D&D (2024) 5.5 Darkvision and the Unseen

[UngeheuerLich]

I think I want an even trade. Where "brightvision" is blind in darkness, darkvision is blind in brightness. Races are either on oneside or the other. Dimness is a kind of neutral territory, but darkvision has an edge.

Brightvision (Normal Human)
Bright: color
Dim: shades of gray
Dark: Blind

Darkvision
Bright: blind
Dim: color
Dark: shades of gray

I am missing a category: near total darkness. Where someone woth brightvision can see enough to navigate (stary night), but not necessarily enough to discern a foe.

Also I would allow someone with darkvision to be able to navigate on a cloudy day or in some shades.

I also might have creatures that are able to switch their form of sight or at least allow to see normally in dim light/bright light with a few minutes of adaption.

 

[Yaarel]

I am missing a category: near total darkness. Where someone woth brightvision can see enough to navigate (stary night), but not necessarily enough to discern a foe.

Also I would allow someone with darkvision to be able to navigate on a cloudy day or in some shades.

I also might have creatures that are able to switch their form of sight or at least allow to see normally in dim light/bright light with a few minutes of adaption.

Maybe only track areas of bright light and areas of darkness. Treat everything in between as "dim", whether shadowy or just barely perceptible.

That way, the DM only pays attention to a bright light radius but ignores the radius of dim light beyond that. Oppositely, the DM can pay attention to a Darkness spell, or situations like being underground where there might be no light or not enough.

Make candles 10 feet bright light, and torches 30 feet bright light, and call it a day.

 

[jasper]

Judging by the number of races with darkvision, I would change darkvision as an ability or characteristic and start to name regular vision as a disability, just like barbarians illiteracy in previous editions.

67 races 37 with the darkvision. I think only the under dark races should have it.