M&M 2nd Edition: Deflect Question

[MadMaxim]

A player in my Mutants & Masterminds one-shot made a Captain America look-a-like with a shield that he uses to deflect attacks (Device with Deflect power in it). My question is two-fold:

1) Is Deflect considered a power for the purpose of lowering your attack bonus and increasing your Save DC on powers, or is it considered an attack bonus (since you use its rank as your attack bonus for blocking attacks)?

2) When a hero uses Deflect to reflect or re-direct a power, does he make a normal attack roll using his attack bonus or his Deflect rank for hitting the person he's re-directing the attack to?

Thanks in advance!

 

[arwink]

I'd probably consider it a power, which means the only way to get a Deflect rank above the campaigns power level is to trade out your Maximum Attack Bonus.

Judging by whats on the page ("make a normal attack roll"), I'd have the hero make a normal attack roll when reflecting and reidirecting attacks.

 

[coyote6]

1) Is Deflect considered a power for the purpose of lowering your attack bonus and increasing your Save DC on powers, or is it considered an attack bonus (since you use its rank as your attack bonus for blocking attacks)?

Steve Kenson has said (here) that Deflect is equivalent to attack bonus for PL limit considerations (though a GM might house rule it so that it's tied to attack or defense, whichever is higher).

 

[MadMaxim]

Thanks, coyote6!