Dodge
“Dodge to avoid danger by pressing the V key or by double-tapping a movement key. While dodging, you're temporarily invulnerable. The yellow endurance bar above your health drains with each dodge, but it will recover over time.
— In-game description
Dodge is an innate movement ability of player characters that grants a short evade from incoming attacks and repositions the character. Holding a movement key while dodging determines the direction; if no movement keys are used, the character will dodge backwards. Dodging uses a resource called endurance: a character has a maximum of 100 endurance, and each dodge consumes 50. A dodge moves the character 300 units in a chosen direction over 0.75 seconds. This speed is fixed and doesn't change in combat like movement speed.
Some mechanics and control effects prevent characters from dodging, including being immobilized, immediately after being knocked back, or while under the effects of fear. In addition to its utility of avoiding attacks, several traits and some foods trigger special effects on the characters after they dodge. Some elite specializations significantly modify dodging behavior through their profession mechanics.
Controls[edit]
Dodging can be achieved in a number of ways:
- Pressing the key that is bound to dodge (default keybind: V). Holding a movement key while dodging determines the direction.
- Double-tapping any movement key, with the exception of Swim Up and Swim Down. This can be disabled in General Options of the Settings panel.
- Clicking on the upper half of the health orb.
- Clicking on the endurance meter above the health orb.
Additional tips related to dodging include:
- Dodge jump (or jump roll) is a technique used to achieve greater height and distance compared to a regular jump. This is accomplished by pressing dodge and jump keys at the same time. This can be particularly useful for jumping puzzles and PvP game modes.
- Dodging is one of the ways to cancel a skill during its activation time, for example, interrupting a queued auto-attack or preventing oneself from wasting a skill with an accidental button press.
- Some keyboards react to key presses more easily, sometimes resulting in unintentionally dodging. It is advisable to disable double tapping when precise movement is required, such as attempting jumping puzzles.
Related traits[edit]
Traits that affect dodge
- Vigorous Precision (Honor) — Gain vigor at the end of your dodge roll.
- Selfless Daring (Honor) — The end of your dodge roll heals nearby allies.
- Resolute Evasion (Retribution) — Gain resolution after you dodge.
- Healer's Gift (Salvation) — The end of your dodge roll heals nearby allies.
- Eluding Nullification (Salvation) — The end of your dodge roll removes a condition from nearby allies.
- Tenacious Ruin (Vindicator) — Instead of dodging, deliver a powerful blow from above, striking foes when you hit the ground.
- Reaver's Curse (Vindicator) — Energy Meld's cooldown is reduced and it increases the effectiveness of your next dodge.
- Forerunner of Death (Vindicator) — Dodging now deals more damage but affects a smaller area. Outgoing strike damage is increased for a period of time upon impact.
- Vassals of the Empire (Vindicator) — Dodging now grants boons to allies and strikes foes when landing.
- Saint of zu Heltzer (Vindicator) — The affected area of your dodge is increased. You now heal allies in an area when you land instead of dealing damage. Outgoing healing is increased for a period of time upon landing.
- Reckless Dodge (Strength) — Damage foes at the end of a dodge roll.
- Resilient Roll (Defense) — Gain resistance when you dodge.
- Mecha Legs (Inventions) — Gain resistance when you dodge.
- Power Wrench (Tools) — Reduce the recharge of your elite skill when you dodge.
- Thermal Release Valve (Holosmith) — Dodge rolling vents heat as an attack against nearby foes. (Attack will not occur without heat.)
- Light on your Feet (Skirmishing) — Damage and condition duration are increased after dodging or using Quick Shot. Short bow skills pierce and gain recharge reduction, and their attacks from behind or while flanking or against defiant foes are improved.
- Companion's Defense (Wilderness Survival) — You and your pet gain protection when you dodge roll.
- Evasive Purity (Nature Magic) — Cleanse a condition when you dodge. Heal if you cleansed a condition this way.
- Expeditious Dodger (Acrobatics) — Gain swiftness upon dodging.
- Pain Response (Acrobatics) — Dodging removes a damaging condition from you.
