Do Attack Powers imply that the power is considered an attack?

[Christopher]

Hello again,

 

we still have this discussion going and I am here to make certain if my interpretation of the rules is wrong or not.

 

It is my understanding that all attack powers have the implied game effect of being considered an attack, once perceived. So you can't define, with any special effect, that a victim, bystander or the law enforcement (when able to perceive/proof the use) would not consider it an attack.

 

However, this does not say anything about how this "attack" is viewed or evaluated.

- A victim may consider it okay to be "slapped" out of a mind controll/mental illusion

- the bystanders may not have a problem with a super beating up menton

- the use of certain levels of force may be considered legal, when preventing greater harm

- some person have the legal right to apply certain levels of harm (police, towards restraining and use of guns).

 

This is just about if any use of a attack power has to go through this evaluation and if this is in fact a "game effect" of using an attack power, not a part of the special effect.

 

Of course the result of the evaluation can be very short and clear beforehand (We are the good guys. They are the bad guys. We don't use deadly force. So no need to even think about it).

[Steve Long]

Re: Do Attack Powers imply that the power is considered an attack?

 

This verges into philosophy and circumstance in some respects, so it's difficult for me to answer. While it's certainly possible to use some Attack Powers in ways that wouldn't necessarily fall under the definition of "attack" (such as using Telekinesis to rescue someone from a burning building), generally speaking it's safe to say a couple things:

 

1. Using Attack Powers generally requires an Attack Roll (with all that implies), unless the GM rules otherwise.

2. The use/effects of an Attack Power are Obvious, as defined in the rules (and allowing for common sense things like the fact that an attack may cause, say, an internal injury that isn't immediately visible). It's possible for an observer to mis-interpret an attack based on the circumstances, but in nearly all cases it's going to be readily apparent what's happening, and who's affecting whom. If a character wants to alter that -- if, for example, he wants to create an attack that's not Obvious to onlookers and/or the target -- he needs to buy the Invisible Power Effects Advantage to represent that.