Dodge

[Henry]

My perspective: the dodge feat, house-ruled, would not be near the power of a +2 to Dex. a +2 to Dex affects Armor class, initiative, reflex saves, and ranged attacks. A +1 dodge bonus to AC, only takable (is that a word?) once, is only one quarter the bonus of having a higher dex. Add in the "gets around Max Dex" business, and it's maybe the equivalent of one half of having a +2 to Dex. In actual playtest, it doesn't hurt balance whatsoever, IME, and is rarely taken except as prereq for mobility or spring attack. If not for those, I don't think I'd EVER see it taken.

Now, by the RAW, I believe it's meant to be "one time per round", myself. I don't think they intended it for you to shift it all over the place in the course of your action. Otherwise, you could run by a whole LINE of six or more defenders, triggering op-attacks, and have it apply to every single one, making the reason for it applying to one attacker at a time irrelevant.

 

[Jdvn1]

No, because an AoO is not an action.

Though, you could use it during the action that provokes the AoO, then change it when anyone else takes an action to attack you.

 

[frankthedm]

Otherwise, you could run by a whole LINE of six or more defenders, triggering op-attacks, and have it apply to every single one, making the reason for it applying to one attacker at a time irrelevant.

That I don't mind actually. Those attacks will always have a minumum 5% hit rate and if the foes can hit better than that on the character jogging past, the Fool is asking for trouble... Especially since he has 6 people who are going to be attacking him on thier actions. Hopefully he broke LOS so 3 of them can't charge him.

 

[MatthewJHanson]

I rarely see anyone actually use power attack. That doesnt mean that it doesnt happen, Im just saying I rarely see it.

Then you play in a very different game then I do, where nearly every melee combatant regularly uses the feat.

EDIT: And to the orriginal quest, I'm with the popular house-rule camp.

 

[Menexenus]

To simplify combat, strengthen the feat, and because IMC no one ever remembers to declare their dodge buddy; I made the Dodge feat apply to the total AC, Touch attack AC, and Incorporeal Touch attack AC. I see no problem with a +1 dodge bonus to AC versus everybody and do not think it overpowered.

I did exactly the same thing in my game. I figured that I would be too busy as a DM to specify (and remember) Dodge-opponents for the bad guys who had the feat. So I won't make the PCs do it either. In my game the feat just provides a blanket +1 Dodge bonus to AC (against everyone). As Electric Dragon said, it's hard to argue that this revised feat is overpowered when compared to others.

I guess that makes me "quadruple ditto".

 

[Jdvn1]

My perspective: the dodge feat, house-ruled, would not be near the power of a +2 to Dex.

Moreover, it's probably about the same power as Weapon Focus, though due to Weapon Focus applying only to a single weapon, an argument could be made for the two being equal in power before the houserule.

Now, by the RAW, I believe it's meant to be "one time per round", myself.

Well, the player would argue that, RAW, it's not "one time per round" and the text clear states "on any action." That's horrible wording, if you ask me, but I do agree with you (and Chris Lindsay) that it's supposed to be "once per round."

Though, considering a lot of people make the houserule that Dodge is a flat +1 Dodge bonus to AC, the "on any action" interpretation a) isn't more powerful and b) has some rules support.

I don't think they intended it for you to shift it all over the place in the course of your action. Otherwise, you could run by a whole LINE of six or more defenders, triggering op-attacks, and have it apply to every single one, making the reason for it applying to one attacker at a time irrelevant.

This partially begs the question "what is an action"? There are three interpretations that I can think of.

Certainly, the step of every run is an action, as is blinking or breathing, and you could argue that you could trigger a line of op-attacks, but that's not an "action" in the usual rules sense.

Which is significant because AoOs aren't "actions" they're "attacks." If the character made a move action to trigger AoOs from the line of attackers and then ended with a standard action to attack his intended target (assuming he made it by that terrible line!), you could argue that he only made two actions, and thusly only had the opportunity to change his Dodge-buddy twice. (Though, admittedly, there isn't a specified limit to how many times you can change your Dodge-buddy on any action... it seems reasonable to say that once is a default.)

You could also argue that "on any action" would refer to an initiative count. As in, "Roy just moved. It's Belkar's action now." In which case a Dodger could change his Dodge-buddy once during Roy's turn and once during Belkar's turn. Which you may argue with, but look at the Dodge feat again--it starts "During your action..." which is normally read (or understood) as "During your turn..." Wow. I'm starting to think once per round sounds like a houserule.

Again, all of these interpretations are still weaker than the common houserule (which I don't use, BTW), and the only balance problem comes into play when you look at a feat that says, "Whenever you are hit by an attack by an opponent which you have chosen for your Dodge bonus..." or "Whenever an opponent which you have chosen for your Dodge bonus misses you with an attack..." (there are tactical feats to this effect, I believe).

 

[werk]

I had it in my house rules that you could only set it once per round, and that it had to be declared.

You know what? It sucked!

I'm switching out so that dodge is +1AC so I can be like the cool kids.


(and that's how it works in DDO)

 

[Nail]

I House Ruled it to just give a +1 dodge bonus to AC.

Me too. And you can take Dodge more than once.

That said, the RAW is clear: On each action per round, you can change your "Dodge buddy". The player's reading is the correct one.

 

[Brogarn]

If I were to DM, I'd house rule like the ones above. It's an underpowered feat otherwise, imo. And a pain in the arse to keep track of on top of that.

I think NWN had it set up like that as well, now that I think about it.

If you're following the rules, though, it seems to me that player is correct in his interpretation. Regardless of intent, that's how it's written by how I'm reading it.

 

[Nail]

I don't think they intended it for you to shift it all over the place in the course of your action. Otherwise, you could run by a whole LINE of six or more defenders, triggering op-attacks, and have it apply to every single one...

Not at all.

Your movement is a single action. So you could only apply the Dodge to one of those six guys in a line.