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

[Li Shenron]

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.

First, the game is NOT an accurate simulation of reality. Insisting that it must be, is a recipe for misery.

The Rogue is in fact moving as much as she needs. Except that she still starts from the same spot on her turn. Perhaps she took some steps sideways and back while she was not her turn, something the rules do not allow you to in other cases, but it doesn't matter, the only thing that matters is that she got the Evasion's damage discount. Or perhaps she WILL take a move in her next turn (or has taken a move in the previous) and that retroactively explains the evasion. The Indiana Jones trap wouldn't even need to think about it, as Indy obviously needed to move PAST the trap, it doesn't matter that a Saving Throw is instantaneous, it can also represent the outcome of something longer in time.

 

[Helpful NPC Thom]

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.)

To turn this around: a character who makes a Dexterity save vs. fireball or dragon's breath isn't actually leaping out of the way. How does he only take "half damage" when he's standing perfectly still? It needs be understood that a saving throw exists to measure the impact of an effect upon a character. Against a regular character, an 8d6 fireball has two effect levels: 8d6 damage and 4d6 damage. Against a rogue with evasion, those effect levels are reduced: 4d6 and 0d6. Take it as a bit of luck, a bit of skill, and a bit of game mechanics.

 

[Fauchard1520]

I have thought about require a reaction to move out of the area of effect to avoid all damage.

There's some interesting precedent in the "create pit" line of spells over in Pathfinder: Create Pit – d20PFSRD

 

[Laurefindel]

As many posters have said, the nature of evasion is intimately linked to that of damage and hit points.

Regardless how hp are perceived, they ultimately are a resources of not-dying points. Evasion allows you to not-die without spending or losing resources. This can mean different things in different situations.

although for a more hp-as-meat-points approach, I like the idea that was proposed earlier stating that in situations where dodging is not an option, a fireball is resisted with a Con save. Evasion does not work on Con saves.

 

[Lord Shark]

“Someone once criticized the concept of the saving throw as ridiculous... Could a man chained to a rock, they asked, save himself from a blast of red dragon’s breath? Why not? I replied. Imagine that the figure, at the last moment, of course, manages to drop beneath the licking flames, or finds a crevice in which to shield his or her body, or succeeds in finding some way to be free of the fetters. Why not?” -- some guy named Gygax