Evasion / Improved Evasion Question

[sullivan]

I think you could rule that a multiclass combination would grant the improved evasion ability at the lowest level one of the classes gets it, still makes them stack but would not make them get t that soon.

Still a house rule though.

Ya, effectively stacking class levels (like Uncanny Dodge levels do for PrCs) instead of just converting the second Evasion to Improved Evasion. That isn't a huge benefit, given the general slight multiclass downsides, and might be the only viable way 3+ class PC would get Improved Evasion. However there is still a bit of an issue early in that Rogue makes you choose it from a list of specials at a given level. I'd make the Improve Evasion optional to the PC, and if they took it take away that choice of that class special at the prescribed Rogue level if they didn't make it to Monk 9th first.

Complicated, yes. But if you are going to house rule sometimes things get a bit awkward.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I hate to play the Grinch but this is a very, very bad idea.

If you are stacking up multiple classes/PrCs with Evasion, your Refl save is likely to be astronomical.

You are failing far fewer Refl saves than the straight Rogue, so balancewise I do not see you should get Improved Evasion at all. Most likely your measly Evasion is good enough that you are taking less damage on average from Fireballs than a comparable Rogue who actually has Improved Evasion.

There is a price to be paid for a lack of focus. Those special bonus Rogue feats are not a small thing.

If you remove the save stacking incentive to multiclassing I might be inclined to show some mercy. Otherwise...suck it up.

 

[UltimaGabe]

What would be your opinions on the cost of a ring that if someone already has evasion, would grant improved evasion?

If I remember correctly, there's a magic item in Relics & Rituals called the Circlet of Warning that grants such an ability. I can't remember the cost (since, if I recall correctly, the prices weren't even listed in the book), but you could probably do a search online to find it.

 

[Arkhandus]

What would be your opinions on the cost of a ring that if someone already has evasion, would grant improved evasion?

Double or triple the cost of a common Ring of Evasion.

 

[Gaiden]

I allow the second evasion to stack and become improved evasion. The only problem at all balance wise is a monk/rogue. I consider mettle to be about as powerful as improved evasion and with that available at 6th (where as improved evasion following my house rule is available at 4th) I am not too concerned.

As far as I know, it is definitely a house rule that allows 2 incidences of evasion to stack. But seriously - if you want to to take 2 levels of rogue, and 2 levels of monk - have 1d6 S.A. dmg, a +2 BAB, fewer skills than a straight rogue, and less combat abilities than a straight monk - go right ahead.

 

[Stalker0]

I would say mettle is a lot weaker than improved evasion....there's are far fewer fort/will for half than reflex half spells.

 

[Gaiden]

I would say mettle is a lot weaker than improved evasion....there's are far fewer fort/will for half than reflex half spells.

You might be surprised. It is not necessarily how many spells there are but how often those spells are used. Even if there was just one spell, if every opponent used it, it would warrant mettle as a powerful ability. In my experience, many outsiders of unholy blight, many mages use phantasmal killer, disintegrate and destruction are used by high level mages/clerics often, etc. Moreover, evasion is fairly common meaning that if there is a non-reflex based damaging spell, it will usually be used more often than a comparable reflex save spell.

I played RttToEE and took over a friend's character who had Mettle. The ability was invaluable. I can't count the number of times it wound up saving his life. In fact, what I noticed was that in that setting there were few encounters where evasion would have been useful. Of course this is biased considering we were fighting priests and not mages, but never the less.

I am not saying mettle is more powerful than improved evasion but based on number of times used, mettle has to be up there near improved evasion in usefulness.