Does blindsight mean that the creature has a 360° view? The 5e blindsight rule is rather vague. The 3.5e rule for blindsight is more specific. However, neither really clarifies for me whether it is directional or omnidirectional. If it is the use of multiple other senses to see - such as a combination of hearing, smell, and tremorsense - I can see how it might have 360° capabilities.
The reason is - I have a player who was blinded and gained blindsight as a "dark gift" out to a radius of 60 feet. At first glance, it seems the player would be able to see with a 360° view. However, this seems overpowered. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to interpret it.
It talks about a radius for blindsight, which implies a circle/sphere. Examples of how you gain blindsight tend to range from heightened senses to echolocation, both of which cover a full sphere.
Blindsight is omnidirectional - the rules say a creature with blindsight can perceive things in a given radius - which means a circle/sphere. 60 feet of it does seem like it might be a bit overpowered. Maybe have the "dark gift" fade somewhat over time, down to 30 feet? If that still seems like too much, you can always have it fade further. You could also apply a rule similar to dim light, where the player can perceive things out to x radius just fine, and things to y radius at disadvantage.
EDIT: Looking at the things that jumped to my mind that have blindsight (bats and oozes), 60 ft. seems to be standard. So, it's probably not overpowered.
The player died and was returned to life. As punishment, the dark Gods melted his eyes from his head and he was given blindsight for 60 ft. radius.
I believe the words you're looking for are "Where we're going, we won't need eyes to see." -Event Horizen, 1997.
So, as "punishment" Dark Gods made the character into Daredevil?!?! Dark Gods really need to work on their definition of punishment.
Narratively (ie: out of combat) it's up to the GM is the character still "sees" through their eye-sockets or gains 360' awareness. As for combat mechanics... refer to filcat.
That said I do disagree with Generic_Poster. It sounds broken at first until you realize the character literally can't perceive anything past 60' with vision. *Edited as per Generic_Poster's edits.Narratively speaking the GM also should think of HOW blind sense is... visualized (only because it's a character not an NPC). Is it black and white? is there color? is it an entirely different spectrum like thermal in The Predator or echolocation in the Daredevil movie. Is everything a silhouette so it's hard to see faces or detail? Can you see writing or only engraving?
The player died and was returned to life. As punishment, the dark Gods melted his eyes from his head and he was given blindsight for 60 ft. radius.
I believe the words you're looking for are "Where we're going, we won't need eyes to see." -Event Horizen, 1997.
So, as "punishment" Dark Gods made the character into Daredevil?!?! Dark Gods really need to work on their definition of punishment.
Narratively (ie: out of combat) it's up to the GM is the character still "sees" through their eye-sockets or gains 360' awareness. As for combat mechanics... refer to filcat.
That said I do disagree with Generic_Poster. It sounds broken at first until you realize the character literally can't perceive anything past 60' with vision.Narratively speaking the GM also should think of HOW blind sense is... visualized (only because it's a character not an NPC). Is it black and white? is there color? is it an entirely different spectrum like thermal in The Predator or echolocation in the Daredevil movie. Is everything a silhouette so it's hard to see faces or detail? Can you see writing or only engraving?
Yeah - I went back and edited. I don't think 60 feet is OP, particularly when you still can't do anything the requires vision.
Blindsight allows 360 degree vision. Its a radius effect. The big downside is its only out to 60 feet. Ranged attacks always have advantage against the blindsight target too if they are outside of its range.
Yup yup! So in my opinion there is no reason to lower the range for balance issues. It would severely unbalance it against the whoever has the blind sight. From a roleplay perspective though I think its really cool. I even made an NPC or two that have it. Always funny when the NPC the players think is blind turns out to be a villian that kicks their ass.
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Hello all,
Does blindsight mean that the creature has a 360° view? The 5e blindsight rule is rather vague. The 3.5e rule for blindsight is more specific. However, neither really clarifies for me whether it is directional or omnidirectional. If it is the use of multiple other senses to see - such as a combination of hearing, smell, and tremorsense - I can see how it might have 360° capabilities.
The reason is - I have a player who was blinded and gained blindsight as a "dark gift" out to a radius of 60 feet. At first glance, it seems the player would be able to see with a 360° view. However, this seems overpowered. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to interpret it.
Thank you so much for your feedback.
Kind regards,
Singerspell
Blindsight means that the creature is not relying on the sight to "see".
5th edition assumes every creature has omnidirectional sight, whether it is normal sight or blindsight.
It talks about a radius for blindsight, which implies a circle/sphere. Examples of how you gain blindsight tend to range from heightened senses to echolocation, both of which cover a full sphere.
So I'd say yes.
The player died and was returned to life. As punishment, the dark Gods melted his eyes from his head and he was given blindsight for 60 ft. radius.
Blindsight is omnidirectional - the rules say a creature with blindsight can perceive things in a given radius - which means a circle/sphere. 60 feet of it does seem like it might be a bit overpowered. Maybe have the "dark gift" fade somewhat over time, down to 30 feet? If that still seems like too much, you can always have it fade further. You could also apply a rule similar to dim light, where the player can perceive things out to x radius just fine, and things to y radius at disadvantage.
EDIT: Looking at the things that jumped to my mind that have blindsight (bats and oozes), 60 ft. seems to be standard. So, it's probably not overpowered.
So, as "punishment" Dark Gods made the character into Daredevil?!?!
Dark Gods really need to work on their definition of punishment.
Narratively (ie: out of combat) it's up to the GM is the character still "sees" through their eye-sockets or gains 360' awareness.
As for combat mechanics... refer to filcat.
That said I do disagree with Generic_Poster. It sounds broken at first until you realize the character literally can't perceive anything past 60' with vision.
*Edited as per Generic_Poster's edits.Narratively speaking the GM also should think of HOW blind sense is... visualized (only because it's a character not an NPC).
Is it black and white? is there color? is it an entirely different spectrum like thermal in The Predator or echolocation in the Daredevil movie. Is everything a silhouette so it's hard to see faces or detail? Can you see writing or only engraving?
This was from the dark gifts table as a result of dying too early and coming back (levels 1-5) for Curse of Strahd.
Blindsight allows 360 degree vision. Its a radius effect. The big downside is its only out to 60 feet. Ranged attacks always have advantage against the blindsight target too if they are outside of its range.
Yup yup! So in my opinion there is no reason to lower the range for balance issues. It would severely unbalance it against the whoever has the blind sight. From a roleplay perspective though I think its really cool. I even made an NPC or two that have it. Always funny when the NPC the players think is blind turns out to be a villian that kicks their ass.