Elden Ring's Rolling Dodge Merits Recognition

For those who have experienced the popular action RPG, or just about any action-adventure title, chances are you're well-versed in the glorious mechanic called the “rolling dodge.” This evasion technique lets your avatar to execute a forward, sideways, or backward tumble to dodge all incoming damage and gain space from opponents. Seems useful, right?

This rolling move, though, has received significant backlash, and not just because of the rolling; it's been labeled dumb, a cop-out, and an unrealistic move — and sometimes, I agree. Just imagine me rolling around hostile mobs in another popular RPG — untouchable! But Elden Ring's dodge roll stands as the roll to surpass every other dodge rolls, and I'll tell you why.

Regarding this title, the creators discovered a great way to respond to all views claiming the maneuver is overly simple: simply give each opponent excessive power, increase it further, and all heroes who ventures close them will feel immensely thankful because of their evasion move, me included. With so much on the line, pulling off a perfect dodge seems like an accomplishment, not a cheat.

No different defensive move in the game matches this feeling of accomplishment and dependability, because swift moves offer limited distance and blocking attempts are readily overcome by powerful foes. A person once suggested leaping as the primary Elden Ring avoidance strategy, but in addition to lacking ideal movement, It wasn't clear to me receiving a fatal blow would improve my chances of overcoming challenges (inexperience, possibly).

Perfecting the Skill

While this evasion move grants reprieve in a famously difficult title, it requires practice. To begin with, Elden Ring's dodge roll only triggers a window of invulnerability following you stop pressing the dodge button, which prevents a hasty, frantic retreat from dire situations. Additionally, although it may move you aside from foes, it's much better to utilize it as a moment to get closer, preferably behind the opponent, and deliver attacks. In conclusion, it remains necessary to understand and anticipate opponent moves, since evading too early of a prolonged preparation might terminate your protection ahead of the attack striking… which will seriously hurt.

A Well-Designed Feature

While dodge-rolling in quick succession could appear somewhat silly (credit to Geralt once more), this isn't truly feasible in the game. Certainly, that still doesn't make it a realistic battle technique — the very cause why it would be dreadful to see it in a game like Kingdom Come: Deliverance — yet we're discussing a flashy fantasy title we're talking about, so who cares?

Similar to any respectable dodge roll, Elden Ring's evasion sequence is enhanced with a small acrobatic jump at the start, giving it an energetic feel rather than placing the avatar onto the ground. Depending on your gear, the technique may seem extremely nimble or somewhat sluggish, however, it's consistently faster and more fluid than the rolling dodges used in the earlier games. Admittedly, you will stick your big blade on the floor if you're carrying one, but that's your responsibility for failing to use ranged weapons (Just kidding — avoid using Elden Ring with a crossbow).

The Perfect Balance

The game's avoidance feature creates the perfect balance between challenge and opportunity, granting chances of triumph while risking the loss of that hope at the slightest mistake. Learn this skill, and you'll be rewarded with not just victory, but satisfaction.

Michelle Torres
Michelle Torres

A cultural historian and writer passionate about documenting UK arts and heritage through engaging narratives and research.