What can't epic dodge stop?

[Lysander]

Here is the feat:


Epic Dodge [Epic]
Prerequisites

Dex 25, Dodge, Tumble 30 ranks, improved evasion, defensive roll class feature.
Benefit

Once per round, when struck by an attack from an opponent you have designated as the object of your dodge, you may automatically avoid all damage from the attack.

My question is...can you avoid spells this way?

[Peregrinus]

Yes, No and No.

Yes if the spell has an attack roll and deals damage. No if the spell has no attack roll (which includes most AoE spells or something like, Magic Missile), or if the spell has an affect other than damage.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

I have a feeling it would only apply to spells that required an attack roll.

[Saintjebus]

The wording makes it seem like you could avoid anything that is considered an attack, so Fireball=yes, Grease on the ground, no. Any of the fog line, no.


Edit: Ooohh. So many ninjas

[LibraryOgre]

Given that it requires both Defensive Roll and Improved Evasion, I have no trouble with it avoiding damage from pretty much anything.

[Bibliomancer]

I would agree with Pharoah's Fist. You could use it to dodge anything that required an attack roll (all or almost all of the spells that fall into this category deal damage). This wouldn't apply to Area of Effect spells, since they technically are not attacks (they are actions that happen to generate damage to anything within an area). They are offensive actions.

However, given that to have this feat you must have Dex 25 and Imporved Evasion, I don't think that AoE spells would be very dangerous to you.

[Lysander]

Given that it requires both Defensive Roll and Improved Evasion, I have no trouble with it avoiding damage from pretty much anything.

It only seems to have three limitations. It must be an attack, it must strike you, and it only blocks "damage" which probably limits it to hp and ability damage.

By that wording it could stop magic missile, fireball, disintegrate but not baleful polymorph, dominate person, plane shift, blindness, etc.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

The real question is, when you run for public office, does this allow you to avoid the negative effects of your opponent's mudslinging?

[Bibliomancer]

It only seems to have three limitations. It must be an attack, it must strike you, and it only blocks "damage" which probably limits it to hp and ability damage.

By that wording it could stop magic missile, fireball, disintegrate but not baleful polymorph, dominate person, plane shift, blindness, etc.

Technically, Magic Missile is an offensive spell, not an attack.

In DnD an offensive action (something that ends invisibility) is anything that affects an opponent, while an attack is a melee or ranged attack. There is no such category as a spell attack. Thus, if a spell does not require an attack roll, this feat cannot stop it.

[Kekken]

What can't epic dodge stop?

The other 99 arrows...

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

An attack doesn't necessarily require an attack roll. Certain actions in combat are considered attacks, i.e. iterative attacks in a full attack action and various special attacks that can replace them such as a disarm or grapple. Such special attacks can even be used in place of an AoO, but I doubt this is the type of attack to which the feat is referring. I'd say it applies to any attack as defined by what would break an Invisibility spell:

The spell ends if the subject attacks any creature. For purposes of this spell, an attack includes any spell targeting a foe or whose area or effect includes a foe.
That means that any offensive action against the character by another creature can be dodged, whether it's an arrow or sword swing, a metamagic Orb of energy, a Fireball, or even a dragon's breath attack. Keep in mind that only the damage portion of the effect is dodged, so if you fail the save on a Destruction spell it will be of no help.

[Tyndmyr]

Note that invisibility says "for purposes of this spell, an attack is xyz".

That spell has nothing to do with epic dodge, thus, you cannot possibly use it as justification for epic dodge.


If anything, it's an exception to the usual rule. As for attack rolls...yes, iterative attacks still have attack rolls. So do grapples, disarms, etc. More importantly, they are all explicitly described as attacks. Obviously, these still work.

Orbs use attack rolls, you can dodge them. A dragons breath or a fireball does not. Use reflex(but seriously, you have improved evasion, this should not be difficult).

