FromSoftware's Evasion Move Deserves Praise

For those who have experienced this acclaimed title, or nearly any third-person combat game, chances are you're well-versed in the fantastic feature called the “dodge roll.” This avoidance maneuver enables your hero to execute a front, lateral, or rearward ground roll to avoid any enemy attacks and gain space from foes. Seems useful, right?

The dodge roll, nevertheless, has received plenty of criticism, and not only due to the tumbling; some have dubbed it dumb, a cheap tactic, and an unrealistic move — and sometimes, I see the point. Just imagine me rolling around local Doppler gangs in another popular RPG — untouchable! But the title's evasion move is the dodge roll to surpass every other dodge rolls, and I'll tell you why.

For this particular game, the designers identified an excellent method to counter all sentiments that the move is too easy: just grant each opponent excessive power, increase it further, and each player character who ventures close them will appreciate deeply thanks to their rolling skill, myself included. When the stakes are this high, evading successfully feels like an achievement, not a cheat.

No other evasion method in the game approaches this feeling of accomplishment and dependability, because swift moves provide minimal movement and blocking attempts are readily overcome by tough opponents. One player advised jumping as a go-to Elden Ring evasion method, but in addition to lacking perfect repositioning, It wasn't clear to me getting my skull smashed in might boost my prospects of defeating bosses (inexperience, possibly).

Mastering the Technique

While the rolling dodge grants reprieve in an otherwise brutal game, it isn't without skill. To begin with, the game's evasion move just activates a window of invulnerability once you stop pressing the dodge button, which prevents a hasty, frantic retreat from perilous circumstances. Furthermore, although it may transport you away from opponents, it's much better to employ it as a chance to get closer, optimally at their back, and deliver attacks. Lastly, it remains necessary to understand and anticipate opponent moves, since evading too early of a prolonged preparation may end your invincibility before the blow lands… causing significant harm.

A Well-Designed Feature

Although evasion-rolling in fast repetition may look a bit ridiculous (kudos to the Witcher anew), this isn't practically possible in this title. Naturally, that fails to transform it into a believable combat move — the very cause why it would be terrifying to witness it in a title like a realism-focused RPG — however, this is a dazzling imaginative experience under discussion, therefore, it doesn't matter?

Like any proper evasion move, Elden Ring's rolling animation is spruced up with a small acrobatic jump at the beginning, providing a dynamic sensation instead of placing the avatar downward. Based on your equipment, the technique may seem super agile or moderately cumbersome, yet it's always faster and more fluid than the dodge rolls featured in Dark Souls. Admittedly, you could plant your big blade in the dirt if you're carrying one, but that's your own fault for avoiding a crossbow (I'm joking — avoid using the game using ranged options).

Optimal Harmony

The game's dodging mechanic creates the perfect balance between difficulty and chance, providing prospects of success while risking the loss of that hope at the smallest error. Perfect this move, and you'll obtain more than triumph, but gratification.