So I've been having the classic problem in my party where humans can't see in the dark, and we've been struggling with dark places.
Now, I've looked into this a bit and it's been suggested we do something like get a continual light spell cast on something, or, get an alchemist's version of that done to a bandana maybe, so it can't be dispelled.
The trouble with these solutions, though, is, that as a rogue, light means I can't sneak.
Goggles of Night are the go-to solution for 'Hooman No Dark-See'.
If you're asking for a nonmagical way of letting your human rogue see in the dark without using any light? No dice. Either get your NVGs, get someone to cast Darkvision on you, or figure out what you value more - seeing or sneaking. Not really any other solution I can think of.
Based on the "light means I can't sneak" comment, I'm going to assume that you, the Rogue, are the human?
The easiest solution would be Goggles of Night. They give 60 feet of Darkvision, no attunement required, and if you have Darkvision from another source they increase it by 60 feet, so they are even useful on races that already have Darkvision. This won't give away your position the way a light source would.
Based on the "light means I can't sneak" comment, I'm going to assume that you, the Rogue, are the human?
The easiest solution would be Goggles of Night. They give 60 feet of Darkvision, no attunement required, and if you have Darkvision from another source they increase it by 60 feet, so they are even useful on races that already have Darkvision. This won't give away your position the way a light source would.
There's two more humans, but yes.
This is perfect, thank you! Now to see if I can convince the DM. hehe
A 2 level dip in Warlock for Devil's Sight. Then even magical darkness is no worry.
And that's something that a sneak would make a pact in order to obtain! Toss in an Mage Hand, a Minor Illusion or the like and the rogue is flipping off the arcane trickster (with the mage hand) saying, "I didn't have to study!" Then it's a question of what flavor you want for those lock levels. Hexblade doesn't factor as heavily since charisma isn't as big of a bonus for some rogues but could be viable even with the periodic Hexblade's Curse. Celestial gives some healing and gives Light to prep your fellow humans to follow once the need to sneak is done or insist that they stick to the far side to give you room to work. Fiend gives a readily refreshed warlock level plus charisma modifier (minimum 1, but at least 2 or 3 due to multiclass prerequisites and the level for invocations) temp HP when you kill something, Archfey gives you a short rest charm or fear, and GoO gives you telepathy within 30 ft that could help alert your buddies when the lights can come on (though there are likely better options due to range). Even the Undying's normally lacking abilities could be interesting in the right campaign or on the right character concept. Plus whatever else is available to you through UA, homebrew, or other books that I don't have yet.
There are a number of non Eldritch Blast invocations that would be interesting to a rogue with little interest in charisma and more open up if you go 3rd level Warlock.
Goggles of Night is a great way to handle it if your not using multiclass, don't wish to or don't have the charisma to do so.
I would suggest a 1 or two level dip in artificer -- a level one artificer can create three items that continously produce ligtht, and a level 2 artificer can make two goggles of night, no DM permission required.
I use my spider familiar as 'goggles' when I'm sneaking around on my Arcane Trickster. I have a special eye patch, where she can perch on for that purpose.
It does use my action up to see that way, but for pretty much anything outside combat, that works. In combat, I have to get some form of light out, but at that time, stealth is usually no longer relevant, anyways.
So based on the Rules as Written you can sneak around just fine in the dark. You can move and perform actions just as normal, with a few changes. You just cannot see very far, auto fail perception checks
Well, no. Not "just as normal". ANY ability check that requires sight is an autofail. If your DM rules that you have to see where you are going to be able to sneak, tough luck.
The lock thing would make absolute sense, even because I'm already a swashbuckler with high Charisma. Would make for a powerful combo indeed. Alas, my D&D isn't keen on multiclassing, so that's a no-go for this one.
I love the driftglobe idea! But it seems too fragile and easily disrupted. All that needs to happen is for someone, or something to grab it and bam.
As for the darkness thing, yes, many monsters can't see either, BUT we're in saltmarsh... Meaning we're not only constantly in the dark, but also underwater and yes, everything we're fighting can not only see in the dark but they also get auto-advantage against us, if not from us not being able to see, from us being wounded, so after round 1 it's crit town...
It seems like the goggles of night are really the best option.
I love the driftglobe idea! But it seems too fragile and easily disrupted. All that needs to happen is for someone, or something to grab it and bam.
^^Not so, the driftglobe is commanded by key words to cast light, cast daylight, hover, or go inert. So someone grabbing it... would still have light emitting from the globe. We had a human fighter who got a special cloak made with a pocket for his drift globe. He could easily cover it when needed because of the design (just like a flap of fabric down).
Goggle of night still better IMO... but a stickler DM might not want to give humans dark vision early on in a campaign (not sure what level you are) as that's the one drawback of being variant human (also guessing you're variant). So a driftglobe is a good beginner magic item.
