Why is Dodge spread over so little classes?

[meepsa]

While leveling a new biped I realised something, the key abilities to not get hit, are actually spread over very little classes.

Dodge, which gets influenced by Evasion and Dexterity, is only on 8 biped schools:
-Scout
-Ranger
-Spiritist
-Flame Disciple
-Ice Disciple
-Spirit Disciple
-Storm Disciple
-Berserker

While there's plenty of schools that either get high evasion/dex or abilities based on evasion. As an example, Evasive style is on all of these:
-Berserker
-Crossbowman
-Elemental Archer
-Flame Disciple
-Healer
-Ice Disciple
-Monk
-Ranger
-Spearman
-Spirit Disciple
-Storm Disciple
-Cleric
-Scout

Bolded are schools that get dodge by themselves.

That's 13 schools, of which only 7 actually have the dodge ability, now you could argue that Crossbowman would have it from scout, but let's not forget warrior is also one of the basic schools that gets the Crossbow stat, and thus can be used as a base for Crossbowman.
ELAR would get it from scout, as there is no other way of gaining bow skill as far as I know.
Healer, a mage class, supposedly the only one that would be effective at dodging...if it gained the dodge skill from any of it's prerequisite classes (Cleric or Paladin).
Monk...I really don't know why this one doesn't have Dodge, it makes perfect sense, especially considering it's prestige schools all get it.
Spearman is actually one that makes sense, as it has so many possible prerequisite schools that do get dodge.
Cleric, as mentioned before, is a prereq of Healer, and is melee focused with some healing in between, it would make total sense for this one to also get dodge.

Either way, my point is, Why do so little schools, and especially BASIC schools, get Dodge? same thing with Parry actually, as I quickly saw it pop by it's only on 9 schools.

The main thing I'd like to see fixed would be schools that get only one of these: Dodge, Block and Parry, would it really be that bad for more schools to have, for example, Parry and Block? or Block and Dodge? or Dodge and Parry?

[Daulnay]

There's actually a method behind this:

- Melee fighters that use 2H weapons get Parry. So does Spearman. All of them wear Chain or better armor.
- Shield users get Block, except for Shaman.
- Light melee fighters get Dodge, except for Monk which gets Improved Dodge. They are all limited to leather/hide armor.
- Ranger and Scout also get Dodge. They are sneaky, and also get enemy detection and run-speed abilities.
- Spiritist gets Dodge, but not Evasive Style. Elemental Archer gets Evasive Style, but not Dodge. Both get abilities that substantially improve their evasion, Dissipate and Elemental Ward respectively. Dissipate is for physical attacks, Elemental Ward for magical ones.

Spearman, Cleric, and Healer get Shield Stance in addition to Block. That gives them another 20% to their chance of blocking. Crossbowman is a heavy (scale/plate) armor wearer. None of them get Dodge, they can soak damage with their armor.

The only real oddities are Spiritist and Elemental Archer. Spiritist is the only cloth-wearing caster to get one of the 3 combat defenses. It does add to the ethereal nature of the Spiritist, so perhaps that's the explanation. Elemental Archer? Perhaps it's just too strong with Dodge, since it has magical arrows to help keep it out of combat. Worth noting that ELAR gets none of the combat defenses, and is the only archer that gets no melee weapon skill whatsoever.

[Daulnay]

Here's another way of looking at it:
There are three abilities that help you to not get hit: Dodge, Parry, and Block. They are very similar mechanically, attack skill is compared with Evasion, skill at equipped weapon, or Shield skill if equipped respectively. If the difference between attack and the defense stat is small, then there's a check to see if the defender successfully dodges/parries/blocks.

The three abilities are spread over most of the schools. Only cloth-wearing magic casters, Elemental Archer, and Shaman get none of those abilities. And Spiritist does get one, even though it is a cloth-wearing caster.

Mage, Conjurer, Sorcerer, Wizard, Spiritist and Blood Mage are the cloth-wearing casters. Everyone else has better armor and gets a defensive ability (except ELAR and Shaman). Everyone else falls into 4 categories:
Heavy melee fighters: 2H Weapon users (skill 10) with Scale/Plate armor, Guardian, and Spearman
Archers: Scout/Ranger/Crossbowman/ELAR
Light melee fighters: Leather/Hide armor, high evasion, and Dodge skill. Monk, Disciples, and Berserker
Mystic figher-healers: Shield skill, high (10) Life or Nature magic. Low or no 2H crush skill, no 2H Slash skill. Druid, Shaman, Healer and Cleric.

[Calyndrell]

While leveling a new biped I realised something, the key abilities to not get hit, are actually spread over very little classes.

