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For those who have experienced this acclaimed title, or most other action-adventure title, you're likely familiar with the wonderful mechanic referred to as the “rolling dodge.” This avoidance maneuver allows your character to carry out a forward, sideways, or backward ground roll to evade any enemy attacks and move away from the bad guy. Appears practical, right?

The dodge roll, nevertheless, has gotten plenty of criticism, and not just as a result of the somersault; it's been labeled unintelligent, a cop-out, and an implausible action — and sometimes, I concur. Picture me rolling around nearby enemy groups in a well-known fantasy game — they can't hit me! But this game's evasion move represents the evasion to surpass every other dodge rolls, and I'll tell you why.

Regarding this title, the creators discovered a clever approach to respond to all views that the move is overly simple: simply give each opponent overwhelming force, multiply it, and every Tarnished who ventures close them will be eternally grateful because of their evasion move, I'm no exception. With so much on the line, successfully rolling to victory feels like an achievement, rather than a cheap trick.

No other evasion method in this RPG comes close to this sense of satisfaction and reliability, as quick dashes offer limited distance and defensive postures are readily overcome by powerful foes. A person once suggested jumping as a go-to Elden Ring avoidance strategy, but aside from not providing perfect repositioning, I didn't see how taking a crushing hit would improve my chances of beating enemies (skill issue, perhaps).

Mastering the Technique

But even though this evasion move grants reprieve in an incredibly challenging experience, it requires practice. To begin with, the game's dodge roll merely initiates a frame of protection once you stop pressing the evasion key, which prevents a hasty, frantic retreat from dire situations. Moreover, although it may transport you away from foes, it's far more effective to utilize it as a moment to move nearer, preferably behind the opponent, and land some hits. In conclusion, you must still grasp and foresee foe assaults, because rolling prematurely of an extended wind-up may end your invincibility before the blow lands… causing significant harm.

A Balanced Mechanic

Even though rolling-dodging in rapid sequence might seem rather absurd (credit to Geralt once more), this isn't really an option in the game. Naturally, that doesn't render it a realistic fighting maneuver — which is precisely why it would be terrifying to experience it in a product like a realism-focused RPG — but this is a flashy fantasy title we're talking about, thus why worry?

Like any proper evasion move, the game's evasion sequence is enhanced with a brief tumbling leap at the beginning, providing a dynamic sensation instead of dropping the character on the floor. According to your loadout, the move can feel super agile or relatively slow, yet it's always swifter and more seamless than the rolling dodges used in the earlier games. Certainly, you may embed your big blade into the ground while equipped with it, but that's on you for not just playing ranged weapons (I'm joking — avoid using Elden Ring with projectile weapons).

Ideal Equilibrium

Elden Ring's avoidance feature creates the perfect balance between obstacle and possibility, granting chances of triumph while endangering that very prospect at the smallest error. Perfect this move, and you'll be rewarded with not only success, but gratification.