Dodging | Elden Ring Wiki

From Elden Ring Wiki

Dodging is a core Combat mechanic in Elden Ring that allows players to evade enemy attacks and avoid taking damage. By timing their dodges correctly, players can pass through attacks using invincibility frames, which is called "i-frames" for short, making Dodging one of the most reliable defensive techniques in the game.

Mastering Dodging is essential when facing powerful enemies and Bosses, as it creates opportunities to reposition, avoid damage, and counterattack during openings in an enemy's attack pattern. New players can often overcome difficult encounters by learning enemy timings and consistently dodging incoming attacks.

While Dodging offers a forgiving and versatile defensive option, advanced players can also use Parrying to deflect certain attacks and create opportunities for devastating Critical Hits. Below, players can find all information, tips, equipment, guides, and skills related to Dodging in Elden Ring.

Dodging in Elden Ring

Elden Ring Dodging Guide Table of Contents

  1. Basics of Dodging in Elden Ring
  2. How to Dodge Better in Elden Ring
  3. Dodge Skills and Spells in Elden Ring
  4. Recovery Frames in Elden Ring
  5. Dodge Distance in Elden Ring

Dodge Basics Elden Ring

medium roll

playstation logo colour.svg
xbox
blank white mouse
Backstep B Space
Roll Move + ⭘ Move + B Move + Space

Rolling is the primary method of Dodging in Elden Ring and one of the most important combat mechanics for avoiding damage. A well-timed roll allows players to quickly reposition while gaining invincibility frames (i-frames), brief moments during which incoming attacks pass through players harmlessly. Learning to execute i-frames effectively is essential for surviving Bosses and mastering Elden Ring's combat system.

Backstepping is a less common evasive maneuver, as it covers less distance than rolling and provides fewer defensive benefits. However, it is significantly faster and can be followed up with a Lunge Attack, making it useful for maintaining pressure on enemies while dodging. Players can also perform a guarded backstep by holding their guard and pressing the dodge button without directional input, allowing them to create space while remaining protected.

Dodge Details Elden Ring

The precise details of your dodge roll and backstep depend on your Equip Load. (All frame data below is for 30 FPS.)
Weight Ratio Roll Backstep Recovery
I-Frames Recovery
≤ 29.9% 13 8 Fast
30.0% - 69.9% 13 8 Medium
70.0% - 99.9% 12 16 Slow
≥ 100.0% Cannot roll or backstep

See also Recovery Frames and Dodge Distance below.

How to Dodge Better in Elden Ring?

drinking physick dodging

There are some items that add additional i-frames at the end of a roll, but at the cost of reduced damage negations. These don't stack with one another aside from their penalties, nor do they apply to dodge skills.
  • Crucible Feather Talisman: +3 i-frames, -3 recovery frames
  • Talisman of All Crucibles: +3 i-frames, -3 recovery frames
    • Light/Med. Roll Invuln. Duration +23%
    • Heavy Roll Invuln. Duration +25%
  • Windy Crystal Tear: +3 i-frames, -3 recovery frames for 3 minutes
    • Light/Med. Roll Invuln. Duration +19%
    • Heavy Roll Invuln. Duration +25%
  • Your Equipment Load also affects the speed of your dodging with heavier load at 70-100% full capacity being the slowest reaction time.
  • Having less equipment will also mean that you drain less stamina, which allows more dodging.
  • Dodging gives you time while avoiding damage until you see an opportunity to begin your offensive actions.
  • Have your new position in mind since dodging will reposition your character. You can even dodge while approaching to get in range for your next melee attack. When you are close enough, you can roll forward through an attack to get you in an optimum position for a backstab.

Effective Dodging Elden Ring Tips

dodging effective dodging

Dodging is a powerful tool, but it can take practice to get the most you can out of it. Here are some tips to get the most out of your dodges:
  • Roll In: When you're in danger, it's always tempting to dodge away from the enemy. After all, you're dodging to avoid danger and the enemy is the source of that danger! But it's often better to dodge towards the enemy instead. Not only will this put you in position to land a few attacks, it'll often naturally avoid follow-up moves that are intended to punish people who roll away.
  • Roll Through: It may seem counterintuitive, but when you see an attack incoming it's usually best to roll into the attack (in other words, roll in the opposite direction of the attack's movement). The attack won't hurt you as long as you have i-frames for every frame you intersect with its hitbox, so you want to overlap with it for as few frames as possible to ensure that it's not still touching you once your i-frames expire.
  • Be Patient: Many bosses in Elden Ring wait just long enough to let their attacks fly that, if you roll when you first see them winding up, the attack will actually land when you're out of i-frames. This is known as "roll catching", and it's there to teach you patience. Don't roll just because you feel threatened, roll when you actually see an attack flying down towards you.
  • Born to Run: Once you're comfortable dodging, you might want to use it for all your get-out-of-danger needs. But don't forget that you can hold the button to run as well! Although running doesn't give you any i-frames, it's faster and consumes much less stamina than repeated dodges. Once you're out of an enemy's range, running is a much more effective way to put distance between you than dodging.

