Evasion

• The evasion skill is exactly what it sounds like. The ability to avoid being hit by a creature, player, or projectile object. Since evasion is a primary skill normaly you will have no trouble training this. There is alot of mixed feelings on the concept of training shields. Though shields are a good thing to learn keep in mind when your evasion is high enough the shield is unnecessary. Basicaly, why block when you can avoid it all together. This decision is completely up to you.

• First thing is first. Type stance This is what you should see.

  >stance

  You are currently using 100% of your evasion skill.

  You are currently using 80% of your weapon parry skill.

  You are currently using 0% of your shield block skill.

  You are attacking with 100% of your offensive skill.

  Evasion, parry, and shield are the allocated skills you have in which you can change. You have 180 points or percent rather that you can move around to these three skills. For example, look at the above table. Let's say you just locked the parry skill and now you want to train shield. Type stance parry 0 then type stance shield 80. You bascialy just move your points around to change what your training. I would advise playing with these in areas where you know a critter can't hurt you. Then you will get a better feel of how to use the stance command.

• Another misconception is the dodge versus parry verb when evading. Others may disargree with me on this but this has been my expierience. If I type parry then dance with a critter then what will happen is I'll reflect the critters blows with my weapon. If I type dodge then I will evade the critter. It's that simple. Dancing with a critter means standing there and evading until you mindlock the evasion skill.

• Encumberance is no longer supposed to affect the evasion skill that much since the changes made to combat. However, again it's been my expierience if you continue to wear that bundle of skins or pelts and weigh yourself down then you are going to hit. It's common sense that when you are heavier you move more slowly. At the same time in areas where the critter doesn't train you as well a nice big encumburance helps you learn faster. Play around with your weight and burden sometimes if does you justice other times it will get you killed.

• Use your magic. Sound familiar? I will tell you this thousands of times. Ranger magic isn't there to just make you look impressive when casting sott. Sphere of protection will help to great lengths with evading. Senses of the Tiger is also another wonderful spell that sometimes allows me to evade things I normaly can't. You may also want to check into Cheetah Swiftness. I personaly have never used this spell so I can't account for its usefullness, but none the less it may be useful.