Post/Author/DateTime	Post
James Cosper 12-14-06, 02:10 AM	Hi, I am a DM who has been playing for years and just started a new group in a new city. One of the players who has been playing for a similar amount of time disagrees with me about reach and soft cover. I am looking for a diagram in a book or on the web explaining the rules if I am correct, or disproving me if I am wrong. The issue is whether or not soft cover, such as that provided by characters, prevents attacks of opportunity. I understand that soft cover does not do so when opponents are adjacent or when moving through an ally. However, when the foe is within reach but ten feet away with a character between ranged targeting rules apply and the character would be free from attacks of opportunity. The erratta changes the wording to: Creatures, even your enemies, can provide you with cover against ranged attacks, giving you a +4 bonus to AC. The only example of this I can find is in a Gamestoppers (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/gs/20020118a)article from before 3.5's release. I would have sworn there was a diagram somewhere showing two characters closing into melee with a dragon. The first takes an attack by moving adjacent. The second then moves in the wake of the first and then takes a diagonal from behind the 1st character to become adjacent. Since the attack of opportunity would have taken place when the character was 10' away the cover prevents the attack.
James Cosper 12-14-06, 03:02 AM	I just noticed the search feature on the Ask Wizards page. Here is what the ruling said: For purposes of determining cover, melee reach attacks use the rules for ranged attacks. Thus, soft cover applies to melee reach attacks (since it normally applies to ranged attacks). So no attacks of opportunity if unadjacent to the attacker and with soft cover?
Thomas_Covenant 12-14-06, 03:07 AM	Yes, I've seen a ruling where melee combat with reach weapons treats soft cover as if it were ranged combat....lemme see if I can find it. I know if you're adjacent, it doesn't apply, but it looks like you know that as well...
draconic_swine 12-14-06, 09:32 AM	Yep, you definitely can't make an AoO with a reach weapon against an opponent who has soft cover relative to you. From the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/combatModifiers.htm#cover): When making a melee attack against a target that isn’t adjacent to you (such as with a reach weapon), use the rules for determining cover from ranged attacks. You can’t execute an attack of opportunity against an opponent with cover relative to you.
Vegepygmy 12-14-06, 12:10 PM	The issue is whether or not soft cover, such as that provided by characters, prevents attacks of opportunity. I understand that soft cover does not do so when opponents are adjacent or when moving through an ally. However, when the foe is within reach but ten feet away with a character between ranged targeting rules apply and the character would be free from attacks of opportunity.That is correct.
Tony Vargas 12-14-06, 02:22 PM	Cover does, indeed, prevent AoOs. Personally, I don't like it - I think the cover bonus adequately models the protection provided by cover - but that's how it stands. The rules for determining cover at range also make it exceedingly difficult to avoid soft cover.
James Cosper 12-16-06, 03:09 AM	Thank you for all of the responses.