Dodge is a defensive mechanic in Diablo III which allows characters a chance on each incoming attack to completely avoid its damage. As a statistic, Dodge chance was formerly generated from Dexterity, so Monks and Demon Hunters, who used Dexterity as a primary stat, benefited from much higher Dodge. In patch 2.1, Dexterity was changed to provide Armor instead, a less random form of defense. Chance to dodge is now only provided by certain skills, the Gogok of Swiftness Legendary Gem, and the "Elegance" seal of the Altar of Rites - without any of these, The Nephalem has 0 chance to dodge attacks.
Dodge as a way of completely avoiding attacks has its roots as a skill for the Amazon in Diablo II. The Defense stat was also similar, giving enemies a chance to miss the hero. Diablo III replaced Defense with Armor, providing consistent damage reduction rather than a random effect - much like Resistances - leaving Dodge and Block as the random defensive mechanics. Blocking only prevents some of an attack's damage and usually requires Shields, whereas Dodge prevents all damage and doesn't require a specific item.
Dodging works on the majority of attacks, but the following attacks are impossible to dodge:
- Thorns-like effects, such as Reflects Damage affix.
- Ground-based area attacks, such as Molten affix lava pools and explosions.
Before the rework of the dodge mechanic, the exact formula for determining the odds of dodging attacks was unknown. However, it was observed that Dodging was less effective in high-level content, and that it suffered from diminishing returns.
Skills[]
The following Skills (and Skill Runes) provide a chance to Dodge:
- Barbarian - Wrath of the Berserker 20%, Sprint (Rush 12%), War Cry (Veteran's Warning 30%)
- Monk - The Guardian's Path (passive) 35% when dual-wielding, Dashing Strike (Blinding Speed 40%), Mantra of Salvation (Agility 35%)
On the other hand, the Crusader passive skill Hold Your Ground prevents Dodging entirely.