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I'm asking because we play on a grid and while DMG p.251 states that 3 or 4 lines blocked by an obstacle gives 3/4 cover if the attack can still reach the target, it doesn't state what happens if the attack can't reach the target. I assume total cover but I might be wrong. And, as in the question, what if more than one creature each blocking 3 or 4 lines to a target. Would it create a 1/2 cover (as per Sage Advice Compendium), 3/4 cover, total cover or something else? also considering that only the best degree of cover is applied when more than one source of cover is there, if multiple creatures can ever create total cover.

I find all this to be confusing.

thanks for clarifying.

jonDraco
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1 Answers1

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It will usually only be 1/2 cover.

See this illustration:

enter image description here

This arrangement only gives red half cover, since the two lines on the left are not blocked.

There is an arrangement that may give 3/4 cover.

See this illustration:

enter image description here

I say this arrangement may give 3/4 cover, as opposed to half, because it is unclear how the general cover rules interact with the grid cover rules. I have asked the question here: Playing on a grid, is this situation 1/2 or 3/4 cover? I will update this answer if there is a definitive answer to this arrangement given on that Q&A.

Thomas Markov
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    This second illustration is exactly what I had in mind by the way. What confuses me in the DMG rule is that the lines are used to determine cover, 3 or 4 lines blocked but the attack can still reach is 3/4 cover, but what it means if 3 or 4 lines are blocked and the DM decides the attack can't reach? And is a creature an obstacle? If a creature is an obstacle, doesn't it mean that when attack can't reach target, target has total cover? if it doesn't have total cover, then what mechanic is used to block the attack from reaching the target? so many questions, so little information – jonDraco Dec 10 '20 at 13:21
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    @jonDraco To answer some of your sub-questions: If an attack can't reach the target it has total cover. From the cover rules (PHB page 196): "A target with total cover can't be targeted directly by an attack or a spell, although some spells can reach such a target by including it in an area of effect. A target has total cover if it is completely concealed by an obstacle." A creature can definitely be an obstacle, it is listed as an example in the half cover portion of the basic rules and listed as an obstacle in the DMG grid rules. – smbailey Dec 10 '20 at 21:18
  • @smbailey so it is safe to assume a creature could never block an attack as a creature or many, other than some special cases like gelatinous cube, would never provide total cover. I will wait for confirmation from Thomas Markov but it looks like his answer is going to be marked. – jonDraco Dec 10 '20 at 23:00
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    @jonDraco As a GM I would generally agree with that, yes. The grid rules do say if 3 or 4 lines are blocked but the attack can still reach the target, the target has three-quarters cover. The bit about whether the attack can still reach the target seems completely up to GM discretion. For a few medium creatures like this I would pretty much always rule there is enough space to make a shot through them (with cover). If there was a large mob of people I would possibly rule it as total cover, though I've never had to make that decision so I'm not speaking from experience there. – smbailey Dec 10 '20 at 23:08