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Hi, everyone! I'm just reading the Dragonbane manual for the first time, starting to get to know the system.

In reading the rules for parrying and dodging, it seems like if you're hit with an attack, you can either parry or dodge, but parrying has many more stipulations (must have a weapon or shield drawn, your weapon may suffer damage, monsters can't be parried, parrying ranged attacks specifically requires a shield), while dodging does not.

The only advantages of choosing to parry over choosing to dodge, that I can see, is that you roll versus your skill level for the weapon (or any STR-based melee skill if using a shield) instead of having to roll specifically against EVADE, and that if you roll a dragon you can perform a counter-attack.

Am I understanding this correctly?

If I am, I'm curious how often it comes up that the skill advantage is significant, and how often the counter-attack seems to come up (presumably one in twenty times, but I don't know from experience how often people choose to parry). Do people choose to parry instead of dodge often? Does it seem to pay off?

Just a curiosity as I continue reading. And many thanks!

I had the same doubts about parry after my first read. But I now have an armored knight playing at my table and he is using it very effectively. It also seems to have more heroic abilities to synergize with.

Most characters will get more mileage from Evade, for for certain builds, parry is the way to go.

I'm a big fan of shields in combat, so I also had my doubts about the Parry/Dodge thing.
Personally I'm going to give Shields a chance to roll Dragon on a 1-2 when used for Parry. That way you get a counter-attack on 10% of your parries - which is not nothing.

Btw - does it have to be the same weapon you use for your counter attack? Could you parry with your shield - get a Dragon and then counter attack with your sword?
I only have access to the Danish translation - so it might be clearer in the Swedish or English text.