It sounds the same. The PHB rules also call out creatures as providing only half cover. So you are the designers are on the same wavelength

I guess allowing multiple creatures to upgrade the cover is not 5e RAW. (Though a sensible ruling imo.)

 

[Olrox17]

Is that any different than the 5e rules, DMG, pg 251? It sounds the same. The PHB rules also call out creatures as providing only half cover. So you are the designers are on the same wavelength

I guess allowing multiple creatures to upgrade the cover is not 5e RAW. (Though a sensible ruling imo.)

Indeed! I forgot that the 5e DMG basically copy/pasted those 4e rules as an option.

 

[aco175]

I may give the player an option of having half cover, but attack at disadvantage. Normally, he needs to come out all the way to attack but if he knows that the bad guy is waiting for him to peek out, I may allow something.

I also penalize with disadvantage both sides if they are attacking around corners, say if the fighter is blocking a door and another PC is standing next to him trying to hit the monster in the door. I guess I could go with some sort of cover, but disadvantage is easier.

 

[Hriston]

I'd rule consistently with the "Using Miniatures" rules and assign 1/2 or 3/4 cover as appropriate. I think in most situations, you can get 3/4 cover, but if the target's down a long hall or something, you may need to come all the way to the corner to have line of sight.