So, with the Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything sourcebook, there is a fighting style added to the Fighter Class: Blind Fighting. It got me thinking of a cool character idea, but I’m not sure of its practicality. I thought of possibly creating a blind character with this fighting style. From how it’s worded in the tab for this style, it sounds like it would be possible, but any thoughts and input would be appreciated.
Most important is to remember Tasha’s rules are optional, so make sure your DM oks using the rules. I think it could work. The issue is it only has a range of 10 feet. So your ranged combat will be bad. And there’s probably going to need to be some meta-gaming going on during fights, where you’d (probably) need other characters to direct you to your enemies. Like after you down the goblin you’re fighting, how do you know where the next one is, unless someone is shouting to you, “go 5 feet back and 20 to your left” or something. Which can happen, since talking like that would be a free action someone else can take on your turn, but you’d kind of give up a degree of control over your character in deciding which enemy to target next — since they could decide not to tell you about the one 15 feet away in the other direction.
Or you need to be good at perception, but those checks can take your action, so you can figure out where the enemy is and run over to it but not attack.
I can see this being a lot of fun. But you'd need a DM that's on board with the concept.
You could use sound to hear where your enemies are outside of your blind-vision. You could rule that any attempt to move towards a sound has to be done in a straight line where you can only move around objects that are within your blind sight range. This would make movement in combat an interactive thing where you are not taking optimal paths like you would if you had vision.
Another thing you could do is limit the amount of sounds you can track to your Perception(wisdom) modifier. This would force you to take points into wisdom, add proficiency to perception or even obtain expertise in perception. If the amount of sounds from enemies/allies/environment exceeds your Perception(wisdom) you could implement a confusion effect.
You could number all sound sources and roll a die to determine which source you attack. Possibly hitting an enemy, and ally, or a set of machine cogs.
You could get disadvantage on attack rolls
You could take psychic damage equal to the amount of sounds above your Perception(wisdom) each turn.
Unless you play very-low magic setting, the concept of a blind character quickly falls apart. When a 3-rd level cleric or druid or bard can easily cure blindness an exceptional adventurer suffering from it makes no sense. Even less sense in high-magic like Eberron or Ravnica where entire industries are built on magical healthcare.
Unless you play very-low magic setting, the concept of a blind character quickly falls apart. When a 3-rd level cleric or druid or bard can easily cure blindness an exceptional adventurer suffering from it makes no sense. Even less sense in high-magic like Eberron or Ravnica where entire industries are built on magical healthcare.
Technically the blinded condition is temporary blindness caused by bright light or an irritant. Permanent blindness is often caused by damage to the eye (be it from injury or disease). It may require a regenerate to cure.
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So, with the Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything sourcebook, there is a fighting style added to the Fighter Class: Blind Fighting. It got me thinking of a cool character idea, but I’m not sure of its practicality. I thought of possibly creating a blind character with this fighting style. From how it’s worded in the tab for this style, it sounds like it would be possible, but any thoughts and input would be appreciated.
Most important is to remember Tasha’s rules are optional, so make sure your DM oks using the rules.
I think it could work. The issue is it only has a range of 10 feet. So your ranged combat will be bad. And there’s probably going to need to be some meta-gaming going on during fights, where you’d (probably) need other characters to direct you to your enemies. Like after you down the goblin you’re fighting, how do you know where the next one is, unless someone is shouting to you, “go 5 feet back and 20 to your left” or something. Which can happen, since talking like that would be a free action someone else can take on your turn, but you’d kind of give up a degree of control over your character in deciding which enemy to target next — since they could decide not to tell you about the one 15 feet away in the other direction.
Or you need to be good at perception, but those checks can take your action, so you can figure out where the enemy is and run over to it but not attack.
What races would typically have a good Perception skill?
Anyone with a wis bonus, which if you’re using Tasha, can be anyone.
Literally any can, but the typical ones are elf and tabaxi because they are naturally proficient.
Honorary mentions leonin, orc, warforged, half elf, and humans. All of whom can optionally have proficiency in perception.
But again, any race that got the proficiency from class or background is just as good.
I can see this being a lot of fun. But you'd need a DM that's on board with the concept.
You could use sound to hear where your enemies are outside of your blind-vision. You could rule that any attempt to move towards a sound has to be done in a straight line where you can only move around objects that are within your blind sight range. This would make movement in combat an interactive thing where you are not taking optimal paths like you would if you had vision.
Another thing you could do is limit the amount of sounds you can track to your Perception(wisdom) modifier. This would force you to take points into wisdom, add proficiency to perception or even obtain expertise in perception. If the amount of sounds from enemies/allies/environment exceeds your Perception(wisdom) you could implement a confusion effect.
I really like that idea! Thank you
Unless you play very-low magic setting, the concept of a blind character quickly falls apart. When a 3-rd level cleric or druid or bard can easily cure blindness an exceptional adventurer suffering from it makes no sense. Even less sense in high-magic like Eberron or Ravnica where entire industries are built on magical healthcare.
Sure blindness could be cured.
To prevent this it wouldn't be hard to cook up a backstory where the character chooses to remain blinded.
There's always ways around hurdles that make sense with actions or mindsets that defy common sense.
I think a blind fighter would be very hard to manage from a DM's point of perspective.
Technically the blinded condition is temporary blindness caused by bright light or an irritant. Permanent blindness is often caused by damage to the eye (be it from injury or disease). It may require a regenerate to cure.