D&D 5E Dodge action!

This video was part of a Collab with a ton of other youtubers! I highly recommend watching the original video! Its got tons of other fun youtubers there!

Link to original video:

[theshadowbadger]

Imagine a cantrip as powerful as the dodge action? You can’t.

[Oniphire]

What blows my mind is how often people either don't know about dodging at all, or they've just never used it. I've even had to explain to 3 DMs that it provides advantage on dex saves because of how infrequently used it apparently is

[edwinharbauer]

One of my favorite strategies is a bladesinger Wizard with Animate Dead. Turn one use Mirror Image and control your undead with a Bonus action. Turn two Dodge and start your bladesong, or vice versa. Now you are dealing damage, super tough to hit, and have one of the most flavorful characters ever; you’re dancing madly while skeletons twang arrows into the enemies that can’t touch you and are about to join your army.

[cogsworther]

I've said it before and I'll say it again:

Action Surge can do so much more than attacking. Action surging to dodge as part of another larger action (sprinting, grappling, attacking, and so much more), can really flip an encounter on its head.

Also, remember that some abilities (like sneak attack) can't activate if an enemy has disadvantage on hitting you. Just dodging against a rogue is one of the most overpowered moves possible.

[kmoustakas]

Our DM wanted to ban dodge because we did a ton of dungeon crawling and that's all we would do. Then he found out his monsters had spells too ahahah

[Metal-Spark]

My party learnt how powerful the dodge action is when the last enemy in an encounter used it, ran past them all, dodging every single opportunity attack along the way and got to the next room to call for reinforcements.

I sent them info on every action they could take in combat, they knew the dodge action existed, but they completely forgot about it because they never took it.

That NPC is now legendary as 'the dodge guy' and is always referenced when someone takes the dodge action.

[norandomnumbers]

The only problem with this tactic comes from the DMG, Chapter 9, Action Options: Overrun, Shove Aside, and Tumble actions.

Overrun: When a creature tries to move through a hostile creature's space, the mover can try to force its way through by overrunning the hostile creature. As an action or a bonus action, the mover makes a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the hostile creature's Strength (Athletics) check. The creature attempting the overrun has advantage on this check if it is larger than the hostile creature, or disadvantage if it is smaller. If the mover wins the contest, it can move through the hostile creature's space once this turn.

Shove Aside: With this option, a creature uses the special shove attack from the Player's Handbook to force a target to the side, rather than away. The attacker has disadvantage on its Strength (Athletics) check when it does so. If that check is successful, the attacker moves the target 5 feet to a different space within its reach.

Tumble: A creature can try to tumble through a hostile creature's space, ducking and weaving past the opponent. As an action or a bonus action, the tumbler makes a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the hostile creature's Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If the tumbler wins the contest, it can move through the hostile creature's space once this turn.

A bunch of goblins tumbling past a heavily armored fighter (who most likely dumped Dex and doesn't have proficiency in Acrobatics) is going to be easy business, and a way better use of just their bonus action, meaning they can still attack that round.

[britishspy]

Just scream and Dodge works for me half the time

[KINFIN]

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a class that could reliably use the dodge action as a bonus action, possibly at the cost of a renewable resource, that way you could get offense and defense at the same time?

[leohale]

My Player has a Dwarven Champion who will spend entire encounters just using Dodge to tie up enemies. If they dry to get around him either they are using disengage which allows him to protect the other player, or they provide him attacks of opportunity. Either way he has slowed or even stopped enemies from reaching his Sorcerer, Scout, or Warlock party members.

[kinghoenn]

I love the dodge action. I play as a arcane trickster rogue so a lot of times I would Dodge action and then bonus action dash through a mob. Making them all burn up there reactions . They get angry and would try and swarm me and attack making them wasting there normal actions. If one did end up hitting me, I would cast shield for a +5 ac.

[MyLittlePonyTheater]

I'm a bit late to the party, but there is a counter to this.

First of all, creatures 2 sizes smaller or larger than the blocking creature can simply walk through that creature's space, into the backline. The door blocker gets, at most, one opportunity attack, and those smaller or larger creatures flood the backline.

In the video's example, the goblins could grapple and move the blocker out of the way, shove them out of the way, tumble through their space, shove them aside, and etc. Since there are so many of them, they could each run into one another's space and attempt this, as long as they can end their turn without being on another creature's space.

In addition, these goblins can fire arrows or hurl rocks over the blocker. If the players are waiting behind cover, they can ready their attacks to fire when those characters leave cover. Both the goblins and the PCs will suffer half cover penalties to hit, unless they have sharpshooter or spell sniper.

If your job is being the primary door blocker, you need to have an excellent athletics (and/or acrobatics) score to make sure other creatures don't grapple you or move you out of the way. Consider getting expertise, bardic inspiration, or anything else that can help you avoid grapples and shoves. Medium-sized creatures are the best blockers for small-large sized creatures, and small-sized creatures are the best blockers for tiny-medium sized creatures - you should consider having 2 different door blockers for this reason, with the remaining party having spell sniper and sharpshooter (or using spells which require non-dexterity saving throws) to maximize effectiveness.

As for the DM, make use of grapples to counter this strategy and make your fights more interesting. Consider doing the same thing to your players, too, if they are primarily melee builds. Use an orc with plate armor and a shield to block the players from getting at the 3-5 ogres hurling boulders at them, and to allow the Orc Eye of Gruumsh to cast his spells freely. Bonus points if the eye buffs and heals the door blocker. Force your players to adapt and start grappling, too! It'll make that one guy who took the Grappler feature feel really validated.

[ArtificialDM]

My players would be funny and immediately close the door. I can already hear the Fighter after opening the door. "Oh.... I close the door and pretend it never opened."

[hopeforescape]

yep, cast hypnotic pattern on the first turn take care of half if not more of the enemies, then spam the dodge action for the rest of the encounter to keep concentration for the rest of the encounter. the best wizard strat.

[Zynovus]

What would you as DM do if a PC blocks the only door of the house? Mindless beasts might charge forward, while the cunning goblins would use action to throw torch or fire arrow to set the house on fire, and then run into covers using bonus action to hide behind their traps.
Once the house is set fire, everyone inside may need to make Dex save to dodge the falling objects, or Con save for the smoke if not holding breath.
Man, a good DM will roleplay the enemy well, and not every mobs are mindless beasts. By lore, goblins are cunning with ambush tactics and deadly traps. Even if the building cannot set fire, they would probably retreat and prepare more traps and the next ambush.

[epie]

Remember guys! In dungeons, dodge every time you open a door or chest.

[faselfasel]

If was the dm i wouldn't send all the goblins in like that. I mean, c'mon. Goblins have an intelligence of 10, they are cunning creatures and accustomed to work with pack tactics to overwhelm/outmaneuver bigger opponents. Sending them in like that really does a disservice to the immersion of the game, even if it's just to prove a point.

[VirgilAllenMoore]

...I slowly raise my hand. "I've done this to my players. They were downed twice each, but they now know how precious life truly is." (Maniacal laughter ensues.)

[KINFIN]

...couldn’t you just close and brace the door? If you have decent strength the odds are you could hold the door against the goblins, then your allies ready actions and next turn you open the door, dramatically lean your head to the side so they can shoot/cast, and you go in to clean up the mess afterward

[tyree]

Taking the dodge action is critical when fighting against rogue, paladins, eldritch knight when you’re a squishy caster. Yeah, you have poor AC and giving them disadvantage probably won’t matter, but it’s nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get CRIT!