lightning bolt cover?

[fl8m]

i can shoot a lightning bolt 10 feet wide 50 feet long or 5 feet wide and 100 feet long.
now if i shoot it at bad guy #1 who is behind bad guy #2 does
bad guy #2 get a cover bonus for bad guy #1?

2
1

y

would be me

 

[AuraSeer]

Technically, I'd say yes. If they're the same size, guy #2 has half cover from the bolt, which gives him a +2 to his Reflex save.

In practice however, when you're dealing with a spell that can potentially affect dozens of enemies, those modifiers usually get ignored.

 

[melkoriii]

By the rules 2 has cover and gets the +2 Reflex.

We had this where a party member Polymorphed into a Pixie and was being hit by Double Lighting Bolts from two Salads. The Rogue Moved in front to give the Pixie 9/10th cover for a +4 reflex and half damage on no save and no damage on save.

Saved the PC’s butt.

 

[Crothian]

Okay, how about with a fireball? Say point Y is the place the fireball explodes and both 1 and 2 are withing the radius. Would 2 get the cover bonus to the reflex save there?

 

[AGGEMAM]

Okay, how about with a fireball? Say point Y is the place the fireball explodes and both 1 and 2 are withing the radius. Would 2 get the cover bonus to the reflex save there?

Yes, read the Cover rules in the PHB, page 133.

 

[Berk]

Okay, how about with a fireball? Say point Y is the place the fireball explodes and both 1 and 2 are withing the radius. Would 2 get the cover bonus to the reflex save there?

no cover is granted for burst area effects if I recall correctly. Unless you are like behind a wall that stretches farther then the area of the spell.

And to answer the original question I personally say no cover bonus to reflex saves on the lightning bolt but that's just personal preference cuz it seems kinda way too silly to me. =op But yeah, by the rules I think you do get cover bonuses to your reflex saves.

changed spread to burst which fireball is

 

[hammymchamham]

and if person #1 makes a reflex saves, does person #2 have less cover?

 

[AGGEMAM]

No cover is granted for spread area effects if I recall correctly. Unless you are like behind a wall that stretches farther then the area of the spell.

Not true.

From the SRD

Cover Reflex Save Bonus

Add this bonus to Reflex saves against attacks that affect an area. For nine-tenths cover, a combatant also effectively has improved evasion. These bonuses, however, only apply to attacks that originate or spread out from a point on the other side of the cover.

 

[AuraSeer]

and if person #1 makes a reflex saves, does person #2 have less cover?

No. As far as the game map is concerned, a Reflex save does not move you or change your position. You still give cover to the same direction in the same amount.

 

[Tom Cashel]

Oh my Eris. This game gets more complex every time I visit these boards.