D&D General Darkvision, Dim Light, and Disadvantage

[Stormonu]

Have you ever tried to do anything physically active while blindfolded, let alone fight? It's essentially impossible.

I know PCs are supposed to be super heroic, but there is still a limit to my suspension of disbelief. At the very least require "blindfighting" as a feat or trait.

Does attacking a pinata or pinning a tail on a donkey count?

<edit> I ran a recent encounter where the party were fighting skulks. If they didn't know where the skulk was (making a successful Perception check to hear them/notice a trail, or if the skulk attacked) they had to pick a 5 foot square to attack. If the skulk wasn't there, the attack missed, regardless of the roll. If the PC succeeded the Perception check they had a "rough idea" where the skulk was and could make an attack with disadvantage (and could point out to others where the skulk actually was).

They now keep detect invisible on tap.

 

[pukunui]

Darkvision turns dim light into bright light, and turns darkness into dim light. So if a shadow can hide in areas of dim light, then they can hide in the range of your darkvision if they're in dim light to you. That's how I'd rule it at least.

Yep. I guess the grey area is whether they can hide in dim light if it’s bright light for the darkvision person.

 

[Xeviat]

Yep. I guess the grey area is whether they can hide in dim light if it’s bright light for the darkvision person.

It's not gray in that area; only dim light is black and white for darkvision, no?

=P

 

[pukunui]

It's not gray in that area; only dim light is black and white for darkvision, no?

=P

I guess to be fair - if I'm playing a shadow (or shadow demon) like a gloom stalker, they should only get to hide and be invisible in actual darkness, not dim light. So if a shadow has successfully hidden in dim light, then someone with darkvision would automatically see them, but someone without darkvision wouldn't.

 

[Reynard]

Does attacking a pinata or pinning a tail on a donkey count?

Yeah, now imagine the target was actively trying to avoid you.

 

[Xeviat]

Yeah, now imagine the target was actively trying to avoid you.

Pinatas are; someone is pulling the rope to make the pinata go up and down.

 

[Reynard]

Pinatas are; someone is pulling the rope to make the pinata go up and down.

Not really. If they didn't want you to hit it, you wouldn't. That's the point.

 

[Xeviat]

Not really. If they didn't want you to hit it, you wouldn't. That's the point.

I guess we were more ruthless when playing pinata.

 

[Shiroiken]

In the entirety of 5E, I've never had a party always go full darkvision. The Perception penalty is too much of problem, allowing the party to be frequently surprised (which under 2014 rules is really bad). We've always had light sources, turning the dim light into bright light to negate the penalty. Something might try to surprise the party from outside of the light, but that's a minimum of starting 41 ft away, which isn't much of a problem unless they've got significant ranged attacks.

The only notable exception is my current Vecna campaign which has a twilight cleric. She can grant 300 ft darkvision to the party for an hour, so during that time they'll go without light, since they can see much farther than the enemies can. Outside of that, they still carry light sources though.

 

[Reynard]

I guess we were more ruthless when playing pinata.

You are circumventing the point.