Post/Author/DateTime	Post
dralance 01-03-08, 09:30 PM	I know that a PC can dodge a special attack but what about a normal attack? Because I have looked around all of the books that I have and read into the combat sections as best I could. When one of my friends did this but I really did not see dodge as a skill only a feat and that feat just makes you have +1 to your AC, and helps alittle in the dice roll. But can there be an honest to goodness dodgeing of an attack besides not being able break armor class. Oh and the occasional special attack the requires a will save, reflex save or fortitude save.
zeratulcraft 01-03-08, 09:38 PM	Armor Class encompasses dodging, but if you want a "I dodge it!"-esque thing to say, consider Rogue. Defensive Roll (Ex): The rogue can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than she otherwise would. Once per day, when she would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the rogue can attempt to roll with the damage. To use this ability, the rogue must attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt). If the save succeeds, she takes only half damage from the blow; if it fails, she takes full damage. She must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute her defensive roll—if she is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC, she can’t use this ability. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the rogue’s evasion ability does not apply to the defensive roll. There's also Epic Dodge that ignores one attack/round.
silvergamgee 01-03-08, 11:48 PM	You can use skills like hide to prevent the enemy from even attacking you in the first place, but as to using skills to dodge the enemy...not really. There are other systems that you can use skills to dodge. But in D&D, a characters armor class serves just that purpose (and don't forget to include flatfooted and touch armor classes, they're important too!)
Ekko 01-04-08, 12:33 AM	If you want to say "you nimbly dodge the orc's attack," that's easy. Just keep track of the individual modifiers to AC, in the following order. Base AC (includes size modifiers and untyped bonuses) [The orc simply missed you completely] Luck, Profane, and Sacred Bonuses (includes wisdom bonus to AC from monk) [Your luck/senses/god's intevention allowed you to evade the orc's axe] Dexterity and Dodge Bonuses [You nimbly dodge the orc's attack] Deflection and Miscellaneous [The magical force around you repels the blow from connecting] Sheild [You manage to stop the orc's axe with your sheild] Armor [The blow strikes you, but your armor stops it from harming you] Natural Armor [The blow penetrates your armor, but is stopped by your thick skin] This way, you can tell if an attack fails to hit, why it missed. Use the lowest total AC that the attack would have missed on the chart and come up with a phrase for it. Examples are in [brackets] above. It's the system I use most of the time, and it adds some flavor to hit/miss style combat.
Kouk 01-04-08, 12:38 AM	Normal "dodging" is covered in the AC system as was said. There is a smattering of feats or abilities that allow you to "negate" attacks, such as Deflect Arrows, or one that is similar to the Rogue ability mentioned. The Tome of Battle has Counter Maneuvers which can block attacks as well.
mvincent 01-04-08, 12:43 PM	if you want a "I dodge it!"-esque thing to sayAnother possible option: Ready an action to move (possibly behind cover) if attacked.
Kavannah 01-04-08, 02:04 PM	Or fight defensively or take the total defense action. (Basically bobbing and weaving instead of striking back)