D&D 5E Everyone has Darkvision - too generous?

[CapnZapp]

Anyone else thinking how the simplification of "special" vision into only having Darkvision perhaps went too far?

Anyone else contemplating reintroducing "low light vision" in the game?

I find that the elvish races have become a tad too good simply because they now have the same see-in-complete-darkness vision as Dwarfs.

Also, it's grating on my world/campaign believability. Low-intensity, but still. I want dwarves and orcs to have a significant advantage underground, offset by elves having a huge advantage at night outdoors. I have found that from a world-building perspective, giving elves and forest creatures Darkvision isn't a trivial change at all.

I fully get why some of you don't particularly care, or are even grateful for the simplification. But this thread is not for you.

---

I'm actually contemplating making the below changes as a houserule. Thoughts?

1. Low-light vision is added back to 5th Edition in a fairly generous version:

Low-light vision: A creature with low-light vision can see normally as long as minimal ambient light is provided, such as starlight or moonlight. A creature with low-light vision additionally treats any light source as having twice the range. While a candle normally provides only provides dim light at a distance of 10 feet and no light at all at 20 feet, for a creature with low-light vision the candle effectivly provides bright light and dim light at those respective distances.

2. Above-ground creatures with Darkvision are given Low-Light Vision instead. This includes animals such as Owls and Tigers as well as humanoids such as Elves.

Smaller critters such as rats that aren't renowned for their eagle eyes can keep their Darkvision.

3a. Elf (non-Drow) racial traits are modified as following:
Darkvision: removed
Keen Senses: You have Low-Light Vision. You have proficiency in the Perception skill. Additionally, you have exceptional eyesight. This lets you halve any distance-based Perception penalty, and for you, ammunition-based ranged weapons have double their normal (but not maximum) ranges.

3b. Half-elf racial traits are modified as following:
Darkvision: removed. (That's right, Half-elves lose Darkvision without compensation)

Do note that the SCAG rule for variant half-elves that allows you to replace Skill Versatility with Keen Senses makes much more sense now. Instead of two skills, you get Perception, Low-Light Vision and doubled normal bow range.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Personally, I prefer carrots over sticks. That is, encourage people to play the races that don't have Darkvision, rather than "penalizing" those that do (though your LLV houserule is a very light penalty, no pun intended, for anyone that isn't a half-elf).

That said, this requires (potentially) encouraging people to play dragonborn, which the general population of this forum would seem to liken to "have you considered pulling all of your teeth out with a pair of pliers and salting the wounds?"

 

[Celtavian]

Looks like a fine change.

 

[delericho]

Anyone else thinking how the simplification of "special" vision into only having Darkvision perhaps went too far?

Yes. I may be in a minority, but I liked the distinction between the two. Though I'd actually have gone the other way - remove low-light vision from elves and the like, and downgrade even dwarves to low-light only.

But...

Anyone else contemplating reintroducing "low light vision" in the game?

No, I'm not.

The thing is, my preference was motivated for a desire for the sort of game where light sources could become an important issue (which I understand is very definitely not for everyone!). And so I'd be inclined to reduce the ability to see in the dark, but also to make spells like light much less common and/or more expensive.

But 5e has very definitely gone in the other direction, such that being unable to see is effectively something that just doesn't happen (well, almost). And so, rather than fight against the game, I've decided to just go with the flow and pretty much assume everyone can just see pretty much all the time. (And if I want to run that "light is an issue" game, I'll just play something else. Which is fine.)

But YMMV, of course.

 

[PnPgamer]

That said, this requires (potentially) encouraging people to play dragonborn, which the general population of this forum would seem to liken to "have you considered pulling all of your teeth out with a pair of pliers and salting the wounds?"

I didn't know that dragonborn had such a bad rep?

 

[Shiroiken]

Reintroduce Infravision

 

[Uchawi]

I prefer more distinction and/or differences with the types of vision that are available for races. As it stands, to many races have dark vision if you stick with the level of abstraction 5E is set at.

I guess if you go the other direction and add low light, infravision, darkvision, and ultravision, then eventually you will go to plaid vision.

 

[JohnLynch]

I find that low light vision just never gets used in Pathfinder except when someone finally says "does anyone know if I can see it?" And the GM either says yes or no in an arbitrary way with no-one caring enough to look up the rules.

I'd either do one of two things:
1) Remove Darkvision for everyone except those you think should have it. Do the races seem to be in the same ballpark as they were? If yes, do nothing. If no, give them something else to compensate.
OR
2) Gives dwarves superior Darkvision and the sunlight sensitivity. Dwarves who've spent a significant time on the surface can swap out both for normal Darkvision.

For me it's not a big deal that elves have Darkvision. I'd be just as happy if they didn't.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I would like Lowlight, infra, dark to all be different visions...

 

[Dausuul]

I'd tweak it a bit:

Low-Light Vision: To you, the vision range of all light sources is multiplied by 10 (this does not actually make the light source brighter). For example, if a party member is carrying a torch, you can see out to 200 feet with no penalty, and another 200 feet as if the area were dimly lit. If there is any ambient light, such as starlight, you can see clearly with no penalty at any distance.

The nice thing about this version is that it doesn't require handing out extra bonuses to offset the loss of darkvision. You still have to carry a light source, but if you have one, low-light vision is much better than darkvision. It also supports the specialties of various races. For a wilderness archer (elf), low-light vision is better because it gives you the range to take full advantage of a longbow, and there will usually be some ambient light. For a subterranean melee warrior (dwarf), darkvision remains superior.