Question on evasion

[Vexed]

A rogue trying to use evasion agasint a spell that say has a 40' radius or larger (or for that manner any effect that requires a reflex save) is centered on him. He can only move 30' in a round. So if he makes his save to take no damage, is he effectively "running" out of the area? (and if your answer is going to use cover) what if there is no cover? Like a wide open plain? How would he evade this damage? Would you let him "run" 120' or just move his normal 30'
He would have to move to escape the blast radius, correct?

*Thus also removing him from combat, and possibly the entire area? (If you are looking at minis)

 

[Pax]

Evasion does not mean you get out of the AoE. Nor does making a reflex save.

It is inherently assumed that anythign which requires a reflex save is not filling it's AoE 100% solid. A fireball, for example, has gusts, wisps, etc of fire ... but it has a few empty places too. Someone with evasion can get their body COMPLETELY in the empty areas.

Most folks can only dodge HALF of themselves away from teh flames.

 

[Vexed]

Well that is one way to perceive the effect. Inherently assumed? I don't know about that. I never thought there were 4-5 foot gaps or "wisps" of flame in a 20 radius fireball. Your saying there is large "gaps" big enough for human size creatures in any type of area affecting spell that allows a reflex save? (In this instance, Fireball). There must be more gaps when more than one rogue is making a save, or do they all use the same "hole" ?

 

[Celtavian]

re

We use a House Rule where an individual must move out of the area of the blast to effectively evade. We usually give up to a double move since we view the movement as a short reactive sprint.

It also helps us determine when a save would be impossible due to confined space.

It is inherently assumed that anythign which requires a reflex save is not filling it's AoE 100% solid.

I didn't assume this, but that could be one way to look at it.

The way I picture a regular Reflex save occurring is a person covers or shields their vital areas and thus takes only half damage, wheras a person who missed their save was unable to cover vital areas and takes full damage. Kind of like when a grenade or an artillery shell goes off, you are told to drop and cover so you have at least a little better chance of not getting shredded if you are not a directly hit. That is how I picture Reflex saves, a person is basically covering up, closing their eyes, shielding their face with their arms and just generally trying to avoid taking the full brunt of the explosion. '

A guy with Evasion is basically trained to react so quickly that he or she gets out of the area of the blast altogether. They see a blast coming, they are already running out of the area.

Either interpretation is valid. I just like the cinematic image I have in my imagination of evasion working, so I made a house rule to simulate it.

 

[Darklone]

I'm interpreting it usually as getting into cover or covering yourself with shield or clothes or whatever. I had one character once jumping of a ledge with his unconscious buddy over the shoulder as he saw the mage casting yet another fireball at him.

Though, in this case, he was more worried about his buddy, he himself would have prolly made his evasive save against the puny fireball wand

 

[hong]

It's a ninja thing. Don't think too hard about it.

 

[Number47]

You do a backflip. I've seen a lot of movies and a backflip protects you from any kind of attack.

 

[The Souljourner]

You definitely don't need to move, that would cause way too many problems - attacks of opportunity, the fact that you can move faster when you're being shot at than when you're not, etc.

Combat is abstract in D&D for a reason - if it were realistic, it wouldn't be fun. "Redgar, you get hit with a sword. Your intestines are spilling out on the floor, what do you do?"

Don't explain evasion, it just *is*.

-The Souljourner

 

[SnowDog]

Exactly.

You do a backflip. I've seen a lot of movies and a backflip protects you from any kind of attack.

Right!

Think of it as something impossible in the "real world" ... a combination of luck, almost-supernatural speed and reflexes, etc.

I usually picture an insane cinematic leap, roll, tumble, etc. In a hallway, he might press against the wall -- in the open plain he might drop into a roll and somehow come up just right so the flames never hit any exposed flesh. Etc.

Forcing the character to move if he makes his save is a big blow to the rogue class, IMO.

Remember, saving throws represent not just innate ability but also luck and "heroic juice" (as we like to call it). You're someone in this world, and you're not going to let a puny fireball finish you off....

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Gunbuster...shield! *giant robot pulls out a cloak and hides behind it, using the cloak to deflect the laser blasts*

I'd always imagined Evasion as either ducking behind nearby cover, or creating cover (shield, cloak, upraised arms, etc.) Other than that, hong is wise:

It's a ninja thing. Don't think too hard about it.