Dodge and move

[ebertran]

Is a Dodge part of a Move? If I say "I'm dodging towards the computer terminals", how does that work? Is it a dodge and a move? Does it happen all at once, or do I have to take two turns to get there?

Here's how I see Dodge...

Here's my interpretation:

A Dodge isn't a separate physical act that you are doing, but it's really HOW you are doing other things instead...

Dodge roll just adds to (or replaces) a difficulty target number to hit you. So if you declare that you are dodging, this could be simply seen as the way you are moving towards your destination for example, dodging through the terrain or whatever. The extra action cost represents that it's harder to be this careful...

If you aren't moving at all, but still declare a dodge as a reaction, it just means you are getting out of the way of the bolts as best you can, but you aren't physically tumbling around or flipping in place. But as you fire your weapon, you are taking steps to avoid getting hit. The extra action cost represents that it's hard to shoot while dodging bolts while standing in place trying to shoot.

I wouldn't see the act of dodge as a separate type of movement. I see it as HOW you are doing your movement or your shooting, etc. You are avoiding getting hit, but not necessarily tumbling or flipping in place to avoid blaster fire.

[ebertran]

I'm saying that by taking the multiple action penalty when I declare a dodge, it represents how hard it is to be that careful doing whatever other actions I had declared that round, but it isn't necessarily an actual SEPARATE physical action, but rather it's HOW I'm taking the actions I had already declared.

I'm shooting while dodging.
I'm moving 10 meters while dodging.
I'm using the computer terminal while dodging blaster fire.

Not sure if I'm explaining myself correctly.

[shootingwomprats]

[garhkal]

With me, when you dodge, you don't move that much from where you were standing, how ever some dm's do have it where a dodge takes you x feet from where you were before..
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[shootingwomprats]

Well to start off we need to make sure we are talking about the same kind of dodge.

Full/Active Dodge: the character may perform no other action than dodge. He rolls his full dodge and adds this to the range difficulty until the end of the round.

"Reactive" Dodge: may be declared at any time and is a "free" action but incurs a -1D multi-action penalty. The character may choose to forgo any additional declared actions and not suffer the additional MAPs. The Dodge roll replaces the range difficulty number until the end of the round.

As a side note, RAW allows a character moving Cautiously [up to 1/2 movement] in Very Easy, Easy and Moderate terrain as a "free" action incurring no MAP. A could reasonably be allowed to move this much even in a round where he is Full/Active dodging or in a round where he has not made an active move. You obviously cannot declare a move action then tack on another 1/2 move. That is just common sense.
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[ebertran]

Here's the confusion. After I've moved (and I used my ONLY move action for the round and am standing in an open battlefield) I should not have any moves left. Can you use a reaction dodge to say " i am dodging into those crates over there to get some cover" ?

Thereby creating a situation where a pc gets a second move by way of a dodge. Do you understand?

[shootingwomprats]

Since you moved already and per RAW you may only move once in a round you cannot move anymore. "Reactive" dodge is not a move action, it is a "free" action that incurs a MAP penalty. Narrate however you like, but you are not moving any additional meters if you have already moved.

Dodging is not the same as cover. Narrate it however you like but it will not include a static piece of cover that magically appears for you to jump behind. Dodging is the physical attempt to make it so your harder to hit (you duck, you spin, you do whatever).

Cover is a piece of static environment (a vehicle, a rock, a wall, etc) that you can get behind (1/4, 1/2/ 3/4 and full cover). This in turn gives you a bonus to you dodge (+1D, +2D, +4D, full protection).

Example: you have 4D dodge and jump behind a speeder for cover (1/2 cover) giving you a +2D bonus. You roll 4D and get 15, you roll 2D and get 7. When you are shot at 1-15 is a miss, 16-22 hits the speeder and 23+ hits you.

Now if the speeder is hit the shooter rolls damage vs its soak, which is 2D+2D (scale bonus) or 4D. He rolls 18 and the speeder rolls 13 a difference of 5. Refer to SWR&E p.94 the vehicle is lightly damaged. This subtracts -4D from the damage so the character behind it would not be in danger of taking damage.

If say the speeder rolls badly for its soak, say 7, that would be a difference of 11 and would be heavily damaged. This subtracts -2D from the 4D so the character must rolls Strength vs 2D.

Now back to your original example. The character has declared a single action which is to move (whether this is Cautious 1/2, Cruising x1 or High Speed x2, you cannot perform any other action besides run if you choose All-Out x4). You have performed your action and the GM declares your being shot at, you state you wish to "reactive" dodge, this incurs a MAP and as you already performed one action (moving) you will perform your Dodge at -1D. You have a 4D Dodge -1D for a total of 3D. You roll 11, this replaces the range difficulties of those firing at you until the end of the round.
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Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
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@swd6podcast, Twitter

[ebertran]

Yes. I see it this way as well.

Thanks.

[DougRed4]

Haven't read the responses yet, but I'll first post what I saved from this morning (since I'm not able to post to the Google + group at work sometimes).

I completely agree, Enrique. The only thing I'd add is that there's a small amount of movement (up to 5 meters, at Cautious speed) that one is allowed to move without spending a move action (it's "free"). So I'd allow that along with a Dodge action (say, as a person is moving towards the computer terminals), if they were trying to make their way there. I sould explain this kind of movement as them tumbling around and flipping (if that's what the player wanted).
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[DougRed4]

Having now read the thread, I completely agree with SWR's last post, and think he covered it very well.

You only get the opportunity to move once (per turn), by any method.
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[Lane Arroway]

this reminds me of some of the examples of play from the star wars second edition revised and expanded rule book. Thanik shoots at a goon and the goon "dives to the side" and avoids the blast.

the Dodge skill reads
Characters using this (dodge) are doing whatever they can to dodge the attack - slipping around a corner for cover, diving hehind cargo containers, dropping to the ground, or any other maneuver to avoid getting hit.

I say whatever is appropriate for the narrative is fine. What's a few feet when the game works in meters? No need to put hard and fast rules in place within a pretty easy going system. But tmo, anyway.

In the past I struggled with characters dodging shots as they moved down a clear hallway or passage. surely, at somepoint they couln't avoid getting hit, right? Nowadays I try to make the environment more colorful with "stuff" lying around. It just eases my mind.
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[DougRed4]

I totally agree, lurker.

This conversation reminds me of how one of my players used to do things in our super game (V&V). Similar to Dodge, everyone in that game has the ability to evade. But it takes an action.

I had to spell out that evading required at least a little amount of movement (because the use of movement in that game has to be clarified a bit, being as you can move and then act, or act and then move, but can't move, act, move). The reason I had to clarify that it required at least a small amount of movement was because - munchkin that he was - he was always evading. But he would try to do so while standing completely still, which really doesn't fit (at all) what I envision when a character is evading (or using Dodge).
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Currently Running: Villains & Vigilantes (a 32-year-old campaign with multiple groups) and D6 Star Wars; mostly on hiatus are Adventures in Middle-earth and Delta Green