Pixie's trait states:

Smoke Cloud states:
Here is my confusion:

Is Pixie's -1 to attack in addition to Smoke Cloud's -1 to attack or is Pixie Dust reminding us that there is a -1 from Smoke Cloud?

you subtract 1 defense and 1 attack.

So the -1 to attack is just a reminder?

I can't recall a time they repeated a detail from the PAC.

I'd have expected the power to have been written:

PIXIE DUST: Pixie can use Smoke Cloud as a free action but places only 1 hindering marker. Characters occupying this hindering marker modify their defense values by -1.

If they wanted to clarify I'd expect the "in addition to the normal effects" but not as written.

I think the key word in PIXIE DUST are in addition. PIXIE DUST gives the -1 to both defense in addition to attack, where as SMOKE CLOUD only applies the -1 to attack. So I look at it like their version of short hand

my question would be as this is worded, would characters that ignore the -1 attack from smoke cloud also ignore this -1 defense?

I think clearly not because SC says, "-1 to attack unless ignore..."

So if you ignore, you don't get the -1 to attack.

But your question is exactly why the wording of Pixie Dust is unclear. Since SC places 6 and gives the -1 to attack and requires LoF and all pieces have to be within range (min. 4) we only need to check the power to see any changes.

Change #1: she can activate it as a free action

Change #2: she only places 1 square

Change #3: -1 to defense "in addition to attack values"

Everything else works exactly as PAC Smoke Cloud.

I see it that way but I don't get the need for the added phrase.

If it just said "figures occupying this square of smoke cloud get a -1 to defense" then it would be clearer because we already know SPs work exactly like PAC powers unless noted.

The PAC already says -1 to attack. Her SMoke already provides the -1 by the nature of being called Smoke Cloud. The difference is her's gives a -1 to defense, too.

Saying -1 to defense in addition to attack can sound like a -1 to attack and -1 to defense PLUS the already known default of Smoke Cloud.

I'm 90% positive the -1 to attack is the known part of Smoke Cloud but because they added it to the list of changes to standard Smoke Cloud, the question comes up - at least to me.

I was just curious how others felt.

Thanks all.

If it hadn't said "in addition", you'd have a bunch of people arguing that the effect modifies defense value instead of attack value. Not saying they would be right, but the questions *would* be asked.

This is simply an attempt to head those questions off. You have two modifiers here: -1 to attack and -1 to DV. That's it. Do not read too much into it.

Does Smoke Cloud (since it is hindering terrain) give you +1 defense hindering bonus? Or is that not a thing anymore?

Seems like the hindering terrain bonus and Pixies -1 would negate each other (I suppose not with close combat attacks).

Correct. It cancels the hindering terrain modifier (+1-1).

So if you plan on making ranged attacks, I'd wait to use it, unless the attacker ignores Hindering for LoF.

My opponent threw a Colossus in my face. I Pixie Dusted him and hit the now 17 defense with Scalphunter then followed up with hitting his now 16 defense (17-1) with the Magistrate to Incap him, moving him adjacent and out of the dust-cloud so I could shoot him (and KO him).

It works really well in close-combat.

Pixie's Smoke Cloud does the following
(0) Creates one square of hindering terrain)
1) +1 to defence from range to a character occupying the smoke cloud unless opponent ignores hindering terrain for line of fire
2) -1 to attack to a character occupying the smoke cloud unless opponent ignores hindering terrain for line of fire or they can use Smoke Cloud
3) -1 to defence, regardless

So if you target a character occupying the square of smoke, from range you are even on defence, close you are -1. Unless you ignore hindering terrain for line of fire then you are a -1 regardless

I think your part 3 there is incorrect. If the characters can ignore hindering terrain or use SC they will not have their attack value modified, so then their defense value will not be modified. Because Pixie's effect is "in addition" to the modifier to attack, if that modifier does not happen, then Pixie's modifier will also not happen.