I'm going to be playing in a 4e game shortly, and I'll likely be playing a street sam of some stripe. I've been considering putting points in Dodge, and remember that a lot of people have recommended Gymnastic dodge. What makes that so much better than regular dodge?

It also makes you a good dancer, and really tones those glutes.

Actual answer, though, is that Gymnastics would *edit* allow access to more varied actions */edit*, at no additional cost or investment. The only thing that could possibly interfere would be a HOUSE rule saying what should be there already: that you need more room to make an Acrobatic Dodge than a normal Dodge.

Well, it's part of the Athletics group which you're likely to have at a higher rating that Dodge, it's useful for things other than dodging, and it's equivalently useful for dodging as Dodge.

Synthacardium adds it's rating to gymastics as well, so you get bonuses to "dodge" there too.

Plus, as Dodge counts as a Combat Skill, while Gymnastics counts as a Physical Skill, making it cheaper (on the order of half price) to get Improved Ability for.

There is a reason why SR5 seems to have flat out nixed Dodge.

And then there's Enhanced Articulation, which adds a bonus to only Physical skills tied to a Physical attribute, like Gymnastics but not Dodge. Add in a Reflex Recorder for both Dodge & Gymnastics, and your evasive bonus just continues to grow.

Its a Physical skill not a Combat skill, so it benefits from things like a Synthcardium. I think also Enhanced Articulation.

It is, however, ONLY useful on a Full Defense. This is the big mistake people make.

Dodge at least can be used in melee(having unarmed is better though) and is also used while driving.(though in some circumstances Pilot can substitute).

The general notion is that for most characters, if you already have a melee skill you should always take Gymnastics instead of Dodge.

Which is likely the case with this guy, since his concept so far is "street samurai of some stripe." So, yeah. Fuck Dodge, unless you MIGHT be going the MBW route, in which you can argue for a smidge more utility from it (maybe).

This is something I hadn't thought about...any kind of rigger probably wants Dodge for jumping-into or remote-controlling drones. But since OP is playing a street sam...what everybody else said

Taking specialization in Ballet is also supposed to help your dodging with all the fancy twisting and leaping.

Not to totally ruin the joke, but wouldn't that be a specialty of Artisan?

not sure, artisan is linked to intuition as its default so figure its more crafty forms, but one could argue it both ways

Artisan is typically crafting, yes. Still don't have the book myself, but I think in 5E there is a Performance skill now for non-crafty stuff.

~Umi

I have, in the past, used both for a totally ridiculous untouchable in melee build.
After all, if you spec it right, you can claim both dodge and gymdodge specializations and related bonuses in melee. (melee dodge, then gymdodge fulldefense)

The opportunity cost is no Riposte shenanigans because you're not Parrying, but when you need do the hammerslide and not be touched, its hilarious.

Pretty shure, you are breaking rules with this...

Not really.

Reaction(synch/react)+Melee Dodge(Spec, mwb, reflex recorder)[this is passive non-action required]+Gymnastics(Spec, reflex recorder, syntharcium, enhanced articulation)

It takes advantage of the fact that you are rolling two different skills in melee defense.
In fact, it is no different than melee parry+full gymdodge that you see many, many Counterstrike/Riposte adepts use. It only seems that way because there's more bonuses available for it.

But you never roll Dodge + Acrobatic Dodge?

You either roll (full melee defense):
Rea + Melee + Acrobatic Dodge or
Rea + 2 x Dodge

(from the top of my head, no rulebook at hand...)