This optional rule allows a character to “spread” a Ranged attack to get a better chance to hit a target. Effectively, the character “widens” the attack at the cost of doing less damage. The character does -1 Damage Class for every +1 OCV he wants. He makes his Attack Roll against the target’s DCV.
Alternately, a character may Spread his attack to hit more than one target. The character loses 1 Damage Class for each 1m radius Area he wants to fill with his attack. (If the character wants to convert more than one DC into an Area, each additional -1 DC is another 1m radius Area; it doesn’t increase the Area to a 2m radius.) The Areas affected must be adjacent, and typically in a straight line as well (thus allowing the character to hit multiple targets standing next to one another), but the GM can let the character arrange the Areas differently if desired. The character must make a separate Attack Roll against each target, using that target’s DCV; he receives no OCV bonus for Spreading (his “bonus” is the ability to attack more targets). A Spread attack can be Deflected or Reflected.
With either form of Spreading, the character must pay the full END cost for the attack, even though it’s not doing full damage.
Spreading is most commonly used with Blast, but characters may also Spread other types of Ranged attacks (unless the GM rules otherwise). The only Mental Power characters can Spread is Mental Blast (and at the GM’s option, AVADs that are considered “Mental attacks”).
A character can only Spread a Multiple Attack if he can Spread all the powers used in the attack; see 6E2 78 for more information.
If a character Spreads a Constant attack (such as Telekinesis), the reduced effectiveness applies throughout the use of the ability. The character can’t “increase” the ability’s power in later Phases.
Spreading is usually only used in Superheroic campaigns. Characters may not spread attacks that already affect an Area (such as Darkness, or any power with the Area Of Effect Advantage) or that have the Beam Limitation.
Example: Starburst has a Blast 10d6. He decides
to Spread his attack to get a better chance to hit his target. He spreads his attack by 2d6. This gives him a +2 OCV, but he only does 8d6 damage if he hits. He pays the full 5 END that his Blast normally costs.
Starburst now wants to try to hit several agents with one shot. The agents, not being particularly clever, have conveniently lined up shoulder to shoulder, six agents filling 6m of space. Starburst spreads his attack by 3d6, filling three 1m radius areas and thus covering the entire area where the agents are standing. Starburst must now roll his Attack Roll against each agent. Each agent he hits takes 7d6 damage. Starburst pays the full 5 END for his Blast.
Surprised
This Combat Modifier applies when a character is attacked from behind, above, by an invisible attacker, from ambush, or any other situation where he’s surprised by the attack.
A character Surprised while out of combat is at ½ DCV and takes 2x STUN from the attack; moreover, the penalty for any Placed Shot is halved (see 6E2 109). Double the STUN damage before applying defenses (and, in campaigns using the Hit Locations rules, before applying the STUN modifier for a location). The “double STUN” rule applies to any attack that does STUN damage — Blasts, Killing Attacks, punches, AVADs, Drain STUN, and so on.
A character Surprised while in combat is at ½ DCV, but Placed Shot penalties are not halved, and he takes regular STUN damage from attacks.
WHEN SURPRISED APPlIES
For an attacker to receive a Surprised bonus, the target must not be expecting any attacks. For example, a character running at Noncombat velocity toward a fight expects trouble, and isn’t totally unaware, so he usually can’t be Surprised. In this situation he wouldn’t take 2x STUN (but he would have a DCV penalty because he’s using Noncombat Movement). Conversely, an uncon- scious (Knocked Out) or asleep character takes 2x STUN.
The GM should interpret the phrase “expecting any attacks” in a common-sense fashion. Obvi- ously, anyone who’s in combat expects to be attacked, so in most cases other attackers entering the fray (even by surprise, such as when unex- pected reinforcements arrive) won’t inflict the Surprised penalty. However, it’s possible for a character in combat to be attacked from so unexpected a quarter, or in so unexpected a way, that he suffers a Surprised penalty. Some possible examples include:
n a clever assassin uses Stealth to sneak up
behind the character and stab him in the back
n a character who seems like an ordinary soldier
suddenly reveals that he has superhuman powers
n a heretofore unseen sniper fires at the character
On the other hand, if the character has good reason to suspect the presence of a sneaky attacker, a sniper, or the like, Surprised probably wouldn’t apply. And if the character has Defense Maneuver, whether he’s expecting surprise attacks really doesn’t matter; he’s automatically prepared for them.
SURPRISED AND FACING
One of the most common ways for a character to be Surprised is to be attacked from behind. However, that’s not to say that all attacks from behind qualify for the Surprised bonus. As always, the GM should apply common sense and dramatic sense — remember, combat is a dynamic situa- tion where the rules reflect many variables. For example, if an opponent a character doesn’t know about attacks him from behind, that usually means the character is Surprised (though not necessarily, as discussed above). But if the character knows about or can see an opponent, that opponent can’t get a Surprised bonus just by making a Half Move behind the character before attacking. The opponent might get the bonus if the character is distracted (for example, if he’s already fighting one foe who’s in front of him), but moving behind a character before attacking does not per se earn an attacker a Surprised bonus.
volume 2: combat and adventuring n chapter two 51