Flight does not improve Dodge? Seems weird.

[weevis]

Dearest GURPS enthusiasts,

I have a character who wants to be a flying orb. I'm having a little trouble understanding the implications of the Flight advantage for Dodge (or lack of them). I wondered if anyone could help.

Note that this character also has No Legs (Aerial) so there is no ground speed. Here's my reading of the rules that relate to Dodge and Flight:

Air Move with flight is Basic Speed x 2 (p. B56 and B17)

I take that to mean when you spend big points for Flight, you get to move pretty fast! Twice as fast! Sounds good so far.

your Dodge is your Basic Speed + 3 (p. B17)

Huh. This seems to mean that the fact that you move twice as fast has no implications for Dodge. That doesn't seem right. In fact the rules for going faster (Enhanced Move) explicitly say adding move does not help dodge:

Enhanced Move does not affect Basic Speed, Basic Move, or Dodge (p. B52)

This seems strange to me because for those points it does seem like Dodge would be improved. p. B52 tries to console me by saying:

those who attack you with ranged attacks must take your speed into account when calculating speed/range modifiers p. B52

...but this is a penalty to attack based on how fast you happen to be going right now, not an enhanced defense. The speed rules under Enhanced Move sort of explain this by emphasizing that your top speed differs from your ability to accelerate (your move). But that doesn't appear to be relevant to Flight, which just doubles your Move, and presumably your ability to accelerate also.

I'm always impressed by the realism of GURPS rules but I just don't understand these. If the Flight rules say that you can make movements in three dimensions, twice as fast as normal, this seems like I should get some bonus to defense. But if I'm reading the rules right, Dodge is unaffected. I'd need to spend 15 points for an Enhanced Dodge (+1).

Do I have that right?

[simply Nathan]

If you're moving faster at the time the enemy is aiming, he faces a bigger penalty on the Size and Speed/Range Table.

That said, I always thought it was silly for Flight to be based on multiplying Basic Speed by default rather than working from Basic Move.

[Anthony]

Flight is really cheap, and in general the intent is that you get what you pay for in GURPS. It should probably be 40 points to move at your Basic Move, and you have to buy a level of enhanced move to get up to its current speed.

[Ulzgoroth]

Defense in general does get one benefit from flying: a flying retreat can offer a larger bonus than normal.

Moving fast never offers a bonus to dodge, regardless of how you're doing it.

[evileeyore]

High speed movement does not necessarily correlate to higher reaction times. Dodge is based off reaction time.

[weevis]

Thanks -- well it looks like I did understand it then. I'll just have to tell the player to cough up some more points for enhanced dodge if that's what they need.

[trooper6]

Remember, you could be able to fly...but be awkward and slow.
You could be fast...but not maneuverable.
Now...if you can fly...you can stay out of melee range and then not have to dodge at all.

If your player is making an flying orb...small size will make it harder to hit, and enhanced dodge will help with the dodging...as will aerobatics for aerobatic dodges.

[roguebfl]

well there is allow a possiblity as a movement power of Power Dodge = Basic Speed +3 + Talent/2

[LemmingLord]

I do dodge and drop all the time using flight. I assume that I'm immune to the prone penalties sing I can fly straight up.

[Flyndaran]

That's how many insects attempt to avoid bats. The moment they detect echolocation, they drop. As high resolution sonar has a very narrow field of "view", this often means they drop out of easy detection living to drop another day.