Jump Dodging Elden Ring

You can also dodge some attacks by jumping over them.
playstation logo colour.svg
xbox
blank white mouse
Jump A F

Jumping only gives you partial i-frames: you're invulnerable from the waist down, but your head, chest, arms, and even hands can still be hit by attacks. This makes it useful specifically for dodging attacks that slash horizontally or erupt from the ground. In exchange for only giving you partial invulnerability, this invulnerability lasts much longer, covering 25 frames of the jump animation with only 5 frames of recovery afterwards (at 30 FPS).

Other I-Frames Elden Ring

Various other actions you can perform provide i-frames as well. While these won't be your primary means of dodging, they can be very useful in a pinch.

How do you Dodge Effectively Elden Ring?

Now that all the different types of dodging, and i-frames have been laid out, this needs to be applied against some Boss. Elden Ring is a game where you are encouraged to improve your combat abilities and familiarize yourself with each maneuver in order to face the numerous Bosses and enemies in the game. Get an idea of which attacks you are able to roll through. Especially since this is not the common reaction, it is important to know when to roll forward and away since tolling forward and through attacks would benefit your character by repositioning them closer to the opponent and potentially opening an opportunity for your next attack. As stated above, when you roll through, the attack won't hurt you as long as you have i-frames for every frame you intersect with its hitbox, so you want to overlap with it for as few frames as possible to ensure that it's not still touching you once your i-frames expire, which means you also have to consider your weight load. Start light so you have the quickest movements possible if you want to focus on effective dodging. This will be one of your main maneuvers to get out of pesky corners and different ranges of attacks against the Bosses. You will need to rely on your evasive capabilities in between your offensive counters or otherwise risk taking in big hits to your HP levels.

Backsteps with the Fine Crucible Feather Talisman (SOTE)

Backstep I-Frames Recovery Frames
Light Load Backstep 11 8
Medium Load Backstep 11 6
Heavy Load Backstep 11 17
Light Load Backstep PvP 7 12
Medium Load PvP 7 10
Heavy Load PvP 7 21
  • The talisman also reduces damage negations by 15% when equipped.

Dodge Skills/Spells in Elden Ring

Several Skills found throughout the Lands Between provide alternate ways to dodge, at the cost of a modest amount of FP. SOTE also added Miriam's Vanishing, a spell that allows for maneuverability and dodging.

  • FP indicates how much FP is first consumed.
  • Delay measures how many frames (at 30FPS) elapse between pressing the skill button and becoming invulnerable.
  • I-Frames measures how many frames (at 30FPS) you are invulnerable to damage after the delay. Higher is better.
  • Recovery measures how many frames (at 30FPS) elapse after the i-frames end but before you're able to roll again.
    See also Recovery Frames below. Lower is better.
Name FP Delay I-Frames Recovery Description
ash of war quickstep elden ring wiki guide 200px
Quickstep
3 0 15* 10 Skill prized by the crafty and fleet of foot. Perform a quickstep maneuver that allows for circling around lock-on targets.
ash of war bloodhounds step elden ring wiki guide 200px
Bloodhound's Step
5 0 16* 10 - 12 Skill that allows the user to become temporarily invisible while dodging at high speed. Moves faster and travels farther than a regular quickstep.
This skill can be used to circle around lock-on targets.
ash of war vow of the indomitable elden ring wiki guide 200px
Vow of the Indomitable
20 4 30 11 Skill of the ancient warriors of the Erdtree. Hold shield aloft to imbue yourself with golden power, granting momentary invincibility.
ash of war raging beast ashes of war elden ring shadow of the erdtree dlc wiki guide 200px
Raging Beast

