Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tenken 03-28-06, 09:35 AM	Other than AC, what are some of the best ways of avoiding attacks? I'm curious in things such as Blur, Mirror Image, Blink, Displacement, etc. What are some of the other things out there that affects whether or not you'll be hit through means other than AC? Prefferably, it'd be great if the effect wasn't negated by True Seeing, the way that most of these effects are.
Prominence 03-28-06, 09:49 AM	Elusive Target lets you make an attack miss you if they're flanking you.
Psifon 03-28-06, 10:52 AM	The combination of greater invisibility and fly works very well. This assumes that you are using a ranged combat style of course. But you attack, then move, attack, then move. This keeps the enemy from even targeting your square most of the time.
Timlagor 03-28-06, 10:52 AM	Dust of Disappearance. (expensive though!) Fog/mist blocks True Seeing I believe. Some sort of Dispel Magic will generally put a stop to that irritating True Seeing. Killing the enemy works wonders :D
Lilt 03-28-06, 11:18 AM	Generally fog isn't seen through by True Seeing. Blindsight (Cleric/Druid 3, in the Spell Compendium, also granted by listening lorecall from CV/SC if you have enough ranks in listen) lets you seee through it though. Permeable Form from Lords of Madness is an Immediate-action cast spell (Castable on someone else's turn) which makes you incorporeal for 1 round. Incorporeal creatures generally have 50% miss chance against anything magical (except force and positive/negative energy effects) and 100% miss chance against anything that's not.
mod5000 03-28-06, 02:00 PM	One class ability I've always been fond of is Defensive Roll, though unfortunately it can only be used once per day. IIRC, there's an epic-level version that has no limits / day, and brings down the damage to 0 instead of 1/2--can anyone remember, or is my mind playing games with me?
Timlagor 03-28-06, 04:58 PM	Incorporeal creatures generally have 50% miss chance against anything magical (except force and positive/negative energy effects) and 100% miss chance against anything that's not. It's not a miss chance.
Gavinfoxx 03-28-06, 05:04 PM	Get high saves... that helps a lot... get cover, be ethereal...
fnord 03-28-06, 05:05 PM	Other than AC, what are some of the best ways of avoiding attacks? I'm curious in things such as Blur, Mirror Image, Blink, Displacement, etc. What are some of the other things out there that affects whether or not you'll be hit through means other than AC? Prefferably, it'd be great if the effect wasn't negated by True Seeing, the way that most of these effects are. Oftentimes, it's really simple: Fly. A great many monsters lack spells, ranged attacks, and flight, making them easy kills if you catch them in the open.
solbergb 03-28-06, 07:21 PM	The best way is the "air barrier". Ie...not in reach and no way it can get in reach and still attack. This is by far the best defense for arcanists and other mobile, ranged combatants. The correlary of this for enemies with ranged attacks is to be under full cover when it is their turn. A fairly easy way to do this is to find some low cover, like a stone wall, stand up, fire a spell, drop prone. The only time you are exposed is when casting the spell. Unfortunately these tactics don't work as well for archers, and work poorly for melee combatants, which leads to the next best way. "Don't be considered a threat." This is something my monk trades on fairly often....he'll do something to set up another party member for a massive attack, and stand quietly near the monsters knowing next round he'll get his big full attack, while the monster tries to remove the character that hurt him LAST turn. Sometimes the badguys cooperate, taking AOO's and such to get to the "big threat" while leaving themselves vulnerable to me, the mere "flanker/support character". Ideally, the most durable party member should appear to be the biggest offensive threat. Obviously when you open up with your own massive damage (this is the CO board. All melee builds can do big damage here) the deception is up, but by then the enemy should be dead :) These two principles are about as effective as all the defensive approaches that you purchase with money or spells cast combined. But when they don't work, it can be painful if you don't have some "passive" defenses too.
Thanatos42 03-28-06, 11:18 PM	High saves with mettle and evasion.
K 03-28-06, 11:51 PM	While flying is the premier way of avoiding attacks, there are several other great little ways to mess wit foes: A. Distractions. Mirror Images are a nice way to foil a few attacks, but its the neat stuff like illusion spells that really are the trick. Even with saves, giving the enemy a choice of three illusionary copies to attack (of each party member) is a more than efficient way to avoid attacks. B. Burrow + ranged or spells. There are several ways to move and attack (or cast a spell) and then move again, and if you are doing it at range then enemies must ready actions to attack you. With the right actions on your side, this can equal never being in a position where you can be attacked. C. Flat immunity. Recently a friend and I came up with an ECL 6 character that had DR 18/silver. Guess what? Your enemies are rarely going to have silver, and you are smart enough to disarm or sunder any silver they might have, so you aren't ever going to really take damage. Add in things like Globe of Invulnerability, and you can have perfect defenses.
Elderich 03-29-06, 12:57 PM	my artificer is enjoying persistant improved blink.