Decoy (XC3)

Decoy is a in Xenoblade Chronicles 3. A character granted with this buff will automatically evade the next attack.

Decoy does not benefit from effects such as Swelling Blessing (reaching x2 buff power would cause Decoy to dodge the next two attacks, but it is impossible to reach x2 buff power). It lasts for 20 seconds at base, up to 40 seconds with enough buff-duration-increasing effects.

The party doesn't have any consistent means of obtaining Decoy; it can only be granted by random-buff-granting abilities such as Feather Sanctuary. As such, it is pointless to orient strategies around it. It can be made most useful by a character with Resonant Flag obtaining it once randomly and then constantly providing it to the rest of the party, assuming the duration can be extended indefinitely via Pause Buff Timer and Unceasing Blessing and assuming the flagger never gets targeted by an attack. However, even this method generally is not efficient enough to function as a primary means of defense.

Enemy decoy is typically not to be worried about; the rate of player attacks is high enough that the one forced evasion will quickly be used up. If the player sees an enemy Art being used which they know grants Decoy, it is best to hold off on any big attack until after the buff is consumed.

Trivia
An unused Field Art which grants Decoy exists in the game's files; it forces evasion of the next three hits that target any character standing in the field, then dissipates.