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If you've played the popular action RPG, or just about any third-person combat game, you're likely familiar with the glorious technique known as the “rolling dodge.” This defensive move lets your avatar to carry out a front, lateral, or rearward ground roll to avoid incoming harm and move away from opponents. Seems useful, right?

The dodge roll, however, has received plenty of criticism, and not only because of the rolling; it's been labeled foolish, a cheap tactic, and an unrealistic move — and sometimes, I concur. You should see me somersaulting past local Doppler gangs in a well-known fantasy game — can't touch this Geralt! But this game's dodge roll stands as the roll to outdo all previous evasion moves, and here's the reason.

Regarding this title, the creators discovered a clever approach to address all opinions suggesting the technique is overly simple: merely bestow all foes excessive power, increase it further, and every Tarnished who ventures close them will feel immensely thankful because of their evasion move, I'm no exception. With so much on the line, evading successfully seems like an accomplishment, not a cheat.

No different defensive move in this RPG approaches this feeling of accomplishment and consistency, because swift moves offer limited distance and guard stances get quickly shattered by strong enemies. A person once suggested hopping as the main Elden Ring avoidance strategy, but in addition to lacking perfect repositioning, I couldn't understand how getting my skull smashed in would improve my chances of defeating bosses (skill issue, perhaps).

Perfecting the Skill

But even though this evasion move grants reprieve in an incredibly challenging experience, it isn't without skill. To begin with, the game's evasion move only triggers a window of invulnerability after you stop pressing the evasion key, which prevents a hasty, frantic retreat from perilous circumstances. Furthermore, even though it can transport you away from enemies, it's much better to utilize it as a moment to get closer, optimally at their back, and land some hits. In conclusion, it remains necessary to grasp and foresee opponent moves, as dodging at the start of a long charging animation may end your invincibility before the blow lands… resulting in severe damage.

A Harmonious System

While dodge-rolling in rapid sequence could appear somewhat silly (give it up for Geralt again), this isn't practically possible in the game. Certainly, that doesn't render it a believable combat move — which is precisely why it would be terrifying to witness it in a title like a historical simulation — however, this is a dazzling imaginative experience under discussion, thus why worry?

Like any proper evasion move, this title's rolling animation is spruced up with a little somersault-y hop at the start, giving it an energetic feel as opposed to plopping the player on the floor. Depending on your gear, the move can feel extremely nimble or moderately cumbersome, however, it's consistently quicker and smoother than the evasion moves found in the earlier games. True, you may embed your large weapon in the dirt when wielding such equipment, but that's on you for failing to use a crossbow (I'm joking — steer clear of Elden Ring using ranged options).

Ideal Equilibrium

This title's avoidance feature establishes an ideal equilibrium between difficulty and chance, offering hope of victory while threatening to take that hope away at the tiniest misstep. Learn this skill, and you'll obtain not only success, but gratification.