@lostwhilefishing could you provide examples? Bonus points if you can provide an example of how it's better for the purpose of sneaking (which is what OP wants the ability for).
Well, that wasn't really what I replied to so not sure why I should, but I can explain the point if you missed. The upside of a driftglobe is that it sheds actual light and not just gives you darkvision. This means that not only the carrier benefits from it, others can as well. Not sure if I need to explain why beingable to see properly including colours but that the ability to turn the globe into a flashlight that can destroy magical darkness is a good thing should be self-explanatory.
As to specific examples there are probably too many to count and they, like everything, usually depends on the context so it feels a bit redundant to start a never-ending list of every concievable situation. I'm sure you can agree. :)
Yes, but it had nothing to do with your request for examples of stealth.
The upside of a driftglobe is that it sheds actual light<-- this does not help with stealth. If you're in a cave trying to be sneaky Mr. Bad buy will see a light source approaching with like a DC of 1
If you can se the enemy via darkvision, so can they. Otherwise there will be light anyway. Also, not every game is set in a cave.
ability to turn the globe into a flashlight that can destroy magical darkness<--fair point as to why I think it's a pretty good magic item.
I agree GoN are an Ok magic item but does not give the ability to sneak. It is a great way to provide light to an entire party, "dispell" magical darkness, &/or just have fun with a drifting globe behind you... but cancel's the party's ability to sneak (which is the point of this thread) Because of this, I still believe (for the reason of this thread) GoN> driftglobe for a human's ability to sneak
Not necessarily, that all depends on the situation. Having the sneakiest person stealth ahead using a shielded driftglobe (much like how flashlights can be shielded to only show a minute amount of light) and then show the way to the rest of the party can be a very viable tactics. But again, that all depends on the situation. And no, it doesn't "cancel" the ability to sneak. If anything, it makes for a perfect decoy. ;)
This was not your question but since it is related, I thought I would remind you that RAW, even with darkvision, you make perception checks at a disadvantage. If you are moving around in the dark trying to be stealthy, you are still going to find it difficult to see.
Also, you have -5 on passive perception that requires sight.
My recommendation, simply have someone use a light spell or bullseye lantern, even if you have darkvision. Stealthy people can be hiding in dim light at the edge of the illiminated area. Dim light does not impose a disadvantage on stealth.
I feel like we should have a solution by now, to deal with peasantly trivial things like sight in the dark, yeah? We've gone through a LOT of the Saltmarsh campaign and I'm quite sure we've missed out on a LOT of loot because we've had to run away without looting the final stuff many times. 3 casters in the group and nobody took Tiny hut... They did take healing spells but man, do they run out fast and are they too weak!
Especially underwater, in the dark where everything we encounter has advantage on us 100% of the time and we always have disadvantage on them. Except for the Druid, who's a lizardfolk, and the Warlock, who's a Sea elf... wait. The warlock died. She's a... cleric now, I think. Don't know the new character well yet, she's only played one session. Hopefully she has a better spell selection.
But I'm getting sidetracked. Goggles of night AND driftglobe for me! Lol.
Hello!
So I've been having the classic problem in my party where humans can't see in the dark, and we've been struggling with dark places.
Now, I've looked into this a bit and it's been suggested we do something like get a continual light spell cast on something, or, get an alchemist's version of that done to a bandana maybe, so it can't be dispelled.
The trouble with these solutions, though, is, that as a rogue, light means I can't sneak.
Any better solutions out there?
Goggles of Night are the go-to solution for 'Hooman No Dark-See'.
If you're asking for a nonmagical way of letting your human rogue see in the dark without using any light? No dice. Either get your NVGs, get someone to cast Darkvision on you, or figure out what you value more - seeing or sneaking. Not really any other solution I can think of.
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Based on the "light means I can't sneak" comment, I'm going to assume that you, the Rogue, are the human?
The easiest solution would be Goggles of Night. They give 60 feet of Darkvision, no attunement required, and if you have Darkvision from another source they increase it by 60 feet, so they are even useful on races that already have Darkvision. This won't give away your position the way a light source would.
There's two more humans, but yes.
This is perfect, thank you!
Now to see if I can convince the DM. hehe
Give someone a driftglobe. My favorite item for humans and halflings, and they can help more than one person.
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club
Lantern, Bullseye
A 2 level dip in Warlock for Devil's Sight. Then even magical darkness is no worry.
