D&D 5E Blindsight in 5e

[Zinnger]

I don't think the spirit of 5E is to break everything down into small categories such as Dex (stealth vs. audio) Dex (stealth vs. visual) Dex (stealth vs. tremor) etc. 5E seems to be easy, general, and simple vs. complex and a specific thing for a specific thing. Just my opinion. I agree with an earlier post suggesting that it is based on how a DM or Table views the operation of stealth and what the skill is designed to do. If it is ruled that stealth has no effect on tremorsense then perhaps a Dex check attempt could still be made to avoid tremors. I read this post hoping to find out how others view stealth with blindsight and I don't know if we have a clear answer. Does stealth work vs. blindsight? I'm leaning more toward "no" but am curious to other views and why. Does stealth work vs. truesight? I lean toward "yes" because truesight seems to imply a power that lets one see things true and clear without magic interference such as illusions, invisibility, and such. Stealth does not use magic so I would rule it still works vs. truesight unless the stealth person is using magic to hide with i.e. hiding behind an illusionary tree or something. What are the thoughts on Stealth vs. Blindsight?

 

[Krad Wolf]

It my not specify that blindsight does or does not counter stealth but the rules of perception does. Blindsight is one of the most overpowered because every other sight either needs direct line of sight or the creature to leave a visible trace. Blindsight being very limited to shorter ranges than most other visions and therefore requires you never want to be within it's range because even tremor sense can't see a flying creature. Blindsight is determined that the creature can use echolocation, smell, sensitive hearing, ki sight(for monks with blindsight), or unknown magical means. Unless the creatures version of blindsight is specified then any creature in range is considered seen no matter the stealth check made since stealth is meant to move quietly or without being seen but even trying to hide without cover of any kind is impossible if you look at how the hide action works since it can either hear or sense beyond normal means. The only exception would be etheral creatures or other ways to not be on the same physical plane.

 

[FieserMoep]

On our table you do not just call "stealth" and roll for it. We describe actions like "I want to dash from rock to rock" and the DM then makes us roll the Stealth Check. Against Tremorsense that would fail yet learning that you can otherwise sneak as in walking very slow, silent and controlling stuff like your heartbeat can work is part of the progression and the PCs learning intel on their foes.
Stuff like Nature Checks etc. can tell them before so those are always useful to have.

It is easier to hunt prey you know than to hunt prey you have no idea about.

You could argue that stealth is just stealth and always works the same way, yet we like to have it vary and thus be may suck when we lack Intel yet we also can tremendously improve out odds if we actually gather some information.
5e leaves quite a lot of stuff up to debate that can not be answered with RAW set in stone so go with the stuff you prefer and like - just make it clear from Session 1.

 

[Hussar]

It my not specify that blindsight does or does not counter stealth but the rules of perception does. Blindsight is one of the most overpowered because every other sight either needs direct line of sight or the creature to leave a visible trace. Blindsight being very limited to shorter ranges than most other visions and therefore requires you never want to be within it's range because even tremor sense can't see a flying creature. Blindsight is determined that the creature can use echolocation, smell, sensitive hearing, ki sight(for monks with blindsight), or unknown magical means. Unless the creatures version of blindsight is specified then any creature in range is considered seen no matter the stealth check made since stealth is meant to move quietly or without being seen but even trying to hide without cover of any kind is impossible if you look at how the hide action works since it can either hear or sense beyond normal means. The only exception would be etheral creatures or other ways to not be on the same physical plane.

Yeah, pretty much this. The creature with blindsight can "see" everything within its range. Which includes around corners or inside a box or behind a door. It's just that good.

And, realistically, (if that's the word to use) it's not that out of line with believability either. Echolocation can certainly travel beyond barriers for example. An intelligent creature with bat senses would be able to understand that different "bounces" would mean different densities of whatever you are locating. So, a door sounds different from a wall, and a door with a huge empty space behind it sounds different than a closet.

Now, I realize not all blindsight is echo-location, but, once we're into unspecified senses, all bets are off. Dragons see through walls. Why? Because it's a bloody dragon, that's why. The dragon basically sees the world like Matrix code.

I like keeping it simple.