The Dreaded Dodge Feat & Supplements

[Kevingway]

Everybody knows of that kobold-forsaken feat chain, Dodge and Mobility. I'm being forced to take these, as many of us are, to get into things I really like.

However, I'm a completionist, in this case meaning that if I have something, I want to make full use of it. So on that note, let's make a theoretical concept of someone wanting to optimize the living poop out of Dodge, getting the most use out of it to where it's... well, semi useful.

I know there are feats that replace Dodge with something that grants a more general AC bonus, but there are also other feats and certain abilities that have wording reliant upon the fact that there's one target. Unless, of course, you could count Expeditious Dodge as "everybody is the target of your Dodge" for the sake of synergy.

However, I believe using replacement-Dodge feats in such a way is homebrew, so let's try to stick to normal Dodge unless there are other single-target Dodge feats that qualify as Dodge for prerequisites and can apply more specifically to targets.

[sideswipe]

in my groups dodge is just a flat +1 to ac as a dodge bonus. it becomes semi viable in a lower op game then.

[Fax Celestis]

Desert Wind Dodge is my favorite substitution. Requires Dex 13 and knowledge of one Desert Wind maneuver.


If you move at least 10 feet from your original position, you gain a +1 dodge bonus to AC and deal an extra 1 point of fire damage with any attack you make with a scimitar. light mace, light pick, spear, or falchion. This benefit lasts until the start of your next turn.

Midnight Dodge is in every way superior to Dodge if you have anything to do with the Magic of Incarnum book at all. By itself, it functions identically to Dodge, but if you have meldshaper levels, it's basically prerequisite meeting with a side of extra essentia.

Expeditious Dodge is good only for certain characters. If you move 40', you gain +2 dodge to AC until the start of your next turn.

Psionic Dodge should but doesn't count as Dodge: it is +1 dodge AC while psionically focused.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Elusive Target is a pretty powerful defensive feat that requires Dodge and Mobility. , you know what, I'll just quote myself. I used this tricks on my Kirito build, while I haven't been able to playtest them on paper they are pretty solid and make great use of those feats (IMHO)



Elusive Target
The main draw from this feat is the option to simply negate power attack damage bonus to your enemies (which at higher levels will usually be a lot bigger than you). Negate Power attack does what it says in the tin, any enemy you designate with your dodge feat looses any benefit they'd would have gained from Power attack against you, but they still take the attack penalty.

The Second option Diverting defence is also pretty nasty (for your enemies that is), if you find yourself flanked by an enemy you can make your designated dodge target automatically miss you (and it has a chance to hit his flanking companion), but the real nasty part is that you can combine it with Robilar's Gambit to start the Storm's Gambit combo at 0 risk to yourself.

Cause Overreach is another way to start Storm's Gambit reach with almost 0 risk. When you provoke an AoO by moving out of a threatened square and your enemy misses (hint, if you are flanked you can use diverting defence to make him miss) you can make a free trip attempt that can't be countered if you fail.

Snake's Style (Mobility+Robilar's Gambit)
Mobility is usually considered a really weak feat because in order for it to work you need to provoke and it is almost trivial to avoid provoking attacks of opportunity (Tumble check with DC 15), but what if you actually want to provoke them? Then that +4 AC looks very tasty isn't it? Why would you want to provoke you ask? Two words, Robilar's Gambit, when you use it you give your enemy +4 attack/damage. So if you intentionally provoke an attack of opportunity while having RG active you essentially negate the attack bonus making Storm's Gambit a lot safer to initiate and if you are flanked you can combine this with Diverting Defence.

[Kevingway]

Word Given Form is another feat-like thing that utilizes a single-target Dodge. Are there any others besides that and Elusive Target?

[Piggy Knowles]

Once you've got Dodge and Elusive Target, you should go ahead and pick up Defensive Throw. This gives you a free trip attempt whenever the target of your Dodge bonus misses you with an attack. Combine with Elusive Target's diverting defense ability, which allows you to automatically convert one attack to a miss by redirecting it to someone else. So, the net result is that you move into a flanked position, use diverting defense to cause your enemy to attack his own ally, then defensive throw to trip him (with a lovely little follow-up attack thanks to Improved Trip).

[Shining Wrath]

Hey guys, I don't think OP is asking for ways to not take Dodge, I believe OP is asking for how best to make use of Dodge if you take it for Reasons.

The first thing would appear to be limiting the number of opponents attacking you, so that you have only one foe. That sounds like a mobile character (you) paired with a friendly spellcaster (might also be you?) who does battlefield control.

Since you can change the designated attacker on any action, anything that lets you take actions when it's not your turn helps you switch between multiple foes.

After that I got nothin', but that's two things.

[Extra Anchovies]

There are also some class features and/or feats in Complete Warrior (and also probably some in other books) that rely on using dodge, e.g. if you're targeting Joe with your Dodge feat you can do X to Joe, but you can't also do X to Sara because you aren't targeting her with your dodge feat.

ETA: I don't give any specific names because I've forgotten them all. I think Gnome Giant-Slayer has one or two, and there's probably a few feats that do this beyond Elusive Target.