Since moving five feet is a Free Action during a combat round, is it possible to be standing parallel to a tree, make a Full Attack with a missile weapon then make a 5ft. move to gain Total Cover behind a tree?
Assuming the tree is big enough, yes.
And assuming your enemy is positioned such that you would in fact be hidden from view.
First off, if you are standing closer to the cover than your enemy is, you do not suffer from the cover. This means you can stand against a wall as cover, point your bow out, and fire. You would need to use your 5-foot step to move back to take total cover, though, so you could only do this trick every other round.
While making a 5-foot step is a free action, you can only do one such 5-foot step in a round (and only if you don't use your move action to move). So one round, you'll peek out from behind a wall and fire, and the second round you can fire then hide behind the wall.
Quote from: Kap'n XeviatFirst off, if you are standing closer to the cover than your enemy is, you do not suffer from the cover.
I don't see this mentioned anywhere in the srd (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/combatModifiers.htm#cover). Is this a house rule, or just from some other source that I've missed?
I've never read the SRD fully, but it's in the PHB. I'll find you the page ...
...
It's in the "
Low Obstacles and Cover" entry under Cover on page 151.
QuoteLow Obstacles and Cover: A low obstacle (such as a wall no higher than half your height) provides cover, but only to creatures within 30 feet of it. The attacker can ignore the cover if he's closer to the obstacle than his target.
I guess I extended that to other obstacles, but I think it's sound. Minor changes at close range can be made larger at far ranges; if I peek my upper body out from behind a wall, I can fire my bow while leaving a good portion of my body covered.
He's saying that if you are closer to the cover than your enemy the enemy doesn't get the cover bonus against you. That's straight from the PHB if I remember correctly.
EDIT: Oops, he beat me to it, and cited the text. Oh well.
Quote from: Kap'n XeviatIt's in the "Low Obstacles and Cover" entry under Cover on page 151.
Yeah, that line's right out of the SRD as well. I just completely skipped over it. *le sigh*