Ways to Get Cover?

[Zombulian]

Hey guys, I've got a character I'm building and at 1 point I get Hide in Plain Sight. It says I can hide while being observed as long as I am concealed or have cover. And for 1 thing, I'm wondering how that's different than regular hiding, and for the 2nd thing, can I get a few sources of items or abilities etc. that give concealment or cover? The only thing I could think of was a Tower Shield. But that isn't very sneaky now is it?

[Wonton]

Not an expert in these matters, but Blur is a 2nd level that will give you 20% concealment, Displacement is 3rd level for 50%. You can also use darkness (mundane, or as the spell) - shadowy illumination is 20%, total darkness is 50%.

[Namfuak]

Hey guys, I've got a character I'm building and at 1 point I get Hide in Plain Sight. It says I can hide while being observed as long as I am concealed or have cover. And for 1 thing, I'm wondering how that's different than regular hiding, and for the 2nd thing, can I get a few sources of items or abilities etc. that give concealment or cover? The only thing I could think of was a Tower Shield. But that isn't very sneaky now is it?

1. First Description: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/combatModifiers.htm
2. By RAW, tower shield grants cover to itself, so you can use HIPS behind it (if that is the necessary element for its use, there are a couple of different kinds of HIPS, so be sure you are reading it right). In practice, most DMs are going to throw a book at your head if you try that, so take it with a grain of salt.

Other than that, if there is anything, including a person/creature, that is between you and another creature, and you are closer to this person than the other creature, you gain cover against the other creature (soft cover, iirc only +1 AC, but it counts). Blur and its big brother Displacement grant concealment, and Minor Cloak of Displacement (NOT Major Cloak of Displacement, that's a trap) grants permanent 20% miss chance from concealment, so that would be an easy, relatively cheap way for constant concealment (quick note: I just noticed that displacement is not technically concealment, it is just a lot like it except it doesn't prevent normal targeting, so ask your DM if that counts for your HIPS).

[Darrin]

Put the Smoking property (+1 enhancement, Lords of Darkness) on your weapon. Unlimited all-day 20% concealment whenever you need it.

Shape Soulmeld: Fellmist Robe might also work for anything beyond 5' of you.

[hewhosaysfish]

Hey guys, I've got a character I'm building and at 1 point I get Hide in Plain Sight. It says I can hide while being observed as long as I am concealed or have cover. And for 1 thing, I'm wondering how that's different than regular hiding,

You can't normally hide while observed. So if you're fighting some goblins and you crouch behind a rock then you will have cover but you're not hidden. Everyone still knows where you are: you're behind that rock; they just saw you crouch down.
Note that the Bluff skill can let you bypass this limitation by distracting an opponent and then while he's not looking.

HiPS also lets you hide while under observation: this makes varying amounts of sense depending on the limitations on the HiPS.

[Zombulian]

Put the Smoking property (+1 enhancement, Lords of Darkness) on your weapon. Unlimited all-day 20% concealment whenever you need it.

Shape Soulmeld: Fellmist Robe might also work for anything beyond 5' of you.

Yeah I mean, my character is an Incarnum user and I just thought of that soulmeld after I made the post. Thanks for the help though!

[Curmudgeon]

Not an expert in these matters, but Blur is a 2nd level that will give you 20% concealment, Displacement is 3rd level for 50%. You can also use darkness (mundane, or as the spell) - shadowy illumination is 20%, total darkness is 50%.
Displacement provides the same 50% miss chance as total concealment, but it's not concealment.
However, unlike actual total concealment, displacement does not prevent enemies from targeting the creature normally. If you have total concealment you can't be targeted. Because the Displacement miss chance isn't from concealment, it doesn't enable a Hide check.

Other than that, if there is anything, including a person/creature, that is between you and another creature, and you are closer to this person than the other creature, you gain cover against the other creature (soft cover, iirc only +1 AC, but it counts).
Sorry, but it doesn't count.
Soft Cover

Creatures, even your enemies, can provide you with cover against ranged attacks, giving you a +4 bonus to AC. However, such soft cover provides no bonus on Reflex saves, nor does soft cover allow you to make a Hide check.

You can't normally hide while observed. So if you're fighting some goblins and you crouch behind a rock then you will have cover but you're not hidden. Everyone still knows where you are
On the contrary: you are hidden; that's what Hide in Plain Sight specifically allows. What this means is enemies can target the square where they think you went to Hide, but they still can't see you or target you. If you had had one of the Supernatural forms of Hide in Plain Sight (Shadowdancer, Assassin) you could have moved away from the rock and kept going without needing cover/concealment. So the fact that you ducked behind a rock doesn't mean that you're still there.