Adjusting to long-term blindness (and missing limbs?) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Adjusting to long-term blindness (and missing limbs?) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Arravis
05-25-06, 09:50 AM From the SRD:
Blinded: The character cannot see. He takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class, loses his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any), moves at half speed, and takes a -4 penalty on Search checks and on most Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading and Spot checks) automatically fail. All opponents are considered to have total concealment (50% miss chance) to the blinded character. Characters who remain blinded for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them. (emphasis mine)
Blindfighting and many other feats, along with ranks in skills like listen would help. But the fact that characters get skills and feats is inherent in the d20 system for all characters. The specific mention of overcoming some of the penalties for Blindness clearly indicates something beyond standard character progression.

Personally, I'm not looking for the answer to be supernatural senses, or even heightened senses (such things can be gained through natural character progression). There's no reason in thinking that the loss of one sense actually increasing the acuity of other senses. A blind man can hear as well as I, he simply pays more attention to it (essentially having more skill points in listen).

The SRD mentions that some of the negatives (and I stress negatives) of blindness may be overcome in time. There's no mention of positives being added, nor am I looking for that. Being blind is a disadvantage, there's no reason it shouldn't remain so. The specific mention of the disadvantage lessening is what's at hand. The amount of negative (or even removal of some, as stated in the SRD) is the issue being presented here.

A feat might be a viable idea, but such a thing isn't supported in the rules. The condition statement of "Characters who remain blinded for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them." isn't reliant on a feat nor does it mention it (of course, it doesn't mention any specifics, so who really knows). I figure I'm already hosing a NPC (or character if things go wrong) with blindness, why add a feat expenditure on top of it when the rules don't require it.

Personally, I was considering simply halving the numeric minuses: -1 penalty to AC, looses half Dex bonus, moves at 3/4 speed, takes -2 on Search checks and Str and Dex based skill checks. Of course, all checks and activities based on vision would still automatically fail.

Well, any guesses on how the mechanics are changed in characters with long-term blindness? I'd love there to be an "official" answer to this, but any help or suggestions on what it should be are welcome.

—Arravis

P.S.: Anyone know any rules on missing a limb? I've looked in the SRD and I can't find much on it.
Seeker95
05-25-06, 10:27 AM For blindness, I would reduce the negatives by 1 for each year of blindness, until they are all at -1. I would never allow them to disappear entirely, although they may be offset with Skills and Feats the PC takes.

However, a player that wants a blind PC is asking for gimping. If the other players have no problem with a PC in the game intentionally taking penalties, then it is no problem. If a PC wants to start the game this way, I might offset the disability with an enahnced ability in another area to make the PC balanced in relation to the other PCs, like allowing the player to have a +1 LA calss without incurring the +1 LA.
Arravis
05-25-06, 11:20 AM This issue is for an NPC but might become an issue for PC's later in the game. My campaign is in an extremely low-magic setting. If you loose an eye, arm, or your life, it's gone... there is no spell to make it better.

I'm very much surprised this issue hasn't been officially dealt with or that anyone doesn't have a used in-game answer.
Seeker95
05-25-06, 12:31 PM I'm very much surprised this issue hasn't been officially dealt with or that anyone doesn't have a used in-game answer.Why would you be surprised? If a PC gets blinded, he gets remove blindness. If he loses an arm, he gets regeneration. D&D is not a low-magic game. Although we as DMs can create such a game, the rules assume heroes have access to magic. And for those NPCs that would not have access to magic -- the beggar or the stablehand -- the stats and mechanics for being blind or limbless are not likely to be relevant. Sure, the blind beggar gets -2 to hit. But what is he going to try to hit in the first place?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Arravis 05-25-06, 09:50 AM	From the SRD: Blinded: The character cannot see. He takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class, loses his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any), moves at half speed, and takes a -4 penalty on Search checks and on most Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading and Spot checks) automatically fail. All opponents are considered to have total concealment (50% miss chance) to the blinded character. Characters who remain blinded for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them. (emphasis mine) Blindfighting and many other feats, along with ranks in skills like listen would help. But the fact that characters get skills and feats is inherent in the d20 system for all characters. The specific mention of overcoming some of the penalties for Blindness clearly indicates something beyond standard character progression. Personally, I'm not looking for the answer to be supernatural senses, or even heightened senses (such things can be gained through natural character progression). There's no reason in thinking that the loss of one sense actually increasing the acuity of other senses. A blind man can hear as well as I, he simply pays more attention to it (essentially having more skill points in listen). The SRD mentions that some of the negatives (and I stress negatives) of blindness may be overcome in time. There's no mention of positives being added, nor am I looking for that. Being blind is a disadvantage, there's no reason it shouldn't remain so. The specific mention of the disadvantage lessening is what's at hand. The amount of negative (or even removal of some, as stated in the SRD) is the issue being presented here. A feat might be a viable idea, but such a thing isn't supported in the rules. The condition statement of "Characters who remain blinded for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them." isn't reliant on a feat nor does it mention it (of course, it doesn't mention any specifics, so who really knows). I figure I'm already hosing a NPC (or character if things go wrong) with blindness, why add a feat expenditure on top of it when the rules don't require it. Personally, I was considering simply halving the numeric minuses: -1 penalty to AC, looses half Dex bonus, moves at 3/4 speed, takes -2 on Search checks and Str and Dex based skill checks. Of course, all checks and activities based on vision would still automatically fail. Well, any guesses on how the mechanics are changed in characters with long-term blindness? I'd love there to be an "official" answer to this, but any help or suggestions on what it should be are welcome. —Arravis P.S.: Anyone know any rules on missing a limb? I've looked in the SRD and I can't find much on it.
Seeker95 05-25-06, 10:27 AM	For blindness, I would reduce the negatives by 1 for each year of blindness, until they are all at -1. I would never allow them to disappear entirely, although they may be offset with Skills and Feats the PC takes. However, a player that wants a blind PC is asking for gimping. If the other players have no problem with a PC in the game intentionally taking penalties, then it is no problem. If a PC wants to start the game this way, I might offset the disability with an enahnced ability in another area to make the PC balanced in relation to the other PCs, like allowing the player to have a +1 LA calss without incurring the +1 LA.
Arravis 05-25-06, 11:20 AM	This issue is for an NPC but might become an issue for PC's later in the game. My campaign is in an extremely low-magic setting. If you loose an eye, arm, or your life, it's gone... there is no spell to make it better. I'm very much surprised this issue hasn't been officially dealt with or that anyone doesn't have a used in-game answer.
Seeker95 05-25-06, 12:31 PM	I'm very much surprised this issue hasn't been officially dealt with or that anyone doesn't have a used in-game answer.Why would you be surprised? If a PC gets blinded, he gets remove blindness. If he loses an arm, he gets regeneration. D&D is not a low-magic game. Although we as DMs can create such a game, the rules assume heroes have access to magic. And for those NPCs that would not have access to magic -- the beggar or the stablehand -- the stats and mechanics for being blind or limbless are not likely to be relevant. Sure, the blind beggar gets -2 to hit. But what is he going to try to hit in the first place?