Just wondering, as I'm a bit confused by it. So how exactly does it work? Thanks.

When you are in base to base contact with an opponent who uses a CLOSE Combat attack (note fliers can still hit a grounded figure with a ranged attack when based) you get a +2 to your defense.

When the victim of any attack you can choose to move backwards in a straight line X clicks (when hit). X being the amount of damage caused by your opponent

To add to that, you also would not take any knockback damage if you get KB'd (or voluntarily move back with the power) into a wall or such.


It's very similar for the defensive part to ES/D, but for close combat instead.

Huh, I didn't know this. It doesn't say so on the site when you mouse over stats. So an opponent attacking a character with a Defense of 15 and Combat Reflexes would have to roll a 17 or better to hit?

When dealing with a close combat attack, yes.

It was something that was added to Combat Reflexes back in Icons (I believe)... it used to just be the optional knockback and no knockback damage.

I'll preface this by saying I'm not sure if they have changed it.

Combat Reflexes gives a +2 defense vs close combat attacks, allows you to choose to take knockback anytime you get hit, and prevents knockback damage. However, where CR appears is important.

If you have CR showing and you get attacked you add the defense (if it's close combat) and decide if you want to take knockback (let's assume you do). If the attack succeeds, you take the click(s) and then take the knockback. If you hit a wall (or fall off a building) and CR is STILL showing, then you take no knockback damage. However, if it is no longer showing, knockback damage applies. This is similar to getting hit with knockback and losing Toughness, then hitting the wall and taking knockback damage.

If you do not have CR showing and get hit with knockback and the damage puts you onto CR, any knockback damage you would take is negated. I had a R Hellcat get knocked off a building by a U Phoenix in a Ultimates sealed tournament. The damage put her on CR so the fall off the building did no damage (or she'd have died). She L/Cd off to harass someone else, deciding she had had enough of Phoenix.

Cool, thanks for the help. And now that I think about it, I got another question. This time about Perplex. You can add or subtract 1 to any combat value. Are we talking anything? Movement, Attack, Defense, Damage, and Range?

Yes you can add or subtract.. So while the rule of 3 says you couldn't up your attack value by over 3 you could perplex down your opponents defense 3. Just remember at the end of your turn the effect is gone. So you couldn't perplex down your opponents damage or perplex up your defense while it's your opponents turn.

Those are the ones, yes. You can't use Perplex on number of ranged targets, collector's number, or point value. You also can't turn Brainiac 5 into Brainiac 6, or Duo Damsel into Triplicate Girl.

Okay, that's just good. LOL!!!!

LOL! So I can't Perplex a models points value up by 1, putting the other player 1 point over the points limit, thus disqualifying the other player, because he now has an illegal force? Damn. Hehehe. Nah, I just wanted to make sure it did apply to all of that, instead of just Attack, Defense, and Range.

Actually I was thinking just Perplex the figure's collector number on the dial (it appears in the stat slot) by 1. Since it no longer matches the number on the base, you have used a modified figure and are DQ'd

Question:

If I fired at a character with Combat Reflexes, say from three squares away, would they receive a +2 bonus to their defense?

Also, if I hit the character from range, can they take advantage of the movement ability that Combat Reflexes affords? (ie, 2 clicks of damage+ movement of two squares:Optional)


I had a Kid use the Combat Reflexes ability at range, giving him a +2 to defense...I was a SAP...:disappoin


Thanks for the clarification in advance.

Mike

A quick perusal of a current (DR or LoSH) will show:

COMBAT REFLEXES (OPTIONAL): Modify this character’s defense value by +2 against close combat attacks. This character may choose to be knocked back by any attack from which it takes damage. Knock back damage dealt to this character is reduced to 0.

So the +2 bonus from CR only applies to close combat. The rest of the ability (all that knockback stuff) does not stipulate the combat conditions, so it can work either for close or ranged combat.

Just thought I'd say... half true, half not. You can use Perplex as many times as you want on one specific combat value, but anything over the 3 will be ignored. However, certain feats subtract from combat values when they are used, so this could be beneficial...
Say I've got Homing Device (-1 damage on standard-sized figs) on Black King. I'd really like to clock someone hiding in Stealth with the Homing Device, but I really mean clock them. I somehow Perplex up Black King's damage (huge group of Bat Enemies on my team?) four times, then use the Homing Device to hit the stealthed figure. Black King will still dish out +3 damage because I modded it +4 (one of them "ignored") and had it modded by the feat -1 (therefore bringing the Perplexes down within the Rule of Three).
Side note for ya: It was changed with the release of the Danger Room set.