Dodge Bonus

[Limos]

There is one aspect of Mutants and Masterminds that has always confused me. It being that "Half your defense bonus is dodge bonus." As 1 point of Defense bonus costs 2 points, does this mean that I alternate between Defense and Dodge, or that for every 2 points of Defense I buy I get one point of Dodge for free. Which would mean either...

1 Defense = 2 points

1 Defense, 1 Dodge = 4 points

2 Defense, 1 Dodge = 6 points

2 Defense, 2 Dodge = 8 points

etc...

or

1 Defense = 2 points

2 Defense, 1 Dodge = 4 points

3 Defense, 1 Dodge = 6 points

4 Defense, 2 Dodge = 8 points

I've never really had a chance to ask and the book isn't very clear on the subject.

[Dr Archeville]

The first, kinda.

When you're flat-footed, you lose your Dodge bonus to defense, which includes bonus from the Dodge Roll feat, and half your 'base' Defense.

Defense +1 (Defense 11) = 2 points = flat-footed Defense 10

Defense +2 (Defense 12) = 4 points = flat-footed Defense 11

Defense +3 (Defense 13) = 6 points = flat-footed Defense 11

Defense +4 (Defense 14) = 8 points = flat-footed Defense 12

Defense +5 (Defense 15) = 10 points = flat-footed Defense 12

Defense +6 (Defense 16) = 12 points = flat-footed Defense 13

Defense +7 (Defense 17) = 14 points = flat-footed Defense 13

Defense +8 (Defense 18) = 16 points = flat-footed Defense 14

Defense +9 (Defense 19) = 18 points = flat-footed Defense 14

Defense +10 (Defense 20) = 20 points = flat-footed Defense 15

Defense +11 (Defense 21) = 22 points = flat-footed Defense 15

Defense +12 (Defense 22) = 24 points = flat-footed Defense 16

[Limos]

Ah so you not only lose any dodge bonus you bought on top of you normal defense bonus, but when surprised you actually lose half of your defense. So when representing it on my sheet should I buy my defense, then put half in the Defense category and half in dodge? (as well as put any Dodge focus feats in there as well)

[Dr Archeville]

You should note it the same way other sheets are noting it

Which is to say, yes, list total Defense, and flat-footed Defense.

[Limos]

Thank you

[Sandman XI]

Please note this is backwards from the intended game rules.

According to RAW

1, 3, 5, 7, 9, etc is your base defense.

2, 4, 6, 8, etc is your dodge bonus.

According to our rules (the ones that matter )

1, 3, 5, 7, 9, etc is your dodge bonus.

2, 4, 6, 8, etc is your base defense.

It just comes from an earlier set of GMs who didn't know what they were doing at the time and it was never changed to the correct way.

[Dr Archeville]

But it's in keeping with all the published NPCs, so it may actually be the intended rule.