Elusive Target and Improved Evasion

[Googleshng]

Flowing Monks get the ability Elusive Target, which allows them to "attempt a Reflex save opposed by an attacker’s attack roll to halve damage from that attack."

Monks (flowing or otherwise) get evasion, which says "If a monk makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage," along with improved evasion, which upgrades that to none/half from half/full.

I assume, since Elusive Target ups the effectiveness to working like Improved Evasion, that having evasion/improved evasion does not actually help with elusive target saves, however...

- Rules As Written it totally applies.

- Evasion has a restriction against wearing armor if you want the benefits, while Elusive Target does not.

I'm still assuming there's an unspoken exception, but I figure it's worth double checking.

[Kazaan]

Very interesting. Elusive Target automatically gets the Improved Evasion equivalent function at lvl 11, but Monk gets Improved Evasion at lvl 9.

But, on careful reading, you find the following:

Evasion(Ex): At 2nd level or higher, a monk can avoid damage from many area-effect attacks. If a monk makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage.

Elusive Target (Ex): At 5th level, as an immediate action, a flowing monk may spend 2 points from his ki pool to attempt a Reflex save opposed by an attacker's attack roll to halve damage from that attack.

Evasion applies to attacks that "normally" deal half damage on successful reflex saves. Elusive Target allows you to make a save attempt and, if successful, halves the damage when it wouldn't normally be halved. And considering the ability has Improved Evasion built in, albeit kicking in at lvl 11, I'd say that supports the reading. Attacks don't normally deal half damage on a successful reflex save so don't fall under the scope of Evasion/Improved Evasion.

[Weirdo]

Kazaan's interpretation looks reasonable to me.