Home > DM Questions & Answers

Blindness/Deafness?

Is there any official ruling on how you should act while under the influence of this spell? (as in don't run through the underdark simple because you can roughly see the terrain).

I've heard people say before you should RP moving slowly, or stumbling around....but is there any real officiality to this?

Edit: Also, how someone with blind fighting is expected to act as well.

Just act IC.

Possible examples:

- You get blind/deaf, you decide to stand extremely still, trying to hear what's going on around you.

-You get blind/deaf, you decide to freak out and run until you accidentally facehug the next wall.

-You get blind/deaf, you decide to lie down on the ground and pretend that you're dead.

-You get blind/deaf, you decide to swing your sword around you like crazy, hoping to hit any enemies coming at you.

-You get blind/deaf, you decide to claw at your eyes and ears in order to get them to work again.

-You get blind/deaf, you decide to think you're dead. . . sit back and relax.

-You get blind/deaf, you quaff a dispel potion and kill that frakking mage.

The possibilities are endless, we can't just say "This is what you're -supposed- to do". I mean, it's not like we're fascists.

So it's safe to say if you get hit by such a spell and you go running through the tunnels in the opposite direction, navigating the corridors with the ease of a blind monk from a cheesy B-movie, that would be considered bad?

It is frowned upon. You'll lose out on some of that excellent DM love. And who knows, Bob the god of Blindness might just strike you down for disrespecting him.

But otherwise, it's your choice. . . I mean, it's not like we're fascists.

So it's safe to say if you get hit by such a spell and you go running through the tunnels in the opposite direction, navigating the corridors with the ease of a blind monk from a cheesy B-movie, that would be considered bad?

Yes, it is bad. You are blind, and unable to see. No one is good enough to remember all the twists and turns to safely get out of a situation blinded. If you want to hack at things around you in order to keep yourself safe, go ahead.

With blind fight likely you would be a bit calmer about the whole thing due to your training, and be able to fight back appropriately...but after that in a melee, it's sort of hard to tell friend from foe IMO blinded.

Oh, and pressing TAB is a no no to "get around it". It's pretty obvious to us when that happens. (ie, navigating terrain with no problems, following your blue comrades in arms, or running straight for the red lettered mage)

I am sufficiently fascist to say that if you are blind/deaf you should RP it reasonably, and move slowly, stumble into things, trip, etc.

If you have the Blind Fight feat I am slightly more inclined to give you leeway, however you should still not be runningly madly through the caves.

It's fine to have a character that remembers by touch where his remove blindness/deafness potion is, though.

Things like -

Drinking the wrong potion. Tripping and falling. Attacking your party mates. Etc.

All earn points from me.