I've noticed in the combat modules chapter of the core anima book that it states when someone with block attempts to dodge (or someone with dodge attempts to block) that they take a -60 penalty. Does this mean a character is limited to only increasing block OR dodge? Or can they get both? I didn't notice it saying anything prior that you can only level one OR the other.

Additionally - if you CAN level both block and dodge, how does this -60 penalty apply?

There are no rules explicitly forbidding increasing both, but it never pays off to do so. It is always better to simply invest in one and use the -60 penalty for the other. If you have 100 points in dodge and 20 points in block, your block is still 40 (100 - 60) so those 20 points are not helping you.

On 6/2/2017 at 7:56 PM, wopple said:

There are no rules explicitly forbidding increasing both, but it never pays off to do so. It is always better to simply invest in one and use the -60 penalty for the other. If you have 100 points in dodge and 20 points in block, your block is still 40 (100 - 60) so those 20 points are not helping you.

Oh, so you get the other defense at -60 for free? That's cool. Thanks for clearing that up!