I have a Goliath Rune Knight in close combat in a dark room, and he doesn't have darkvision. I want to use a shove action to make my opponent prone.
As shove doesn't use an attack roll and I have Giants Might active, would I still get advantage on the Strength (Athletics) check or would there also be disadvantage due to not having darkvision?
Usually advantage or disadvantage on an ability check would be at the DMs choosing (because they are situational) but shove is considered part of the attack action so I would say it applies. If you can't see, that's disadvantage but your advantage would cancel it out. So it would end up being a normal roll.
I have a Goliath Rune Knight in close combat in a dark room, and he doesn't have darkvision. I want to use a shove action to make my opponent prone.
As shove doesn't use an attack roll and I have Giants Might active, would I still get advantage on the Strength (Athletics) check or would there also be disadvantage due to not having darkvision?
If you can't see your target due to darkness, you act as if blinded, meaning if your DM decides you need to be able to see your target, you automatically fail the Athletics check.
The rules grant no advantage automatically here. However, if one creature was blinded and the other creature was not then I would generally grant advantage to the one who can see in practically any contested ability check. Having that visual disparity against an opponent is pretty much the definition of an "advantage". Other heightened senses or other factors might equal things out a bit though.
We played the session and here's what we went with (fighting against a bulette):
My first attack hit (rolled a 20 and 18), I wanted to use shove for the second attack and the DM allowed it without any disadvantage due to hitting first and it being a large creature. Had I missed or gone with the shove first there would have been a roll to see if I could locate the creature.
The paladin also fighting it missed both attacks (rolling advantage as they have darkvision) and the creature got back up before my next turn, so it didn't work out the way I hoped, but it was good to try.
We played the session and here's what we went with (fighting against a bulette):
My first attack hit (rolled a 20 and 18), I wanted to use shove for the second attack and the DM allowed it without any disadvantage due to hitting first and it being a large creature. Had I missed or gone with the shove first there would have been a roll to see if I could locate the creature.
The paladin also fighting it missed both attacks (rolling advantage as they have darkvision) and the creature got back up before my next turn, so it didn't work out the way I hoped, but it was good to try.
Bulettes have 60 foot darkvision and 60 foot tremorsense.
We played the session and here's what we went with (fighting against a bulette):
My first attack hit (rolled a 20 and 18), I wanted to use shove for the second attack and the DM allowed it without any disadvantage due to hitting first and it being a large creature. Had I missed or gone with the shove first there would have been a roll to see if I could locate the creature.
The paladin also fighting it missed both attacks (rolling advantage as they have darkvision) and the creature got back up before my next turn, so it didn't work out the way I hoped, but it was good to try.
Bulettes have 60 foot darkvision and 60 foot tremorsense.
Hey all,
I have a Goliath Rune Knight in close combat in a dark room, and he doesn't have darkvision. I want to use a shove action to make my opponent prone.
As shove doesn't use an attack roll and I have Giants Might active, would I still get advantage on the Strength (Athletics) check or would there also be disadvantage due to not having darkvision?
As you note, it’s not an attack roll. There’s no rule that says you have disadvantage on ability checks if you can’t see.
Usually advantage or disadvantage on an ability check would be at the DMs choosing (because they are situational) but shove is considered part of the attack action so I would say it applies. If you can't see, that's disadvantage but your advantage would cancel it out. So it would end up being a normal roll.
That's what I was thinking, but wanted to be sure.
Thanks for the quick answer!
RAW, no disadvantage. If DM wants to say there is, there is and I can agree why there would be.
If you can't see your target due to darkness, you act as if blinded, meaning if your DM decides you need to be able to see your target, you automatically fail the Athletics check.
The rules grant no advantage automatically here. However, if one creature was blinded and the other creature was not then I would generally grant advantage to the one who can see in practically any contested ability check. Having that visual disparity against an opponent is pretty much the definition of an "advantage". Other heightened senses or other factors might equal things out a bit though.
We played the session and here's what we went with (fighting against a bulette):
My first attack hit (rolled a 20 and 18), I wanted to use shove for the second attack and the DM allowed it without any disadvantage due to hitting first and it being a large creature. Had I missed or gone with the shove first there would have been a roll to see if I could locate the creature.
The paladin also fighting it missed both attacks (rolling advantage as they have darkvision) and the creature got back up before my next turn, so it didn't work out the way I hoped, but it was good to try.
Bulettes have 60 foot darkvision and 60 foot tremorsense.
And was prone.
Hopefully everything inferable by the story has been said now.