- Uncatchable (Trickery) — Leave behind lesser caltrops when you dodge.
- Weakening Strikes (Daredevil) — Your next attack after dodging causes weakness to foes struck. Weakened enemies deal less damage to you, and you deal increased strike damage to them.
- Lotus Training (Daredevil) — Your dodge ability now uses Impaling Lotus, firing daggers at nearby enemies. Gain increased condition damage for a period of time when dodging.
- Unhindered Combatant (Daredevil) — Your dodge ability is replaced by a long-range dash that removes inhibiting conditions and grants swiftness and damage reduction. Removing conditions in this way temporarily reduces endurance gain.
- Bounding Dodger (Daredevil) — Your dodge ability is replaced by Bound, dealing damage to the area after you evade. Gain increased strike damage for a period of time after you dodge.
- Silent Scope (Deadeye) — Gain precision. Gain additional precision while wielding a rifle. Enter stealth when you dodge roll with a rifle equipped.
- Stop, Drop, and Roll (Water) — Dodging removes burning and chilled from nearby allies.
- Evasive Arcana (Arcane) — Cast a skill when you dodge based on your attunement.
- Invigorating Strikes (Weaver) — Gain vigor when using a Dual Attack. Dodge rolling grants a barrier.
- Deceptive Evasion (Dueling) — Create a clone at your current position when you dodge.
- Malicious Sorcery (Illusions) — Confusion you inflict has increased duration. When you dodge an attack, inflict confusion on your attacker.
- Mirage Cloak (Mirage) — Gain Mirage Cloak instead of dodge rolling. Ambush skills become available for a short time whenever you gain Mirage Cloak. Gain access to Deception skills.
- Elusive Mind (Mirage) — Lose conditions when you gain Mirage Cloak.
- Duelist's Reversal (Virtuoso) — Blocking or dodging an attack grants boons.
- Psychic Riposte (Virtuoso) — Blocking or evading an attack stocks blades. Dodging stocks a blade and causes your next Bladesong to be unblockable.
- Mark of Evasion (Blood Magic) — Leave a Mark of Blood when you dodge.
Related equipment[edit]
- Relic of the Daredevil — After dodge rolling in combat or evading an attack, your next attack is guaranteed to be a critical hit. (Cooldown: 1 Second)
- Relic of Rivers — Gain alacrity and regeneration at the end of your dodge roll.
Related consumables[edit]
Foods that restore endurance[edit]
Related achievements[edit]
- Retired Achievements: Learn Dodging — Complete the dodge tutorial. (5) (Historical)
- Beginner Experience Collection: Complete the dodge tutorial. — Dodge tutorials are in Plains of Ashford, Wayfarer Foothills, Queensdale, Caledon Forest, and Metrica Province.
Trivia[edit]
- The Revenant and Thief have a special animation for dodging, unlike the other professions.
- Revenant, Thief and Mirage have unique sound effects when dodging.
- A Guild Wars skill bear the same name as this technique.
- Dodging used to not actually make characters evade attacks in early test builds, but simply to make them retreat in desired direction.
- When the player character has insufficient endurance, they will shout out one of the following lines when commanded to dodge, depending on their race and gender:
Race | Gender | |
---|---|---|
Male | Female | |
Asura | My energy...is diminished. Not enough endurance! Lacking endurance! I haven't...the energy. |
I require more energy. Endurance deficiency. Energy level too low. Lacking endurance! |
Charr | Endurance drained. I don't have enough energy. Not enough energy. Need more endurance! |
Out...of...endurance! Need more energy. That takes more energy. Need more endurance! |
Human | I'm out of endurance! Not enough energy. Low on endurance. I don't have enough energy. |
Not enough endurance. Not enough energy. Endurance running low. I don't have enough energy. |
Norn | I need energy. I'm lacking the will. Not enough endurance. Give me energy. |
Need to rest. Not enough energy. I'll be all right. Soon. I need a moment. |
Sylvari | I'm wilting... Need more endurance! I don't have enough energy. I don't have the endurance! I'm out of endurance! |
I don't have enough energy. I will need more endurance. Not enough energy. Not enough endurance! |