Elden Ring's Rolling Dodge Warrants to Be Celebrated

Having spent time with Elden Ring, or nearly any action-adventure title, you're probably well-versed in the fantastic mechanic called the “rolling dodge.” This defensive move enables your hero to perform a front, lateral, or rearward tumble to dodge any enemy attacks and gain space from the bad guy. Seems useful, wouldn't you say?

The evasion roll, however, has attracted plenty of criticism, and not just due to the tumbling; it's been called foolish, a cheap tactic, and an implausible action — and in some cases, I concur. You should see me tumbling about local Doppler gangs in The Witcher 3 — untouchable! But the title's evasion move is the dodge roll to outdo all previous rolling dodges, and here's the reason.

In Elden Ring's case, the designers identified an excellent method to counter all sentiments suggesting the technique is too easy: merely bestow all foes excessive power, multiply it, and each player character who dares come near them will appreciate deeply for their dodge-roll ability, I'm no exception. Given the intense difficulty, evading successfully feels like an achievement, not a cheat.

No other evasion method in the game comes close to this sense of satisfaction and reliability, because swift moves don't cover much ground and defensive postures get quickly shattered by tough opponents. A person once suggested hopping as the main Elden Ring dodging technique, but aside from not providing perfect repositioning, I couldn't understand how receiving a fatal blow could enhance my odds of defeating bosses (lack of skill, maybe).

Perfecting the Skill

But even though this evasion move grants reprieve in a famously difficult title, it requires practice. First of all, the game's rolling dodge just activates a frame of protection after you let go of the roll control, which hinders a hasty, frantic retreat from dire situations. Furthermore, even though it can transport you away from foes, it's much better to utilize it as a moment to move nearer, preferably behind the opponent, and strike blows. And, finally, you still need grasp and foresee foe assaults, as dodging at the start of a prolonged preparation might terminate your protection prior to the hit connecting… resulting in severe damage.

A Balanced Mechanic

While dodge-rolling in rapid sequence could appear somewhat silly (give it up for Geralt again), this isn't practically possible in the game. Of course, that fails to transform it into a realistic battle technique — exactly the reason it would be dreadful to experience it in a product like a realism-focused RPG — yet we're discussing a spectacular magical game being considered, thus why worry?

Like any proper rolling dodge, the game's dodge motion is enhanced with a little somersault-y hop at the beginning, giving it an energetic feel as opposed to dropping the character downward. Depending on your gear, the maneuver might appear super agile or relatively slow, however, it's consistently swifter and more seamless than the rolling dodges featured in the earlier games. Admittedly, you will stick your large weapon on the floor while equipped with it, but that's your own fault for failing to use ranged weapons (I'm joking — don't play the game with projectile weapons).

Optimal Harmony

This title's dodging mechanic creates the perfect balance between difficulty and chance, offering hope of victory while threatening to take that hope away at the smallest error. Perfect this move, and you'll obtain not just victory, but satisfaction.