Taking Cover from Spells

[MJS]

Hello, I came across a forgotten bit of the 1E DMG last night. There it says that taking cover from a spell attack gives a bonus to the saving throw "as noted", and that 90% cover or better grants the target a save for half/no damage.

This seems an oft-overlooked? aspect of combat I plan on fully implementing. But of course, the "as noted" is a mystery; I see no modifiers amongst saving throw charts for this.

DMs, please indicate what edition you run, and how you handle these bonuses. Casting time is a major factor here, possibly as well as spellcasters declaring before initiative.

And please, this is not a thread for debating whether or not DMs can make rulings in the first place.

 

[the Jester]

In 1e, I'd rule that the cover bonus to saves is the same as the cover bonus to AC.

IIRC each later edition has an actual rule for these things; I generally run rules as written unless the situation warrants some fiddlin', in which case I fiddle as I deem appropriate.

Currently I am running 4e, and while casting time is not an issue as such- there's no rule for interrupting a spell any more than there is for interrupting someone's axe swing- cover from spells does come up. One thing I'd note: With area spells (e.g. fireball), I determine cover not from the caster, but from the origin point of the spell. if cover bonuses apply, it's either +2 or +5 to the target's defense, depending on the degree of cover (or "you can't hit me, I have total cover, hahahahaa").

 

[Celebrim]

Hello, I came across a forgotten bit of the 1E DMG last night. There it says that taking cover from a spell attack gives a bonus to the saving throw "as noted", and that 90% cover or better grants the target a save for half/no damage...This seems an oft-overlooked? aspect of combat I plan on fully implementing...DMs, please indicate what edition you run, and how you handle these bonuses.

I run 3.0 (for the purposes of this question) cover rules, which are pretty much exactly the 1e DMG rules for cover only with 'improved evasion' made an explicit named rule.

Like Jester, in 1e I ruled and would rule the cover bonus to save is the same as the cover bonus adjustment to AC.

The main difference between 1e and 3e with regard to cover from spells is that in 1e you would at least potentially have time to react to the casting of a spell, either by taking cover or trying to disrupt it. Since most 3e spells effectively have no casting time, you can still take cover but not reactively.

I've toyed with adding casting time back into 3e, but fear to make the system overly complex by doing so. Ditto weapon vs. armor modifiers and simultaneous declaration. But there is only so much complexity I think a system can support.

 

[MJS]

Cool, its a simple enough thing to include, as well as remember. I play in an all-day 1E tournament tomorrow, and ducking behind something may well come in handy, especially with those casting times intact!