Uncanny dodge is an ability possessed by certain classes and creatures. This article will explain how to use it in uncanny dodge 5e. If you are a player character, your class might give you the uncanny dodge ability with a specified number of uses per day. Other classes may be able to take the feat to gain this ability instead, but only if they do not already have it as an innate class feature. If this is the case, then each time you gain a new level, you can use that level’s worth of uses for your next day before needing to rest again. NPCs or monsters may be able to gain the uncanny dodge ability with a feature like “stalk”.
Contents
Uncanny Dodge 5e
When you use your first use of the ability, you make an initiative check as part of your attack action. Normally, if you are on the same initiative as a creature of your size that you can see, then it is an automatic hit. However, if it is a higher initiative than you are then there is a chance that it can hit you. You roll 1d20 to determine how high in initiative order the attacking creature’s combat turn comes up before yours. This is called the “alacrity”. If the alacrity number is lower than your initiative, then you take damage from the creature and it can hurt you even if you have your uncanny dodge ability.
The second time you use your ability during a single day (after your first use in a day), then, if an enemy wants to attack you in melee and it has a high enough initiative roll to get in their turn before yours, then there is another die roll. This die roll compares how many hit dice (HD) are higher than yours. If that number of HD is higher than yours, then with one successful attack they can hurt you even if they are not in your turn order.
Monsters with 8 hit dice or more can use their “stalk” feature to be able to hurt you even if they are not your turn order. Roll 1d20 for each monster with 8 HD or more and express them in alacrity order. If the alacrity number is lower than your initiative, then that monster’s attack will land before yours. If there are more monsters than one can fit on one of these die rolls, then roll for each group of two monsters together (4HD together, 6HD together, etc).
Example: There are 2 hobgoblins. Hobgoblin A (1HD) becomes an attack against you at 7th alacrity. Then, if you can hit, you swing at the 8th alacrity hobgoblin, which then becomes an attack against you. If you hit and the hobgoblin takes damage, then it will be a successful hit. The hobgoblin in the next turn is also at 7th alacrity, but then the following turn it to has a chance to strike! If the attack does not land at all and you do not get hit, then the ability has failed and nothing happened.
