🔗 Share this article

If you've played the popular action RPG, or most other 3D action game, you're likely familiar with the wonderful technique known as the “evasion roll.” This defensive move enables your hero to carry out a forward, sideways, or backward somersault to avoid all incoming damage and move away from opponents. Sounds handy, wouldn't you say?

The dodge roll, though, has received plenty of criticism, not simply because of the rolling; it's been called unintelligent, a cheap tactic, and an unbelievable technique — and in some cases, I see the point. Just imagine me rolling around nearby enemy groups in another popular RPG — untouchable! But Elden Ring's rolling dodge is the dodge roll to outdo all previous rolling dodges, and let me explain.

In Elden Ring's case, the creators discovered an excellent method to address all opinions claiming the maneuver is overly simple: just grant every enemy unreasonable strength, multiply it, and all heroes who dares come near them will feel immensely thankful for their dodge-roll ability, I'm no exception. Given the intense difficulty, evading successfully comes across as a triumph, instead of an unfair advantage.

No different defensive move in this RPG approaches this sense of satisfaction and dependability, because swift moves offer limited distance and blocking attempts are readily overcome by tough opponents. A person once suggested leaping as the primary game avoidance strategy, but besides failing to offer perfect repositioning, I couldn't understand how taking a crushing hit might boost my prospects of overcoming challenges (lack of skill, maybe).

Perfecting the Skill

While the rolling dodge offers respite in an incredibly challenging experience, it requires practice. Firstly, Elden Ring's rolling dodge merely initiates a window of invulnerability following you let go of the evasion key, which prevents a hasty, frantic retreat from dire situations. Additionally, although it may move you aside from foes, it's far more effective to employ it as a chance to get closer, optimally at their back, and land some hits. And, finally, it remains necessary to grasp and foresee foe assaults, as dodging at the start of an extended wind-up may end your invincibility ahead of the attack striking… which will seriously hurt.

A Balanced Mechanic

Although evasion-rolling in fast repetition may look a bit ridiculous (kudos to the Witcher anew), this isn't truly feasible in this title. Of course, that fails to transform it into a plausible battle technique — which is precisely why it would be pure horror to witness it in a title like a realism-focused RPG — yet we're discussing a spectacular magical game we're talking about, thus why worry?

Like any proper dodge roll, the game's dodge motion is improved by a little somersault-y hop at the commencement, providing a dynamic sensation rather than dropping the character onto the ground. According to your loadout, the maneuver might appear super agile or relatively slow, however, it's consistently swifter and more seamless than the rolling dodges used in the earlier games. True, you may embed your big blade in the dirt while equipped with it, but that's your own fault for failing to use a crossbow (Just kidding — avoid using the game with a crossbow).

The Perfect Balance

The game's dodging mechanic establishes an ideal equilibrium between difficulty and chance, granting chances of triumph while threatening to take that hope away at the tiniest misstep. Learn this skill, and you'll be rewarded with more than triumph, but fulfillment.