Misdirect Attack

Misdirect Attack (minor) by Taalismn

“He knows how to UNtelegraph his attacks.”

This power modifier allows the superbeing to make a ranged or melee attack in one direction and actually have it strike another target up to 180 degrees in angle away from the apparent target. The apparent target of the attack finds the incoming fist stopping just inches away, or the energy blast disappearing at the last moment. This is NOT a subspace teleporting or window attack in that it allows the character to shoot through solid matter or from an angle of attack he normally couldn’t....he has to have a clear line of sight on his real target, and the attack will come in from an angle he could have attacked from anyway...But the power allows for surprise (the real target may think that the character is attacking somebody else) and also allows for the character to be angled away from the real target for protection or for a speedy getaway. For instance, Rhinobeetle is facing off against The Harpooner and Hipster, who are a few feet apart. He can hit either, but decides to throw a punch at Hipster, screaming at Hipster with a haymaker from hell. The Hipster sees the incoming attack and starts dodging, but the anticipated hit merely taps him, while behind the Rhinobeetle, Harpooner, who’s turned hs attention to other parts of the fight, gets creamed by a left hook that shouldn’t be there. Turning his attention back to Hipster and Rhinobeetle, the bruised Harpooner sees that the attack could have come from Rhinobeetle, but Rhino’s got his heavily carapaced back to him. Harpooner can start looking for another attack source(like a flier or teleporter) or make a brilliant deduction and attack Rhinobeetle for smacking him, but will have to either attack through the bug’s formidable back armor or try getting around to his more vulnerable front side. Either way, he’s at a disadvantage.

Bonuses:

Opponents are -7 to Dodge and Roll from this surprise attack, and CANNOT Parry a Misdirect.

The superbeing him/her/itself is also +2 to Initiative when dealing with ambushes and surprise attacks, especially from behind.

Duration: Any attack being modified in this manner takes an extra APM to pull off(so a regular punch would be 2 APMs, and a power punch 3 APMs)