Melee Evasion against Ranged Attack? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Melee Evasion against Ranged Attack? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
psipup
11-02-07, 08:54 PM Despite its name, can the Melee Evasion feat from the PHB2 be used to protect oneself from a ranged attack? Aside from the name, there seems to be nothing about the feat which implies one cannot. So.. what's in a name?
Hsien
11-03-07, 03:51 PM So.. what's in a name?

The difference between being able to evade or not?
Generally when it specifies Melee or Ranged in the feat then thats all it works with.

Take Melee Mastery and Ranged Mastery; both can be taken if you have WF and WSpec in dagger (for example) but the benefits do not cross over.
i.e if you only have Melee mastery, those bonuses do not apply if you throw a dagger. You need Ranged mastery for that...and vice versa

2 cents worth anyway
psipup
11-03-07, 05:32 PM Nut the difference between your examples and my question would be in the fact that, in addition to their names, Melee Weapon Mastery and Ranged Weapon Mastery also specify within the feat discription that they only work "When using any melee weapon that deals this type of damager.." (or ganed, for the second feat, of course).

Melee Evasion has no such deliniation within its descriptive text. It only says you can "attempt to negate a single attack made by the target of your dodge feat." It doesn't say the attack has to be a melee attack, while the weapon feats specify it has to be a melee/ranged weapon (respectively) for the benefits to apply.

I agree that the names Melee Evasion gives an extremely heavy implication that it's only melee attacks which it was intended to protect against, but the wording of when the feat is allowed to apply seems to encompas the possibility of a ranged attacker against whom one has declared their dodge feat that round.
Dog_O_War
11-03-07, 05:40 PM There is already a "ranged" evasion - it's called deflect arrow.
psipup
11-03-07, 06:05 PM But there's important differences between the two. One of the most significant being that Deflect Arrows specifies that it does not work against ranged attacks generated by spells.

Melee Evasion, however, has no such limiter, and instead simply works against any attack made by the target of your dodge feat. This would mean that, say, the touch attack of a Harm spell could be evaded via Melee Evasion. Thus, if the non-specified wording within the feat is assumed to let it function against ranged attacks as well, it could similarly be used against a ranged attack spell, such as Disintegrate or Orb of X.

A significant difference between the two feats, I would say.
Bopple
11-03-07, 07:30 PM As RAW, it can block any attack, be it melee or ranged.
But I quite sure that it was not the real intention of the feat.
Dog_O_War
11-04-07, 12:57 PM That's a good point. Unfortunately there is a feat that allows "ranged spell evasion".

And it's epic :weep:
Legdiwena
11-04-07, 02:41 PM You referring to Exceptional Deflection?
Dog_O_War
11-04-07, 03:10 PM Yes.
Jaxgaret
11-04-07, 03:54 PM The only issue I see is that you must be fighting defensively to utilize Melee Evasion, and you can only fight defensively if you are attacking someone:

You can choose to fight defensively when attacking.

So, if you are not attacking someone, you can't use Melee Evasion. And if you are attacking someone in melee, you are more likely to be using your Dodge bonus against that foe, rather than an enemy attacking you from range.

But, I see no reason for why you can't use the feat, by RAW, against a ranged attacker - but only if you've attacked someone and are fighting defensively and your Dodge bonus is going towards the ranged attacker's attacks.
archerpwr
11-04-07, 05:06 PM The combat form feat that lets you change your dodge target as an immidiate action?
risner
11-04-07, 08:14 PM Despite its name, can the Melee Evasion feat from the PHB2 be used to protect oneself from a ranged attack? Aside from the name, there seems to be nothing about the feat which implies one cannot. So.. what's in a name?

RAW, no. The name of the feat and the "from his sword blow" text.

Ask your DM, he may say yes despite it being somewhat clear they didn't intend on ranged attacks being allowed.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
psipup 11-02-07, 08:54 PM	Despite its name, can the Melee Evasion feat from the PHB2 be used to protect oneself from a ranged attack? Aside from the name, there seems to be nothing about the feat which implies one cannot. So.. what's in a name?
Hsien 11-03-07, 03:51 PM	So.. what's in a name? The difference between being able to evade or not? Generally when it specifies Melee or Ranged in the feat then thats all it works with. Take Melee Mastery and Ranged Mastery; both can be taken if you have WF and WSpec in dagger (for example) but the benefits do not cross over. i.e if you only have Melee mastery, those bonuses do not apply if you throw a dagger. You need Ranged mastery for that...and vice versa 2 cents worth anyway
psipup 11-03-07, 05:32 PM	Nut the difference between your examples and my question would be in the fact that, in addition to their names, Melee Weapon Mastery and Ranged Weapon Mastery also specify within the feat discription that they only work "When using any melee weapon that deals this type of damager.." (or ganed, for the second feat, of course). Melee Evasion has no such deliniation within its descriptive text. It only says you can "attempt to negate a single attack made by the target of your dodge feat." It doesn't say the attack has to be a melee attack, while the weapon feats specify it has to be a melee/ranged weapon (respectively) for the benefits to apply. I agree that the names Melee Evasion gives an extremely heavy implication that it's only melee attacks which it was intended to protect against, but the wording of when the feat is allowed to apply seems to encompas the possibility of a ranged attacker against whom one has declared their dodge feat that round.
Dog_O_War 11-03-07, 05:40 PM	There is already a "ranged" evasion - it's called deflect arrow.
psipup 11-03-07, 06:05 PM	But there's important differences between the two. One of the most significant being that Deflect Arrows specifies that it does not work against ranged attacks generated by spells. Melee Evasion, however, has no such limiter, and instead simply works against any attack made by the target of your dodge feat. This would mean that, say, the touch attack of a Harm spell could be evaded via Melee Evasion. Thus, if the non-specified wording within the feat is assumed to let it function against ranged attacks as well, it could similarly be used against a ranged attack spell, such as Disintegrate or Orb of X. A significant difference between the two feats, I would say.
Bopple 11-03-07, 07:30 PM	As RAW, it can block any attack, be it melee or ranged. But I quite sure that it was not the real intention of the feat.
Dog_O_War 11-04-07, 12:57 PM	That's a good point. Unfortunately there is a feat that allows "ranged spell evasion". And it's epic :weep:
Legdiwena 11-04-07, 02:41 PM	You referring to Exceptional Deflection?
Dog_O_War 11-04-07, 03:10 PM	Yes.
Jaxgaret 11-04-07, 03:54 PM	The only issue I see is that you must be fighting defensively to utilize Melee Evasion, and you can only fight defensively if you are attacking someone: You can choose to fight defensively when attacking. So, if you are not attacking someone, you can't use Melee Evasion. And if you are attacking someone in melee, you are more likely to be using your Dodge bonus against that foe, rather than an enemy attacking you from range. But, I see no reason for why you can't use the feat, by RAW, against a ranged attacker - but only if you've attacked someone and are fighting defensively and your Dodge bonus is going towards the ranged attacker's attacks.
archerpwr 11-04-07, 05:06 PM	The combat form feat that lets you change your dodge target as an immidiate action?
risner 11-04-07, 08:14 PM	Despite its name, can the Melee Evasion feat from the PHB2 be used to protect oneself from a ranged attack? Aside from the name, there seems to be nothing about the feat which implies one cannot. So.. what's in a name? RAW, no. The name of the feat and the "from his sword blow" text. Ask your DM, he may say yes despite it being somewhat clear they didn't intend on ranged attacks being allowed.