Evade

Evade is mechanic which prevents attacks from hitting a character for a short duration. Evading can be achieved by a carefully timed dodge an instant before the blow lands, but can also be achieved using some skills or effects. In both cases, the word Evaded! appears on the screen when successfully evading an attack.

For the skills that grant evasion, the duration of the evasion window is shown in the skill's tooltip – typically around 0.75¾ seconds, approximately the time of a dodge. This is the time, after activating the skill, during which you will evade all attacks which would have hit you otherwise.

The attacker will see a Missed message on their screen, and the failed attempt may still count as an attack for traits and skills which affect a certain number of attacks, such as Assassin's Signet.

Skills that allow evading will either cause quick retreat by a backwards roll or flanking by quickly positioning the character to the side or behind an enemy. Being immobilized does not prevent the evading of attacks, but it does prevent dodging and movement in general, except for teleportation.

Timing

Dodge, or use an evasion skill, just before being hit (taking into account the activation delay of the skill.)

To successfully time an evasion, you need to predict the instant at which the attack will hit you (given knowledge of the attacker's skill animation, weapon swing or projectile speed, etc.) The "Evade" duration listed on your evasion skill is the time during which you have to activate the skill before you expect the hit to land. The shorter that time, the longer you must wait until the hit has almost landed, before dodging or activating the skill. Needless to say, practice makes perfect.

The following is true for evading caused by dodging as well as by the use of skills:

• If an attack would hit you during the skill's evade duration (i.e. you correctly timed your action), you will successfully evade it.
• If you attempt evading the hit too early, you will be hit by the attack when it lands, unless the dodge or skill moved you out of its area of effect, but then you have not technically evaded the attack. (Note that the "point" of impact can be a large area for AoE and cone attacks, as well as many weapon swings).
• Obviously, if you attempt evading after the hit has landed, you will have been already hit, but can still evade recurring damage from area effects such as Lava Font.

Related skills

Evasion skills

In theory, any skill which causes the character to very quickly move away, leap, retreat, shadowstep, teleport, etc. should allow them to evade an imminent hit if correctly timed.

The following is a list of those skills which specifically mention evasion in their description or skill facts. Some, such as Shadow Assault, provide prolonged evasion.

Weapon skills mentioning Evasion

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   Power Stab (Ranger greatsword)
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   Serpent's Strike (Ranger sword)
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   Stalker's Strike (Ranger dagger)
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   Quick Shot (Ranger shortbow)
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   Disabling Shot (Thief shortbow)
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   Flanking Strike (Thief sword + offhand dagger)
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   Death Blossom (Thief dagger + offhand dagger)
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   Whirlwind Attack (Warrior greatsword)

Underwater weapon skills mentioning Evasion

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   Evasive Strike (Ranger spear)
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   Flanking Strike (Thief spear)
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   Shadow Assault (Thief spear)
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   Evasive Strike (Mesmer spear)

Healing Skills mentioning Evasion

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   Withdraw

Utility Skills mentioning Evasion

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   Elixir S
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   Lightning Reflexes
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   Roll for Initiative

Racial Skills mentioning Evasion

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   Hidden Pistol