Blocking¶

Difficulty: Beginner | Controversial

Overview¶

Blocking refers to physically obstructing an opponent's movement to disrupt their ability to airblast. By getting in a player's way, you can make it significantly harder for them to position themselves correctly to reflect an incoming rocket.

Competitive Rules

Blocking is not allowed in most competitive Dodgeball scenes. It is generally frowned upon in the community even in casual play. Check your server's rules before attempting.

What is Blocking?¶

Blocking involves:

Body blocking: Standing in an opponent's path
Movement disruption: Getting in the way of their positioning
Timing interference: Blocking at critical moments when they need to move

flowchart LR
    A[Opponent needs to move] --> B[You block their path]
    B --> C[They can't position correctly]
    C --> D[Harder to airblast]
    D --> E[Higher chance they miss]

Why Blocking is Frowned Upon¶

Reason	Explanation
Unsportsmanlike	Relies on physical interference, not skill
Disrupts flow	Breaks the reflect-based gameplay
Frustrating	Creates negative experience for opponents
Rule violations	Banned in competitive and many casual servers

How Blocking Works¶

When a player is targeted by a rocket, they need to:

Move to position themselves
Aim at the incoming rocket
Time their airblast

Blocking disrupts step 1 - if they can't move freely, they may not be able to reach the optimal position to reflect.

Common Blocking Situations¶

Situation	Effect
Standing in doorway	Blocks escape routes
Crowding teammate	Interferes with their movement space
Pushing into opponent	Displaces their position

Splash Damage Blocking¶

Another form of blocking involves intercepting rockets to cause splash damage:

flowchart LR
    A[Rocket targets Player A] --> B[Blocker intercepts rocket]
    B --> C[Rocket explodes on blocker]
    C --> D[Splash damage hits Player A]
    D --> E[Player A dies without chance to defend]

When a rocket hits a blocker instead of its intended target, the resulting explosion can kill the actual target through splash damage. This denies the target any opportunity to defend themselves.

Aspect	Description
How it works	Stand between rocket and target
Result	Target dies from splash, not direct hit
Why it's unfair	Target had no chance to airblast
Penalty	Usually kick/ban in competitive

Rocket Body Blocking¶

Players can also destroy rockets by intentionally running into them:

Action	Effect
Body into rocket	Rocket destroys on contact
Game impact	Delays round, wastes time
Common use	Stalling, griefing

This form of blocking is used to delay the game by destroying rockets before they can be properly contested. It disrupts the flow of gameplay and is considered griefing on most servers.

Severe Penalty

Rocket body blocking (intentionally destroying rockets with your body) is typically treated as griefing and results in immediate kicks or bans on most servers.

Server Rules¶

Different servers handle blocking differently:

Server Type	Blocking Policy
Competitive	Banned - results in warnings/kicks
Casual	Usually discouraged, may result in kick
Some pubs	Tolerated but frowned upon

Check Rules First

Always check the server's rules. Most servers with active admins will warn or kick players who intentionally block.

CQC: Close-range combat (skill-based, not blocking)
Airblasting: The core skill of the game

Summary¶

While blocking can be effective at disrupting opponents, it goes against the spirit of Dodgeball which is about reflexes, aim, and airblast timing. Focus on improving your actual techniques rather than relying on physical interference.