Most [[cover]] will absorb target damage, but will '''not''' protect against splash damage. Creatures behind cover can therefore still be eliminated from the Pain damage or from shrapnel/fire of a standard explosion. Localized explosions do not cause splash damage, therefore they are sufficient to protect against those.
The only exception to this is if the cover in question has the '''blast-resistant''' trait; in which case, it will fully protect against both target and damage, splash damage, and any additional effects (fire, shrapnel, etc.); effectively fully shielding all creatures in cover from explosive damageexplosives.
If an explosive weapon has the '''bouncing''' trait ([[VOG-25P]] grenades), then they have the ability to '''ignore cover entirely''', acting including blast-resistant cover. In other words, bouncing explosives act as though there was no cover in the first place. There is no countermeasure for bouncing explosives!
=== Physical shields ===
Similarly to cover, [[shields|physical shields]] will absorb target damage, but will '''not''' protect against splash damage, unless the shield in question is '''blast-resistant''', in which case it will protect from both target and damage, splash damage, and any additional effects (fire, shrapnel, etc.).
'''Bouncing''' explosives will circumvent shields just as they would circumvent cover.
=== Special shields ===
Special shields (e.g., the [[shrine maiden]]'s light shield) are typically '''fully impenetrable''' until they run out of HP. This means that they will ''absorb target damage'', ''prevent splash damage and additional effects (fire, shrapnel, etc.) from hurting the wearer'', like a blast-resistant shield, and ''protect against bouncing explosives'', treating them as if they weren't bouncing.