sote new
7 0 10 30 Step with the swiftness of a beast, leap high, and slash foe from above. Initial step can be taken forward, backward, left, or right. Strong attack allows for a follow-up attack.
ash of war blind spot ashes of war elden ring shadow of the erdtree dlc wiki guide 200px
Blind Spot
sote new
9 0 10 30 Leap into close quarters to take advantage of the enemy's blind spot and gore them from the side. Inputs determine which side you strike from.
This attack slips below the opponent's guard.
ash of war blinkbolt ashes of war elden ring shadow of the erdtree dlc wiki guide 200px
Blinkbolt
sote new
8 14 15 18 Skill used by the golden knights who served Godwyn. From a low stance, the body is transformed into a bolt of lightning and charges straight ahead at fulgurous speed.
ash of war raptor of the mists elden ring wiki guide 200px
Raptor of the Mists
6 0 18 - Duck into a low stance, momentarily vanishing. If an enemy attack connects, avian wings will allow for a quick escape into the air.
bloodhounds fang curved greatsword weapon elden ring wiki guide 200px
Bloodhound's Finesse
12 5 20 24 Slash upwards with the Bloodhound's Fang, using the momentum of the strike to perform a backwards somersault and gain some distance from foes.
Follow up with a strong attack to perform the Bloodhound's Step attack.
bloody helice heavy thrusting sword weapon elden ring wiki guide 200px
Dynast's Finesse
5 0 20 10 Nimbly avoid an attack, securing some distance from foes. Follow up with strong attack to perform a sudden lunge, and press strong attack again to perform a sweeping slice.
obsidian lamina reaper elden ring shadow of the erdtree dlc wiki guide 200px
Dynastic Sickleplay
sote new
7 0 20 8 A finessed evasive skill that creates space to maneuver. Inputs dictate direction of the backstep. Follow up with strong attack to perform an advancing upward slash.
Press strong attack again to bring the weapon back down.
death knights twin axes elden ring shadow of the erdtree dlc wiki guide 200px
Blinkbolt: Twinaxe
sote new
8 14 15 18 From a low stance, the body is transformed into a bolt of lightning and charges straight ahead at fulgurous speed. Strong attack performs a lightning-charged spinning slash.
death knights longhaft axe elden ring shadow of the erdtree dlc wiki guide 200px
Blinkbolt: Long-hafted Axe
sote new
8 14 15 18 From a low stance, the body is transformed into a bolt of lightning and charges straight ahead at fulgurous speed. Strong attack performs a lightning-charged leaping slash.
miriams vanishing sorcery elden ring shadow of the erdtree dlc wiki guide 200px
Miriam's Vanishing
sote new
9 16 27 0 Used to conceal oneself in a glintstone haze, reappearing after a few seconds have passed. Directional inputs determine where one will reappear.
  • : If you use Quickstep and Bloodhound Step multiple times in a row, uses after the first have 2 fewer i-frames (unless you're using Quickstep and you have a light Equip Load, in which case it's only 1 fewer). Also, if you're out of FP, they only ever have 5 i-frames.

Recovery Frames Elden Ring

Different actions take more or less time to perform after a dodge, and sometimes even depend on which direction you dodge in or your Equip Load.

Name Roll Skill Attack Guard Quick Item Item Walk
Right Left
Roll Light 8 6 5 6 12 6 7 9
Medium 8 7 7 7 12 7 8 9
Heavy 16 11 11 11 14 15 15 18
Quickstep Forward 10 7 2 6 10 7 12 14
Back 8 6 1 6 9 6 10 12
Side 7 6 1 5 8 7 11 10
Quickstep
(Repeated)
Forward 12 9 4 6 12 9 14 16
Back 10 8 3 5 11 8 12 14
Side 7 6 1 5 8 7 11 10
Quickstep
(Repeated, Light Load)
Forward 12 9 4 6 12 9 14 16
Back 8 6 2 3 9 6 10 12
Side 9 8 3 5 10 9 13 12
Bloodhound Step Forward 9 7 1 5 8 6 11 13
Back 7 7 1 5 8 5 9 11
Side 6 6 1 5 7 6 10 11
Bloodhound Step
(Repeated)
Forward 11 11 6 7 12 8 13 15
Back 9 11 2 7 12 7 11 13
Side 8 13 2 6 11 8 12 13
Vow of the Indomitable 1 10 1 1 1 1 5 10
Bloodhound's Finesse 25 - 30 34 36 29 34 39
Dynast's Finesse 14 9 19 22 22 20 22 23

Dodge Distance Elden Ring

Different dodges can also cover more ground, allowing you to more easily get out of the way of incoming attacks. How far you roll frequently depends on your Equip Load. The numbers below measure in-game meters covered during the invulnerable portion of a dodge.

Name Light Load Medium Load Heavy Load Overencumbered
Roll 4.09 3.21 2.66 0.51
Quickstep 4.09 3.77 3.77 3.77
Bloodhound's Step 5.27 4.77 4.77 4.77

Join the page discussion