Rules question: in a combat turn, does a character (or non-player character or monster, for that matter) get to roll a Dodge skill test before their Agility score is arrived at in the countdown?
For example: in the first round of combat, if a monster with Agility 16 swipes a claw at an investigator with Agility 12, can that investigator declare a defend/dodge on the spot, even though it's not yet their point in the Agility score countdown to do anything? Or does the character with a 12 Agility have to hope that the monster with 16 Agility misses with its claw attack (investigator cannot attempt to defend/dodge) because they can't act - including a dodge - until the Agility countdown reaches 12.
Since the rules as written say "the next attack against that character before their next turn is an opposed test against their dodge skill" it leads me to assume that having a high Agility score is a boon because - in the first turn of combat - slower opponents can't hope to defend/dodge against the attack until it's their point in the Agility countdown to act.
In other words, do I have to wait "until it's my turn during the turn" to initiate a defend/dodge action, or can I defend/dodge an attack that first round as an immediate/interrupt response to an attacker who goes before my character in that first turn?
Thank you for helping with this question.
Best,
Brian Courtemanche, Chelmsford, Massachusetts
mograg@hotmail.com