When a creature stands between an attacker and their target, the creature in front provides Cover to the creature behind. This represents the physical reality of shooting past someone — the person in front blocks part of the target, and shots aimed at the target may hit the person in front instead.
Creature Cover uses the same mechanics as standard Cover (Concealment Bonus, Covered Limbs), with the key difference that the “Cover Object” is a living creature who takes damage if hit.
Quick Reference
Creature Cover provides:
- Same Size or larger in front → Full Cover (+4 Evasion)
- One Size smaller in front → Half Cover (+2 Evasion)
- Two+ Sizes smaller → No Cover
Attack Resolution:
- Roll ≤ base Evasion → Miss
- Roll > base Evasion but ≤ enhanced Evasion → Hits creature in front
- Roll > enhanced Evasion → Hits intended target
Key Points:
- Works for both Single Fire and Burst Fire
- Burst Fire stray shots (misses) continue to creatures behind the target
- Trigger Discipline prevents hitting allied creatures in the Cover window
- Called Shots lose their targeting if they hit the creature in front
- Creature Cover Concealment does not stack with object Cover Concealment
When Does Creature Cover Apply?
Creature Cover applies whenever any creature (ally, enemy, or neutral) is positioned on the line between the attacker and their target. The creature in front does not need to be willing or aware — their physical body blocks the shot regardless.
Creature Cover applies to both Single Fire and Burst Fire attacks.
Cover Type by Size
The amount of Cover provided depends on the relative Size of the creature in front compared to the creature behind:
| Creature in Front vs Creature Behind | Cover Type | Concealment Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Same Size or larger | Full Cover | +4 Evasion |
| One Size smaller | Half Cover | +2 Evasion |
| Two or more Sizes smaller | No Cover | +0 (too small to block) |
Example: A human (Medium) hiding behind a Super Mutant (Large) has Full Cover (+4 Evasion). A human hiding behind another human also has Full Cover. A Super Mutant hiding behind a human has Half Cover (+2 Evasion) because the human is one Size smaller.
Resolving Attacks Through Creature Cover
When an attacker shoots at a target behind Creature Cover, resolve the attack with the target’s enhanced Evasion (base Evasion + Concealment Bonus from Creature Cover).
Compare the attack roll total to three thresholds:
| Attack Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| Below or equal to target’s base Evasion | Miss. The shot misses everyone. |
| Above base Evasion but below or equal to Cover-enhanced Evasion | Hits the creature in front. The shot struck the creature providing Cover instead of the intended target. |
| Above Cover-enhanced Evasion | Hits the intended target. The shot found its way past the creature in front. |
Example
A raider shoots at a player (Evasion 12) who is positioned behind a melee raider (same Size, Full Cover, +4 Concealment Bonus). The player’s effective Evasion is 16.
| Attack Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 1-12 | Miss |
| 13-16 | Hits the melee raider (friendly fire) |
| 17+ | Hits the player |
The ranged raider has a 20% chance (rolls 13-16) of hitting their own ally every time they shoot. The player’s clever positioning is rewarded with a meaningful defensive bonus, and the enemy faces a real risk of friendly fire.
Damage to the Creature in Front
When a shot hits the creature providing Cover, resolve damage against that creature normally:
- Roll damage as if the creature in front were the target
- Apply that creature’s DT and DR (their personal armor, not the intended target’s)
- Apply damage to that creature’s HP and 💔 Cripple Threshold using the standard Hit Location table (d20 roll for random limb)
- The Glancing Rule applies normally based on the attack roll total vs that creature’s own Glancing Threshold
The intended target behind takes no damage from this shot — the creature in front absorbed it entirely. Unlike standard Cover Objects, creatures do not have penetration rules — a bullet that hits a person stops in that person.
Burst Fire and Creature Cover
When making a Burst Fire attack against a target behind Creature Cover, each shot is resolved individually against the same thresholds:
- Some shots may miss entirely
- Some shots may hit the creature in front
- Some shots may hit the intended target
Burst Fire Example
A raider burst fires (Fire Rate 3, 4 shots) at a player (Evasion 12) behind a melee raider (Full Cover, effective Evasion 16).
| Shot | Roll | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Miss |
| 2 | 15 | Hits melee raider |
| 3 | 18 | Hits player |
| 4 | 13 | Hits melee raider |
Result: Player takes 1 hit. Melee raider takes 2 hits. 1 shot missed entirely.
