D&D 5E How the crap do you explain the rogue's Evasion ability?

[Fauchard1520]

How the crap do you explain the rogue's Evasion ability?

The default explanation is right there in the ability text: “you nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects.” However, that never quite fit the picture in my head. Leaping away from explosions and action-rolling like Indy are perfectly cromulent, but both maneuvers require you to actually move. The rogues of the world dodge in place, taking not so much as a 5′ step to get clear of danger. It’s like the end of Duck Dodgers, with world-shaking fireballs conveniently missing the plucky protagonist.

I’ll be the first to admit that this is a bit of a non-problem. Evasion is a fairly straightforward ability after all. But in the interest of making amusing headcanon, how do you like to describe/explain evasion? How is the rogue standing at the bottom of the crater while everyone else is roasted?

(Comic for illustrative purposes.)

 

[commandercrud]

Have you seen any action movie?

 

[CleverNickName]

Yeah, it never made much sense to me either...seems very "Matrix-y."

 

[billd91]

You, as a DM, don’t need to explain it. Let the rogue player explain it.

 

[Ancalagon]

Have you seen any action movie?

... have you read the original post at all? He already made reference to action movies...

 

[BookTenTiger]

You, as a DM, don’t need to explain it. Let the rogue player explain it.

This is it exactly.

Just because the miniature doesn't move from the five foot square doesn't mean the player can't describe an active dodging manuever - flattening themselves to the ground, ducking behind a column, raising their fireproof cape, distracting the enemy with a reflection off their dagger, etc etc etc

 

[Undrave]

They just backflip up above the area of effect and land back afterwards.

 

[Seramus]

The explosions happen right behind the rogue, and they are calmly walking away.

 

[Nebulous]

I had a rogue in a five foot wide corridor, no exits, no cover, nothing, and a mage dropped an 8th level spell on him, filling the entire corridor with napalm. No damage. Thanks, D&D.

 

[Weiley31]

It's a sidestep.