[PF/3.x] Precise Shot and Cover?

[Calmar]

Just a quick question: Precise Shot allows you to shoot into melee without penalty, but does your target still benefit from cover granted by creatures standing in your line of fire? Let's say your ally is in melee with a gnoll while standing directly between you and the gnoll - does he grant cover to the gnoll?
(What if you had no Precise Shot in this situation? Would the gnoll get +4 AC and you -4 penalty to hit?)

Thanks! :)

[Cieyrin]

Just a quick question: Precise Shot allows you to shoot into melee without penalty, but does your target still benefit from cover granted by creatures standing in your line of fire? Let's say your ally is in melee with a gnoll while standing directly between you and the gnoll - does he grant cover to the gnoll?
(What if you had no Precise Shot in this situation? Would the gnoll get +4 AC and you -4 penalty to hit?)

Thanks! :)

As you've said, Precise Shot only eliminates the Shooting into Melee penalty. If you got somebody between you and your target, they provide cover, since they're in your way.

Without Precise, you would have the -4 for shooting into melee and +4 for the guy in your way. Getting around cover is the job of other feats (Sharp-Shooting/Improved Precise Shot) or just changing your angle of shooting so there isn't somebody in your line of fire that you don't want to shoot. That's what I'd personally do, anyways.

[Calmar]

Thanks! :smallsmile:

[Psyren]

To ignore cover (and not risk hitting a grappling ally), you need Improved Precise Shot (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#improvedPreciseShot). This further supports the ruling that Precise Shot alone won't help you.