Stray Shots Beyond the Target
Burst Fire shots that miss the intended target (roll below base Evasion) may continue to creatures behind the target along the line of fire. For each missed shot, check creatures behind the target in order (nearest to furthest):
- If the shot’s attack roll exceeds that creature’s Evasion, it hits them
- If not, the shot continues to the next creature or is lost
This means a burst fire attack in a crowded area can potentially hit creatures both in front of AND behind the primary target — different shots going in different directions based on their individual rolls.
Multiple Creatures on the Line
If multiple creatures stand between the attacker and the target, each one provides Cover to the creatures behind it. The Cover bonuses stack:
- One creature in front (Full Cover): +4 Evasion
- Two creatures in front (Full Cover each): +4 +4 = +8 Evasion
However, the shot resolution checks each creature in order from nearest to furthest:
- Does the roll exceed the first creature’s Evasion? If not, miss.
- Does the roll fall in the first creature’s Cover window? If yes, hits the first creature.
- Does the roll exceed the first creature’s Cover-enhanced threshold but fall in the second creature’s Cover window? If yes, hits the second creature.
- Does the roll exceed all Cover thresholds? Hits the intended target.
In practice, shooting through two or more creatures to hit someone behind them is extremely difficult — the combined Evasion bonus makes the target nearly unhittable, and most shots will hit one of the creatures in front instead.
Creature Cover and Called Shots
If the attacker makes a Called Shot against a target behind Creature Cover:
- The Called Shot accuracy penalty applies normally
- Creature Cover Concealment Bonus still applies to Evasion
- If the shot falls in the Cover window (hits the creature in front), the Called Shot limb targeting is lost — the shot hits the creature in front on a random limb instead. You were aiming at the target’s head, but you hit the person standing in front of them in a random location.
Creature Cover and the Peek Rule
The Peek Rule interacts with Creature Cover naturally. If a character Peeks from behind Full Cover (a wall) AND there is a creature between them and the attacker, both sources of Cover apply:
- The wall provides material protection (💎 Hardness / ♨️ Energy Resistance)
- The creature provides Concealment Bonus
However, these Concealment Bonuses do not stack — use whichever is higher. A character behind a wall (Full Cover, +4) with an ally in front of them (Full Cover, +4) still has +4 Evasion, not +8. The character is behind one or the other, not both simultaneously.
Exception: If the character is behind a wall AND a creature is between the attacker and the wall, the creature provides Cover to the wall area, not to the character. The attacker must get past the creature to even target the wall, which is a different geometry. The GM adjudicates based on the specific positions.
Deliberate Use of Creature Cover
Players and enemies can deliberately position to use Creature Cover:
Defensive Positioning
Move behind a larger ally or enemy to gain the Cover bonus. This is the tactic your characters should use when outnumbered by ranged enemies — put a melee combatant between you and the shooter.
Human Shield
A character who has Grappled an enemy can position that enemy as Creature Cover against incoming attacks. The Grappled enemy provides Full Cover (same Size) or Half Cover (smaller). Enemies shooting at you risk hitting their ally.
Firing Line Awareness
When positioning your party, consider the Creature Cover implications:
- Don’t stand directly behind the person your ally is shooting at — your ally’s shots that miss the target may continue to you (Burst Fire stray shots)
- Don’t stand directly in front of the enemy your ally is targeting — you become Creature Cover for the enemy, and your ally’s shots may hit you
- Flanking angles minimize Creature Cover risks — attack from different directions so no allies are on each other’s firing lines
Trigger Discipline
The Trigger Discipline trait guarantees that your shots never hit allied creatures through Creature Cover. If your attack roll falls in the Cover window and the creature providing Cover is an ally, the shot misses instead of hitting them. This does NOT prevent you from hitting enemy creatures who are providing Cover.
Example: You shoot at an enemy behind your ally. With Trigger Discipline, rolls that would hit your ally simply miss instead. Without Trigger Discipline, those rolls hit your ally.
Creature Cover and Overwatch
Overwatch Attacks follow the same Creature Cover rules. When an Overwatching character fires at a target behind Creature Cover, the Cover window and stray shot rules apply normally. This means Overwatch in crowded areas carries friendly fire risk, just like normal attacks.