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Those precious frames during a dodge roll where the game pretends you don't exist.
Invincibility frames are windows during specific animations (usually dodges or rolls) where the player's character cannot take damage, even if an attack visually passes through them. This isn't a bug -- it's a deliberate design choice that rewards precise timing. The number of i-frames, when they start in the animation, and how long they last are carefully tuned. Too many and combat becomes trivial. Too few and dodging feels unreliable. Souls-like games live and die by their i-frame tuning.
Example
Dark Souls' signature roll has roughly 13 i-frames at 30fps, starting a few frames into the animation. The entire skill ceiling of Souls combat revolves around timing your roll so those i-frames line up with the enemy's attack hitbox. Fat-rolling with heavy equip load cuts your i-frames and gets you killed.
Why it matters
i-Frames are the invisible backbone of action game combat. Understanding them transforms you from a button masher into someone who can dodge through attacks with surgical precision. For devs, i-frame tuning is one of the most sensitive dials in combat design.
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