[RPG] How does Multiattack work in Mutants and Masterminds 3rd Edition

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I am currently learning the DC Adventures RPG which is based on Mutants and Masterminds 3rd edition. I have both and the multiattack wording is the exact same for each game.

Multiattack: "A multiattack effect allows you to hit multiple targets, or a single target multiple times, in the same standard action." pg 148 of the M&M3 core rule book.

Does that mean you can attack the same person a number of times equal to your rank? Example: multiattack 5 would grant 5 attack rolls against 1 target. And on the other hand with multiattack 5 you could hit up to 5 separate targets with in range?

Best Answer

Multi attack isn't ranked. Rather, an attack gets the Multiattack property, which increases the attack's power point cost by +1 for each rank of the attack.

It has three options:

  • You can attack a number of people in an arc, with a lowered attack bonus against each
  • You can deal extra damage to one opponent (assuming your attack can damage them) based on how much you beat their Defense by
  • You can provide 'covering fire' to give all ranged attacks a penalty against one character. Attackers can ignore this penalty at the expense of giving you a free attack against them.

See the d20Hero SRD's 'Modifiers' page for more details.

Single Attack:

To use a Multiattack against a single target, make your attack check normally. If successful, increase the attack’s resistance check DC by +2 for two degrees of success, and +5 for three or more. This circumstance bonus does not count against power level limits. If an Impervious Resistance would ignore the attack before any increase in the DC, then the attack still has no effect as usual; a volley of multiple shots is no more likely to penetrate Impervious Resistance than just one.

Multiple Attacks

You can use Multiattack to hit multiple targets at once by “walking” or “spraying” the Multiattack across an arc. Roll one attack check per target in the arc. You suffer a penalty to each check equal to the total number of targets. So making a Multiattack against five targets is a –5 penalty to each attack check. If you miss one target, you may still attempt to hit the others.

Covering Fire

A Multiattack can provide cover for an ally. Take a standard action and choose an ally in your line of sight, who receives the benefits of cover against enemies in your line of sight and in range of your Multiattack. (You have to be able to shoot at them to get them to keep their heads down or this maneuver won’t work.) You cannot lay down a covering attack for an ally in close combat. An opponent can choose to ignore the cover provided by your covering attack at the cost of being automatically attacked by it; make a normal attack check to hit that opponent.

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