If a spell or ability targets an equipment that is attached to a unit with deflect, does the deflect need to be paid?

Ruling: No, you can target attached equipment normally. Equipment cards have their own properties, not those of the unit they are attached to (the Top Most Card).

Nuances:

• If an equipment itself has deflect in its rules text, that deflect would be inactive while the equipment is attached to a permanent, since all rules text on attached equipment is inactive.
• This would remain true even if deflect were granted to the equipment by another effect while it is attached.
• The effect box of equipment is separate from the equipment card itself - those effects are given to the unit, not part of the equipment card's properties.