I'm specifically looking at the write-up for Sleet Storm.
Does that mean that someone operating from w/in that area (80' diameter!) is dealing with the Blinded condition from it being Heavily Obscured or folks outside looking in?
A heavily obscured area--such as darkness, opaque fog, or dense foliage--blocks vision entirely. A creature effectively suffers from the blinded condition when trying to see something in that area.
The presence or absence of light in an environment creates three categories of illumination: bright light, dim light, and darkness.
Vision rules are poorly worded and needlessly complex, but just picture heavily obscured squares to be opaque blocks since they "block vision entirely". Can't see into them, can't see out of them, can't see through them. Even if you're standing within the outside edge of effect trying to peek out without being seen, if you're in a square that is heavily obscured, your vision to your square and every other square is "blocked entirely."
This is perfectly logical and fine with something like sleet. It makes a lot less sense with darkness, since that isn't how darkness works in the real world. But that is how it works in D&D, anything that is heavily obscured is like ink in your eyes blocking everything.
The person outside is not suffering from the blinded condition. They just have no line of sight to anything inside the fog. It is effectively blind if it attempts to target anything inside the effect, but it is not mechanically blinded.
Disagree that "effectively blinded" is distinct from the "blinded" condition, or that "mechanically blinded" is a rule concept. The only necessary distinction I see is, you are "effectively blinded" only in relation to specific creatures or areas that are heavily obscured, while you are "blinded" in relation to everything everywhere.
"A blinded creature can't see" -- but the person standing outside the heavily obscured area can see just fine. A person standing outside a heavily obscured area is not blinded.
Look at it like this: from a distance you can see the persons inside a cloud of grey fog or smoke , maybe not detailed but you can clearly see them as you are standing outside of the smoke. but if you inside this smoke you cannot see shit.
I'm specifically looking at the write-up for Sleet Storm.
Does that mean that someone operating from w/in that area (80' diameter!) is dealing with the Blinded condition from it being Heavily Obscured or folks outside looking in?
Or both?
both I think
I am an average mathematics enjoyer.
>Extended Signature<
Both.
Vision rules are poorly worded and needlessly complex, but just picture heavily obscured squares to be opaque blocks since they "block vision entirely". Can't see into them, can't see out of them, can't see through them. Even if you're standing within the outside edge of effect trying to peek out without being seen, if you're in a square that is heavily obscured, your vision to your square and every other square is "blocked entirely."
This is perfectly logical and fine with something like sleet. It makes a lot less sense with darkness, since that isn't how darkness works in the real world. But that is how it works in D&D, anything that is heavily obscured is like ink in your eyes blocking everything.
dndbeyond.com forum tags
I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
Thanks, folks. Greatly appreciated!
Both "mostly"
The person outside is not suffering from the blinded condition. They just have no line of sight to anything inside the fog. It is effectively blind if it attempts to target anything inside the effect, but it is not mechanically blinded.
Disagree that "effectively blinded" is distinct from the "blinded" condition, or that "mechanically blinded" is a rule concept. The only necessary distinction I see is, you are "effectively blinded" only in relation to specific creatures or areas that are heavily obscured, while you are "blinded" in relation to everything everywhere.
dndbeyond.com forum tags
I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
Exactly...
Blinded is a condition on a creature.
"A blinded creature can't see" -- but the person standing outside the heavily obscured area can see just fine. A person standing outside a heavily obscured area is not blinded.
Look at it like this: from a distance you can see the persons inside a cloud of grey fog or smoke , maybe not detailed but you can clearly see them as you are standing outside of the smoke. but if you inside this smoke you cannot see shit.
No, you can't.
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I rule such opaque freezing rain and sleet to block vision in & out.