And that's something that a sneak would make a pact in order to obtain! Toss in an Mage Hand, a Minor Illusion or the like and the rogue is flipping off the arcane trickster (with the mage hand) saying, "I didn't have to study!" Then it's a question of what flavor you want for those lock levels. Hexblade doesn't factor as heavily since charisma isn't as big of a bonus for some rogues but could be viable even with the periodic Hexblade's Curse. Celestial gives some healing and gives Light to prep your fellow humans to follow once the need to sneak is done or insist that they stick to the far side to give you room to work. Fiend gives a readily refreshed warlock level plus charisma modifier (minimum 1, but at least 2 or 3 due to multiclass prerequisites and the level for invocations) temp HP when you kill something, Archfey gives you a short rest charm or fear, and GoO gives you telepathy within 30 ft that could help alert your buddies when the lights can come on (though there are likely better options due to range). Even the Undying's normally lacking abilities could be interesting in the right campaign or on the right character concept. Plus whatever else is available to you through UA, homebrew, or other books that I don't have yet.
There are a number of non Eldritch Blast invocations that would be interesting to a rogue with little interest in charisma and more open up if you go 3rd level Warlock.
Goggles of Night is a great way to handle it if your not using multiclass, don't wish to or don't have the charisma to do so.
I would suggest a 1 or two level dip in artificer -- a level one artificer can create three items that continously produce ligtht, and a level 2 artificer can make two goggles of night, no DM permission required.
Proud poster on the Create a World thread
I use my spider familiar as 'goggles' when I'm sneaking around on my Arcane Trickster. I have a special eye patch, where she can perch on for that purpose.
It does use my action up to see that way, but for pretty much anything outside combat, that works. In combat, I have to get some form of light out, but at that time, stealth is usually no longer relevant, anyways.
More Interesting Lock Picking Rules
Well, no. Not "just as normal". ANY ability check that requires sight is an autofail. If your DM rules that you have to see where you are going to be able to sneak, tough luck.
I love how many solutions there are!
Let's see here.
The lock thing would make absolute sense, even because I'm already a swashbuckler with high Charisma. Would make for a powerful combo indeed.
Alas, my D&D isn't keen on multiclassing, so that's a no-go for this one.
I love the driftglobe idea! But it seems too fragile and easily disrupted. All that needs to happen is for someone, or something to grab it and bam.
As for the darkness thing, yes, many monsters can't see either, BUT we're in saltmarsh... Meaning we're not only constantly in the dark, but also underwater and yes, everything we're fighting can not only see in the dark but they also get auto-advantage against us, if not from us not being able to see, from us being wounded, so after round 1 it's crit town...
It seems like the goggles of night are really the best option.
A driftglobe is often better than GoN.
Well, that wasn't really what I replied to so not sure why I should, but I can explain the point if you missed. The upside of a driftglobe is that it sheds actual light and not just gives you darkvision. This means that not only the carrier benefits from it, others can as well. Not sure if I need to explain why beingable to see properly including colours but that the ability to turn the globe into a flashlight that can destroy magical darkness is a good thing should be self-explanatory.
As to specific examples there are probably too many to count and they, like everything, usually depends on the context so it feels a bit redundant to start a never-ending list of every concievable situation. I'm sure you can agree. :)
Yes, but it had nothing to do with your request for examples of stealth.
If you can se the enemy via darkvision, so can they. Otherwise there will be light anyway. Also, not every game is set in a cave.
Not necessarily, that all depends on the situation. Having the sneakiest person stealth ahead using a shielded driftglobe (much like how flashlights can be shielded to only show a minute amount of light) and then show the way to the rest of the party can be a very viable tactics. But again, that all depends on the situation. And no, it doesn't "cancel" the ability to sneak. If anything, it makes for a perfect decoy. ;)
This was not your question but since it is related, I thought I would remind you that RAW, even with darkvision, you make perception checks at a disadvantage. If you are moving around in the dark trying to be stealthy, you are still going to find it difficult to see.
Also, you have -5 on passive perception that requires sight.
My recommendation, simply have someone use a light spell or bullseye lantern, even if you have darkvision. Stealthy people can be hiding in dim light at the edge of the illiminated area. Dim light does not impose a disadvantage on stealth.
Right, so maybe some info is missing.
The group is level 7 now.
I feel like we should have a solution by now, to deal with peasantly trivial things like sight in the dark, yeah?
We've gone through a LOT of the Saltmarsh campaign and I'm quite sure we've missed out on a LOT of loot because we've had to run away without looting the final stuff many times. 3 casters in the group and nobody took Tiny hut... They did take healing spells but man, do they run out fast and are they too weak!
Especially underwater, in the dark where everything we encounter has advantage on us 100% of the time and we always have disadvantage on them. Except for the Druid, who's a lizardfolk, and the Warlock, who's a Sea elf... wait. The warlock died. She's a... cleric now, I think. Don't know the new character well yet, she's only played one session. Hopefully she has a better spell selection.
But I'm getting sidetracked. Goggles of night AND driftglobe for me! Lol.
Does nobody in the party know the Darkvision spell?
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This. If you have a druid in your party just have them cast Darkvision on you.
You don't have to make it float - you can just carry it, like a lantern (which it less robust that the magic item).