Evasion


Rules Questions


I have some questions about evasion:

1) in the druid animal companion entry, it is not stated if the animal can only use evasion if wearing no armor, light armor, etc. When can the animal companion use evasion?

2) In the ranger class feature, evasion can be used with no armor, light armor and medium armor. In the rogue class feature, evasion can only be used with no armor and light armor. When can a multiclass ranger/rogue use evasion?

thanx

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

1) If no restrictions are mentioned in the description of the ability then your animal companion can use evasion regardless of armour. Still speak with your GM, and check the errata (just in case).

2) If you have evasion from both the rogue and the ranger then you can use evasion with medium armour or lighter. If you're a rogue with evasion but have not yet received evasion from your ranger class levels then you can only use evasion with light or no armour. The ability overlaps but doesn't stack (two evasions do not add to Improved Evasion)


DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:
The ability overlaps but doesn't stack (two evasions do not add to Improved Evasion)

I think it's fairly common for evasion to include a clause along the lines of "if the character already has evasion from another class, then she instead gains improved evasion". That would be specific to the classes involved and not a general rule.

If the ranger ability does state that, then a rogue/ranger of high enough level would have improved evasion in light armor, evasion in medium armor (since the rogue ability doesn't apply) and no evasion (obviously) in heavy armor.


udalrich wrote:
I think it's fairly common for evasion to include a clause along the lines of "if the character already has evasion from another class, then she instead gains improved evasion". That would be specific to the classes involved and not a general rule.

I think you're thinking of Uncanny Dodge here, which almost always included the line "If a character gains uncanny dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below)." Evasion never did, as far as I can remember.

I do wonder if this isn't a typo though, as it was invariably "light or no armor" in 3.5, regardless of class. Perhaps at some point a change to Evasion was considered, to allow for medium armor, and the change didn't make it into the text for other classes.

udalrich wrote:
If the ranger ability does state that, then a rogue/ranger of high enough level would have improved evasion in light armor, evasion in medium armor (since the rogue ability doesn't apply) and no evasion (obviously) in heavy armor.

If it is an intentional change, I'd lean towards Improved Evasion (regardless of source) working in medium armor for a character with the Ranger version of Evasion, as Improved Evasion never restates the restrictions, it just says it works "as Evasion" with the added bonus of only taking half damage on a failed save.

(Regardless, Evasion does not stack into Improved Evasion)


udalrich wrote:
DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:
The ability overlaps but doesn't stack (two evasions do not add to Improved Evasion)

I think it's fairly common for evasion to include a clause along the lines of "if the character already has evasion from another class, then she instead gains improved evasion". That would be specific to the classes involved and not a general rule.

That statement is somewhat common in Prestige classes, but very rare (if it exists at all) in base classes.


Ughbash wrote:
udalrich wrote:
DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:
The ability overlaps but doesn't stack (two evasions do not add to Improved Evasion)

I think it's fairly common for evasion to include a clause along the lines of "if the character already has evasion from another class, then she instead gains improved evasion". That would be specific to the classes involved and not a general rule.

That statement is somewhat common in Prestige classes, but very rare (if it exists at all) in base classes.

Actually I can't think of a single Prestige class or base class, off hand, that has that line for Evasion. Every occurrence of Uncanny Dodge on the other hand, includes a similar line.

(Though I don't have any of my old 3.5 books anymore, and I'd be happy to be proven wrong about the absence of that line in all occurrences of Evasion)


Brodiggan Gale wrote:

Actually I can't think of a single Prestige class or base class, off hand, that has that line for Evasion. Every occurrence of Uncanny Dodge on the other hand, includes a similar line.

(Though I don't have any of my old 3.5 books anymore, and I'd be happy to be proven wrong about the absence of that line in all occurrences of Evasion)

You are right. There is and was no such line for Evasion, only for Uncanny Dodge.


Uncanny dodge and improved uncanny dodge are relatively low-level, so it's not that bad to let them "stack".

But while evasion is relatively low-level (can get it as early as 2nd class level), improved evasion is not available until 9th level or so.

So a rogue 2/monk 2 would have an ability that a single-classed character would need to wait for for another 5 levels or so.


Brodiggan Gale wrote:
Ughbash wrote:
udalrich wrote:
DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:
The ability overlaps but doesn't stack (two evasions do not add to Improved Evasion)

I think it's fairly common for evasion to include a clause along the lines of "if the character already has evasion from another class, then she instead gains improved evasion". That would be specific to the classes involved and not a general rule.

That statement is somewhat common in Prestige classes, but very rare (if it exists at all) in base classes.

Actually I can't think of a single Prestige class or base class, off hand, that has that line for Evasion. Every occurrence of Uncanny Dodge on the other hand, includes a similar line.

(Though I don't have any of my old 3.5 books anymore, and I'd be happy to be proven wrong about the absence of that line in all occurrences of Evasion)

Complete Adventurer "dungeon Delver"

Compelte Warrior "halfling Outrider", "Master Thrower".

Sample Text:
Evasion (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, a dungeon delver
can avoid damage from certain attacks with a successful
Reflex save. See the monk class feature, page 41 of the
Player’s Handbook.
If a dungeon delver already has evasion, he gains
improved evasion instead, allowing him to
avoid damage from certain attacks with
a successful Reflex save and take only
half damage on a failed save. See the
monk class feature, page 42 of the Player’s
Handbook.

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