When a Creature is covered or hidden behind something that gives them minor protection, often by the environment.
This condition relies not just on a creature it's applied to, but the environment they're in. Like Difficult Terrain, this constantly changes based on things like battlements, cover, or even the shadows, as all play a part in how a creature is perceived.
There are 5 Stages (4 and a stage 0) to being Obscured. 0 / Unobscured, 1 / Lightly Obscured, 2 / Half Obscured, 3 / Heavily or 3/4th's Obscured, and 4 / Fully Obscured. All of these are visual, and do not affect
Blindsight,
Tremorsense, or
Truesense.
0/Unobscured
A creature is not hidden at all, and gain no benefits. This stage does not need to be marked usually, as it is the default.
1/Lightly Obscured
A creature is only slightly covered, while they are still visible enough to be seen. This level only confers a flat +1 to AC. This and the other stages of Obscured give some of the only non-permanent numerical bonuses in the game.
Light Obscuring involves only enough cover to hide parts of the body while the rest is still visible, such as using light foliage to hide in very
Bright light.
2/Half Obscured
Cover is blocking around half the creature's body, making them harder to see even if they are visible. Being Half Obscured conveys the following benefits:
- +2 to AC and Reflex Saves.
- A creature is able to use the Stealth skill become Concealed.
Half cover comes from suitably Dim lighting conditions or similar, such as patchy fog or a moderate amount of foliage. If it is a wall or similar, it assumed that the wall is about waist high for a medium creature, and can be crouched behind. Likewise, a creature hiding behind a creature of the same size has this form of Obscured.
3/Heavily Obscured
Cover is blocking most the creature's body, heavily obscuring them and making them very hard to see. Being Heavily Obscured conveys the following benefits:
- +5 to AC and all Saves against from effects that 'target' the creature (such as the Bind Creature spell).
- A creature is able to use the Stealth skill become Concealed, doing so with advantage.
Heavily Obscured relies on at least 3/4ths cover, such as a chest high wall, opaque fog, or a creature hiding behind another that is at least one size category larger. Vision is not blocked entirely, but one can barely make a Heavily Obscured creature's outline.
4/Fully Obscured
A creature is fully concealed, being unable to be seen even if they are
Detected. They cannot be seen, or perceived, if that. Being Fully Obscured conveys the following benefits:
- The creature cannot be targeted by ranged attacks or abilities/features with a designated target (such as Bind Creature spell).
- A creature is able to use the Stealth skill become Concealed, doing so with advantage and a Bonus Dice (base D4).
Being Fully Obscured is like being fully in darkness, or shrouded entirely in the environment. The
Blinded makes everything Fully Obscured, leading the creature to need other forms of detection in order to perceive things.