Dodge, which gets influenced by Evasion and Dexterity, is only on 8 biped schools:
-Scout
-Ranger
-Spiritist
-Flame Disciple
-Ice Disciple
-Spirit Disciple
-Storm Disciple
-Berserker

While there's plenty of schools that either get high evasion/dex or abilities based on evasion. As an example, Evasive style is on all of these:
-Berserker
-Crossbowman
-Elemental Archer
-Flame Disciple
-Healer
-Ice Disciple
-Monk
-Ranger
-Spearman
-Spirit Disciple
-Storm Disciple
-Cleric
-Scout

Bolded are schools that get dodge by themselves.

That's 13 schools, of which only 7 actually have the dodge ability, now you could argue that Crossbowman would have it from scout, but let's not forget warrior is also one of the basic schools that gets the Crossbow stat, and thus can be used as a base for Crossbowman.
ELAR would get it from scout, as there is no other way of gaining bow skill as far as I know.
Healer, a mage class, supposedly the only one that would be effective at dodging...if it gained the dodge skill from any of it's prerequisite classes (Cleric or Paladin).
Monk...I really don't know why this one doesn't have Dodge, it makes perfect sense, especially considering it's prestige schools all get it.
Spearman is actually one that makes sense, as it has so many possible prerequisite schools that do get dodge.
Cleric, as mentioned before, is a prereq of Healer, and is melee focused with some healing in between, it would make total sense for this one to also get dodge.

Either way, my point is, Why do so little schools, and especially BASIC schools, get Dodge? same thing with Parry actually, as I quickly saw it pop by it's only on 9 schools.

The main thing I'd like to see fixed would be schools that get only one of these: Dodge, Block and Parry, would it really be that bad for more schools to have, for example, Parry and Block? or Block and Dodge? or Dodge and Parry?

Monk doesn't get dodge? That's news to me I always thought it did.

The way I would look at it is this. If a class wears any form of metal armour it would rely on said armour to protect it rather than having the agility to get out of the way. Also if its a mage class magic then it is going to be too focused casting spells to leap out of the way.

Just my two pence

[Calyndrell]

Here's another way of looking at it:
There are three abilities that help you to not get hit: Dodge, Parry, and Block. They are very similar mechanically, attack skill is compared with Evasion, skill at equipped weapon, or Shield skill if equipped respectively. If the difference between attack and the defense stat is small, then there's a check to see if the defender successfully dodges/parries/blocks.

The three abilities are spread over most of the schools. Only cloth-wearing magic casters, Elemental Archer, and Shaman get none of those abilities. And Spiritist does get one, even though it is a cloth-wearing caster.

Mage, Conjurer, Sorcerer, Wizard, Spiritist and Blood Mage are the cloth-wearing casters. Everyone else has better armor and gets a defensive ability (except ELAR and Shaman). Everyone else falls into 4 categories:
Heavy melee fighters: 2H Weapon users (skill 10) with Scale/Plate armor, Guardian, and Spearman
Archers: Scout/Ranger/Crossbowman/ELAR
Light melee fighters: Leather/Hide armor, high evasion, and Dodge skill. Monk, Disciples, and Berserker
Mystic figher-healers: Shield skill, high (10) Life or Nature magic. Low or no 2H crush skill, no 2H Slash skill. Druid, Shaman, Healer and Cleric.

pretty much same as what daulney said though I would add, If your wearing metal armour your essentially equipped to absorbed the damage if your in anything lighter your main concern is to get out of the way of the enemy. mages however rely on wards and must focus which is why they don't dodge either

[meepsa]

Fair point, but why should said schools that wear heavy armour/shields get Evasive style then (and/or high evasion stats if there are heavy armour/shield classes that get that) if the evasion boost does not help them in any way? as far as I know block and parry are both not influenced by your evasion stat, and as far as I know, an enemy missing is also not influenced by evasion, only dodging, so it seems kinda useless then unless you multi-class. (which I know, is the core of the game, I'm just worrying about the (especially new) early level players)

[Calyndrell]

Fair point, but why should said schools that wear heavy armour/shields get Evasive style then (and/or high evasion stats if there are heavy armour/shield classes that get that) if the evasion boost does not help them in any way? as far as I know block and parry are both not influenced by your evasion stat, and as far as I know, an enemy missing is also not influenced by evasion, only dodging, so it seems kinda useless then unless you multi-class. (which I know, is the core of the game, I'm just worrying about the (especially new) early level players)

erm... good point regarding the evasive style and as far as i know like you said evasion only effects dodge not the other skills.

[meepsa]

also, regarding monk, my bad, it gets improved dodge which is why I didn't see it when I was looking up Dodge on Istaria Reference ^^;

[Daulnay]

...as far as I know, an enemy missing is also not influenced by evasion, only dodging, ,,,

Actually, an enemy missing does depend on Evasion, so Evasive Style effectively adds 2 levels and a bit to the Evasion score. I get hit a lot more when I forget to fire it off; Dodge is more just gravy, it doesn't fire all that often.

Notice that the two groups that get Evasive Style and not Dodge are archers and the two healers. Neither group gets decent melee attack skills, nor do they get any crowd control (except Pinion for the archers), so it's hard for them to keep attackers at range.