Concealment and Cover

Learn how to use Cover and Concealment in Pathfinder: Kingmaker to gain defensive bonuses. Understand AC and Reflex Save buffs from Cover, and miss chances from Concealment effects like Blur and Displacement.

Alright, let's talk about staying alive in Pathfinder: Kingmaker. Two key terms you'll hear a lot are 'Cover' and 'Concealment.' Think of them as your best friends when things get dicey, especially for your squishier characters or when you're facing a hail of arrows.

Cover is pretty straightforward. It means there's something physically between you and the attacker. This could be a wagon, a low wall, or even just a door you're hiding behind. In Kingmaker, finding true 'cover' objects isn't super common, but when you do, they're golden. They usually give you a nice +4 bonus to your Armor Class (AC) and a +2 bonus to your Reflex Saves. That's a solid boost to avoid getting hit or to dodge nasty area effects.

Concealment is a bit different and actually more common. Instead of a physical barrier, it's about obscuring your exact location, often through magic like illusions. You're not physically protected, but the enemy has a hard time landing a hit. Concealment gives you a *chance* for attacks to completely miss. This miss chance comes in two flavors: 20% (like from the 'Blur' spell) and 50% (from effects like 'Displacement' or 'Invisibility').

Here's how the concealment check works: When an attack *would* normally hit, the game rolls a d100. If that d100 roll is *lower* than your current concealment percentage (20% or 50%), the attack misses entirely! It's like a built-in dodge chance.

Honestly, having a 20% or even a 50% chance to just negate an incoming attack is a massive defensive advantage. The best part? You can replicate these potent concealment effects with your own arcane spells. Seriously, don't sleep on these buffs – they can be absolute lifesavers during tough fights. Keep an eye out for opportunities to use them!