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Having spent time with the popular action RPG, or nearly any third-person combat game, you're likely familiar with the wonderful mechanic called the “evasion roll.” This evasion technique enables your hero to carry out a front, lateral, or rearward ground roll to evade all incoming damage and move away from the bad guy. Appears practical, wouldn't you say?

The evasion roll, though, has attracted significant backlash, and not only because of the rolling; some have dubbed it foolish, a easy way out, and an unbelievable technique — and sometimes, I agree. You should see me somersaulting past local Doppler gangs in a well-known fantasy game — can't touch this Geralt! But this game's rolling dodge stands as the roll to surpass every other evasion moves, and I'll tell you why.

For this particular game, the developers found an excellent method to address all opinions suggesting the technique is too easy: simply give each opponent excessive power, triple that, and all heroes who dares come near them will be eternally grateful because of their evasion move, me included. Given the intense difficulty, evading successfully feels like an achievement, instead of an unfair advantage.

No other evasion method in Elden Ring comes close to this feeling of accomplishment and dependability, because swift moves provide minimal movement and guard stances are readily overcome by tough opponents. A person once suggested hopping as the main Elden Ring avoidance strategy, but besides failing to offer optimal placement, I couldn't understand how receiving a fatal blow might boost my prospects of beating enemies (inexperience, possibly).

Perfecting the Skill

While the dodge roll provides relief in an incredibly challenging experience, it isn't without skill. First of all, the game's evasion move only triggers a window of invulnerability once you release the roll control, which stops a quick, panicky escape from dangerous scenarios. Moreover, even though it can carry you off from opponents, it's significantly more useful to utilize it as a moment to advance, ideally to their rear, and strike blows. In conclusion, you still need understand and anticipate enemy attacks, as dodging at the start of a long charging animation might terminate your protection ahead of the attack striking… causing significant harm.

A Harmonious System

Even though rolling-dodging in rapid sequence may look a bit ridiculous (credit to Geralt once more), this isn't practically possible in the game. Naturally, that still doesn't make it a believable combat move — which is precisely why it would be terrifying to see it in a game like Kingdom Come: Deliverance — yet we're discussing a dazzling imaginative experience under discussion, therefore, it doesn't matter?

Like any proper dodge roll, Elden Ring's dodge motion is enhanced with a little somersault-y hop at the beginning, providing a dynamic sensation instead of dropping the character downward. Depending on your gear, the move can feel extremely nimble or somewhat sluggish, yet it's always faster and more fluid than the rolling dodges featured in Dark Souls. Certainly, you could plant your large weapon on the floor if you're carrying one, but that's your responsibility for failing to use ranged weapons (I'm joking — steer clear of the game with projectile weapons).

Ideal Equilibrium

This title's avoidance feature forms an optimal harmony between obstacle and possibility, granting chances of triumph while threatening to take that hope away at the tiniest misstep. Learn this skill, and you'll gain not only success, but satisfaction.