[Flickerdart]

The Rock. :smallbiggrin:

[Keld Denar]

Epic Dodge can't stop the funk! Can't stop the funk! Can't stop the funk!

[The Glyphstone]

A roundhouse kick from Chuck Norris.

[LibraryOgre]

However, given that to have this feat you must have Dex 25 and Imporved Evasion, I don't think that AoE spells would be very dangerous to you.

No, but just because they're not very dangerous to you doesn't mean you might not want to avoid one every so often.

[Milskidasith]

True, but it doesn't allow you to by the wording. I'd love for a monk to be effective, for instance, but that doesn't make it so.

The only AoE spells I can see you wanting to avoid are ones that deal damage with no save (Maw of Chaos, I think, and that cyclone of teeth [can't remember the name] druid spell that creates a mass of force damage dealing teeth flying around killing people.), or the SoDs, which this doesn't stop.

[Faleldir]

The shame of taking Dodge.

[Adumbration]

The deflection and reflection lines of epic feats are much better. Instead preventing damage from one attack, you can reflect any number of ranged attacks or spells back at their casters. (Working off memory, sorry if misremembered.)

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

If you get the Combat Focus line of feats in PH2 with Combat Defense you can change your Dodge target as an immediate action. If someone who's not your Dodge target attacks you, you can switch it and Epic Dodge their attack. Psionic Dodge (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#psionicDodge) gives you a second Dodge target, though it will depend on your DM how that would interact with Epic Dodge. Maybe make Epic Psionic Dodge and get two/round...

[Temotei]

A roundhouse kick from Chuck Norris.

I was beat to it. :smallamused:

Another poor wording from the epic rules allows us all to speculate once more. :smallannoyed: :smallamused:

I'd probably rule attacks based on attack rolls. I don't think Epic Dodge was designed for you to dodge bane or doom. Magic missile never misses, but I might waive that for this feat, considering you can only dodge one missile. :smallsmile:

[nekomata2]

The shame of taking Dodge.

Luckily there are several other feats, like Expeditious Dodge, that count as dodge for pre-reqs and are far better.

[Geddoe]

But they don't let you designate a dodge target, so they make epic dodge useless, much like elusive target.


What can't epic dodge stop?

The other 99 arrows...

You have infinite deflection to stop those.

[Volkov]

Several Max hit dice balors attacking you at once....

[nekomata2]

But they don't let you designate a dodge target, so they make epic dodge useless, much like elusive target.



You have infinite deflection to stop those.

....Good point...I overlooked that.

[Poil]

Accusations of being overpowered.

[ericgrau]

The real question is, when you run for public office, does this allow you to avoid the negative effects of your opponent's mudslinging?

Only if you can iron heart surge the sun. Actually mudslinging doesn't deal damage. Seriously, I do find the wording a bit ambiguous. It could be only things involving an attack roll or anything that deals damage.


Several Max hit dice balors attacking you at once....
For that to be a level appropriate encounter you'd have to be much stronger than a balor. Which means you can avoid their attacks with AC or a pre-emptive great cleave.

[TheCountAlucard]

...the power-packed taste of Sunny D?

Okay, that's awful.

[Sophismata]

FWIW:


Attacks
Some spell descriptions refer to attacking. All offensive combat actions, even those that don’t damage opponents are considered attacks. Attempts to turn or rebuke undead count as attacks. All spells that opponents resist with saving throws, that deal damage, or that otherwise harm or hamper subjects are attacks. Spells that summon monsters or other allies are not attacks because the spells themselves don’t harm anyone.

Epic Dodge isn't a spell, but I think the intent might carry over. Are attacks explicitly defined anywhere else?

[Geddoe]

Epic Dodge doesn't stop attacks if you are flat-footed, since you don't have a dodge target while flat-footed. So, it doesn't stop Iaijutsu Masters.

[Dixieboy]

The real question is, when you run for public office, does this allow you to avoid the negative effects of your opponent's mudslinging?

Sadly no, shoes on the other hand are a-okay.