New Mechanic: Dodge

[Tydeus]

We're thinking about implementing new dodge mechanics but we want to make sure the community is at least interested in the possibilities first. There are three possible dodge type mechanics we're thinking about. The first, would allow you to roll and then stand up from a knock down. This would keep you from being so helpless on the ground without completely taking the advantages of knockdown away from players. Picture a relatively fast 1 to 1 1/2m left/right roll from the knockdown positions. Nothing too game changing here, just another tool in the bag.

Next would be a sort of hop that moves you left, right, or back when executed. This would be a quick dodge that would only move you about 1 1/2 to 2m. Unlike a jump, the player doesn't get much higher off of the ground and we can choose whether or not to keep the animation to only locking the lower body. Unlike the others, this could allow players to block or attack during the dodge(possibly only block).

The last mechanic we're thinking about is a roll from the neutral position(standing) where all four(possibly 8) directions are possible. Total animation length is much longer than the others but distance traveled is also about 3m. Quick at the start, slow at the stand. I think of the dives in Dark Souls for a good example of this. We can change the animation, dive length, stand speed, etc, based on things like character stats and equipment.

We realize that full plate characters rolling around the server could really be an eyesore, as well as the fact that all of this could have significant positive or negative impacts on gameplay, so we're asking what the community thinks before we start developing and implementing these these(urist actually already has the core of the system done). We can choose to implement any combination of the previously mentioned systems, or none at all. So tell us what you think, maybe you've got some interesting ideas of your own?

Edit: We don't think of these as get out of jail free cards, but simply another tool that players can utilize in certain situations.

[Smoothrich]

In before literally every player barrel rolls around the map with max strength builds and mauls doing animation cancels for unblockable midair crushthroughs

[Winterly]

If it was AGI/Armor weight reliant.

[Erzengel]

Sounds interesting, but only allow it for characters using light armor. Also give it a quite a long cooldown and make it somehow risky to use.

[Novamere]

my personal input is mess with nudge more and maybe kick a little before adding something entirely new!

[Rhaelys]

Plz add pre-nerf Dark Wood Grain Ring so I can ninja flip in full Havel's and Poise through any attack.

On a serious note I would only be in favor of the first suggestion, the minor roll and stand up from knockdown. It wouldn't be game-breaking for normal combat and would be an interesting option for people knocked down by either blunt weapons or horse bumps.

[TheAppleSauceMan]

Plz add pre-nerf Dark Wood Grain Ring so I can ninja flip in full Havel's and Poise through any attack.

On a serious note I would only be in favor of the first suggestion, the minor roll and stand up from knockdown. It wouldn't be game-breaking for normal combat and would be an interesting option for people knocked down by either blunt weapons or horse bumps.

OMG YES. I miss that. Uhm, anyways, on topic. I like the idea of new features and that you guys are putting in work to add new things but I don't really like this idea. Maybe if it was only for high AGI characters.

[Miwiw]

If this was something better for light armored guys, it would be a tool rather one-sided. However I'd ofc like more lightly armored guys ingame as they're easier to be killed than a guy with 70-80 armor.

Give dodging a really high cooldown. If nudge has about 10secs cooldown, dodge should get about 1-2minute cooldown. After all there are already other ways to dodge an attack, by simply good footwork.

[Goretooth]

Sounds interesting, but only allow it for characters using light armor. Also give it a quite a long cooldown and make it somehow risky to use.

Yeah I shouldn't be able to do rolls and stuff in my armor. Same for people with large weapons like pikes, mauls, etc.

[Lt_Anders]

Leave knockdown alone. 1h needs all the help they get against heavy armor.

In serious, though, I believe you aren't describing the knockdown one very well. It sounds like a way to avoid getting hit when knocked down and then beating up the guy who should have a free hit.

I'll save the rest until I see it's actual implementation.

[Pentecost]

As long as these dodges were in the vein of Monster Hunter (ie skill-based, requires that you get the timing and direction perfect or you eat a hit) rather than Guild Wars 2 (lol press one button 2 win), I think this would be a very interesting addition. The only thing that concerns me is the lack of inertia in the game engine, which will possibly create a lot of balance issues in the beginning until things are tested and adjusted.

[San]

 I like the sidestep option the most. As a shielder, it's pretty annoying to have to point your shield to the side to dodge in that direction. Jumping just doesn't cut it.

I think crouching also has some good effects on gameplay at this point without any odd behaviors arising.

[Radament]

inb4

(click to show/hide)

[XyNox]

For one I would love to finally be able to reliably dodge cav as an archer again without the need to drop my bow. On the other hand I cant really imagine how this would look like on the battlefield. I mean, a knight or man at arms doing a roll ? Usually I am not much of a realism enthusiast but I cant imagine this in any way that wouldnt make it look like an anime.

A quick sidejump that generates more horizontal velocity but lets you gain no height seems more appropriate to me. My biggest concern though is that this will be used as a new form of backpaddeling. Swing, backpaddel, swing, backpaddel and when you finally closed the gap, your foe dodges backward to increase distance again. That said, if this new mechanic gives you a quick "movement speed buff" for the duration of the animation at the cost of a brief root/stun/slowdown when the animation ends it would be more than welcome. I would just want to made sure that total gain in covered distance is only advantageous for the initial stage of the animation. It should under no circumstance allow for faster travelling around the battlefield as it would be used constantly then.

Thanks for involving the community into this.

[Vodner]

Rolling on the ground after a knockdown sounds good.

I am very skeptical of the other additions you listed. They would almost certainly end up changing the Warband combat system into something unrecognizable, rather than being an additional trick to learn on top of what we already have.