Can you dodge in the water in Pokémon Legends: Arceus?

The exploration possibilities in Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a complete first for the series. While the Wild Area in Pokémon Sword and Shield offered wide swaths of land to interact with Pokémon in, it pales in comparison with the landscapes of Hisui. Questions never before relevant to a Pokémon RPG are now vitally important for developing your strategy — questions such as, “Can you dodge if you’re walking through water?”

Dodging is one of the many new mechanics in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Press Y, and you’ll skillfully fling yourself wherever the left joystick is pointing. But there are a number of shallow bodies of water in Arceus that you can wade through, and you’ll notice that once your character gets knee-deep, their movement speed will slow down. What’s more, you’ll become unable to dodge.

Knowing your character is both slower and unable to dodge in even shallow water is critical for staying out of trouble in the ever-dangerous wilds of Hisui. Some Pokémon will straight-up attack you, after all, and if you’re in the water, your ability to react is severely hindered. If you stay alert, you can avoid blacking out — which, even in shallow water, would be especially dangerous, no?