Dodge is an active defense that in 4e is Basic Speed + 3, dropping all fractions
Against invisible attacks: B394
cumulative penalties[]
MA122 introduced the Limiting Dodges Active Defence Options on MA123:
- Limiting Multiple Dodges (cumulative -1)
- Restricted Dodge Against Firearms
Classic[]
In Classic Dodge was equal to Move.
13 cap[]
A 2005 post http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=6251 insinuated that it was capped at 13
Smurf pointed out it was in Classic GURPS Supers page 81
it is also in GURPS Compendium II p 73:
- For fighters with Dodges of 13+, it is recommended that combat be resolved with a Quick Contest of Skills between the attacker’s weapon or unarmed combat skill level versus Dodge. This will keep combat from bogging down into an interminable series of dodged attacks. The character should be allowed to use his Parry and Block defense normally, as these can be used only a few times per turn.
Pyramid 2[]
http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/sample.html?id=19
Kromm agreed (in Classic) that halved move from fatigue also halved dodge.
In 4e since it's based on Basic Speed and not Basic Move this may not be the case. The books contain distinct notations instead.
Duck[]
http://www.gamesdiner.com/rules-nugget-gurps-duck
rules from 2011 on Games Diner as part of tbone's series of Rules Nuggets
according to Sindri in 2012 http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.php?p=1368300&postcount=9 it appeared in Pyramid 3-34
- Allow a +1 bonus on Dodge when the target is a mobile extremity: head, arm, hand, wing, tail, antenna, and so on
- Add another +1 Dodge bonus for extreme mobile extremities: hands (not arms), feet (not legs), moveable antennae (not head), and so on. As a rule of thumb, if it's on the end of a mobile extremity and has a -4 or worse TH modifier for location, it gets the extra bonus. (A human head doesn't count, but a small head on a long neck might.)
Dodge with limbs[]
Prior to the 4e introduction of the hands-free parry, the idea was presented that "dodging" just your limb out of the way of an attack targetting it shold be easier than dodging one aimed at your torso.
This was in one of the 2nd series of pyramid online articles in the late 90s.
This would also a be a reasonable bonus to add to Roll with Blow and Shrug It Off and represent why more fightings are willing to sacrifice-dodge their arms in front of their chest and how they seem to be able to take more punishment an be less winding.
When using Partial Injuries it's a step back to the core rules where you needed heavy damaging attacks to cripple limbs.
Dodge with head[]
http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.php?p=2058730&postcount=9 says Tbone had this as a house rule, a bonus
Flinch[]
also from http://www.gamesdiner.com/rules-nugget-gurps-duck
- Add another +1 Dodge bonus for the face (not entire head) or parts of the face. This is not a mobile extremity bonus; it's a bonus for the natural flinch reflex.
Martial Arts[]
MA122 What Is . . . a Parry? mentions that a parry with a hand that is targeted represents yanking it out of the way, a non-contact parry, it functions like a dodge but is rolled with the parry skill. This means it can't be an Aggressive Parry or Grabbing Parry but that the weight of the attack doesn't matter since it isn't being redirected.
It also discusses hands-free parries against grappling.
In 2012 http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.php?p=1331467&postcount=3 Douglas Cole mentioned he didn't think the -1 to dodge resulting from the -4 to DX from grappling (pg 121 Defense While Grappling) was high enough.
Technical Grappling[]
This likely let to the development of GURPS Martial Arts: Technical Grappling with the possibility of higher than -4 to DX.
Although since it is only -1 to DX per 2 control points, and the maximum control points you can apply is ST, that's really only a maximum of -5 to DX for the average untrained human which isn't much better, at most a -2 to dodge.
It would be more progressive to apply -1 per CP, or else rather than 0.5xST per hand (1.0xST per pair) do 1.0xST per hand 2.0xST per pair. By doubling ST you double the potential (20 CP = -10 to DX) as well as more application per action.
It doesn't really unbalance anything because equally strong opponents would have better Break Free rolls in response.
Referred Control[]
http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?p=2150998 has Douglas Cole talk about the rule that dodge penalty is based on the CP on the torso/head. Devil Dante points out how grappling a limb would only give referred control penalties to this.
- grappling an extremity wouldn't even give that!
This doesn't really make sense when targeting things other than the torso. If you can "dodge" to yank your foot out of the way of an attack then the DX penalty on that dodge should be based on the DX penalty on the foot, not the DX penalty of the torso.
- Otherwise you could have 100 CP on a foot (completely control it) but because the torso has no CP (referred control is only 1 step, not 2, unless you want to house rule it halved per separation) there will be no penalty!!
Quotes[]
PK in 2006[]
Kromm in 2008[]
http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.php?p=540081&postcount=8 Kromm in 2008 support All Out Defense Double + Sacrifice Dodge letting you dodge in front of ally then use parry or block to defend self.
Kromm in 2012[]
http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.php?p=1382602&postcount=46
I'd be fine with "Once per turn, you may roll vs. Dodge in response to somebody else's maneuver (at up to +3 if moving away from someone). Success moves you a step in the desired direction in time to affect the triggering maneuver. Failure means the movement still occurs, but too late to matter. This can count as an active defense, avoiding the attack if successful."