Out-Of-Turn Dodge

[Hrothgar Rannúlfr]

About Out-of-Turn Dodge from page 118 of Unearthed Arcana...

"Any time you are about to be attacked, you can give up your next turn to gain a +4 dodge bonus to your AC. You must be able to apply your Dexterity bonus to AC against the attack (so you can’t use it when fl at-footed, for instance), and you declare this before the attack roll is made. Your initiative does not change; you simply do not take an action on your next turn. You gain this dodge bonus until the next time your initiative comes up after your “skipped” turn."​

Should movement be disallowed during the "skipped" turn? Or, is sacrificing your standard action from the next round enough to activate Total Defense out of turn?

Would you still allow the character a 5'-step or a move action during the skipped turn?

 

[Dandu]

It seems to indicate that you don't get to do anything during your next turn.

 

[AuraSeer]

Skipping a turn means skipping a turn. It does not mean skipping only part of the turn.

The bit that says "you simply do not take an action" means that you simply do not take an action. It does not mean you can take move actions or some other subset of actions.

If you trigger this ability, your entire turn is spent dodging. You cannot act, move, take a 5' step, use other abilities, or do anything else that round, because you don't get to take a turn.

 

[Hrothgar Rannúlfr]

It seems to indicate that you don't get to do anything during your next turn.

Skipping a turn means skipping a turn. It does not mean skipping only part of the turn.

The bit that says "you simply do not take an action" means that you simply do not take an action. It does not mean you can take move actions or some other subset of actions.

If you trigger this ability, your entire turn is spent dodging. You cannot act, move, take a 5' step, use other abilities, or do anything else that round, because you don't get to take a turn.

I agree, Dandu and AuraSeer.

But should it cost your entire next turn to use this option? Would changing it to sacrificing your standard action from the next round make it overpowered?

 

[Sekhmet]

I agree, Dandu and AuraSeer.

But should it cost your entire next turn to use this option? Would changing it to sacrificing your standard action from the next round make it overpowered?

Absolutely.
Consider the damage Wizards could do with the extra 4 AC and a Wand of Metamagic: Quicken if he was still able to make his move action.

Redirecting spells is also a move action, iirc.

+4 AC is a substantial reason to lose your turn at lower levels, and an even greater asset if you can know the roll before you decide.

 

[anest1s]

Absolutely.
Consider the damage Wizards could do with the extra 4 AC and a Wand of Metamagic: Quicken if he was still able to make his move action.

Redirecting spells is also a move action, iirc.

+4 AC is a substantial reason to lose your turn at lower levels, and an even greater asset if you can know the roll before you decide.

Knowing the roll makes it overpowered, because no one would use it in a roll which couldn't hurt them. Its like having +4 AC every time you lose initiative. Then again, this can really turn against the PCs if the DM waits for their attack rolls to decide....

 

[Dandu]

I don't believe anyone's suggesting you know the roll first, then make the decision. The quoted text at the top states that the decision is made before the attack is roll.

 

[anest1s]

I don't believe anyone's suggesting you know the roll first, then make the decision. The quoted text at the top states that the decision is made before the attack is roll.

I noticed the original text, but I saw it in the text I quoted (no doubt it can't happen easily, except if the DM shows his rolls)

 

[Dandu]

Oh, right.

 

[frankthedm]

But should it cost your entire next turn to use this option? Would changing it to sacrificing your standard action from the next round make it overpowered?

Definitely overpowered. It's the difference between life or death. Currently the ability forces your allies to change their actions since when you do this, you are the groups anchor, stuck in place. If you still got a move action, you might be able to get away from the bad situation that forced you to OOTD, letting you live, when you should have died without allies dedicating their actions to your survival.