Blind Swordsman?

[Cabral]

Improved Blindsight is not a WotC feat, according to http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/lists/feats

Blindsense is in Complete Adventurer, but I don't have that book

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

Just had a friend check, the Blindsense from CAv is a Wild feat requiring the use of a Wild Shape.

On the whole, it appears there's no real GOOD way to do it, but alof in the way of previous work that says it wouldn't be unbalanced.

It would take a GM allowing one to work with pretty custom stuff. I think just allowing Blindsense 30'/Blindsight5' as a feat with a "Blind" prereq would work. I think a custom class would probably do well, as well. Take Monk and replace the unarmed attack damage progression and Ki Strikes with Sudden Strike progression from the Ninja. Would be very dependant upon trying to maneuver people into losing their dex bonus, which is pretty much in the vein of the all-or-nothing flurry of movement. Flick of the Wrist, etc.

Just an idea. Something to try in a long-term group where everybody trusts one another not to take advantage of things.

--fje

 

[Taloras]

If you are allowing the Arms and Equipment guide, the Blindfold of True Darkness grants blindsight out to 60 feet at a cost of 9000 gp and covering the glasses item slot. Immune to gaze attacks, etc that require vision, but blindsight(not blindsense) out to 60 ft. You may not use any other form of vision during it (so if you are a beholder, you have to close all eyes to use it lol)

 

[Tellerve]

If it were me, I'd just grant blindsense 30'. The character will still need to buy Blind-fighting, but from the perspective of the DM, I'd say trading normal vision for half-assed vision is an acceptable transaction. It'll make the character playable, with that "I'm blind, but I can keep track of stuff because I'm so good at hearing" shtick. Keep in mind that even with blindsense, you still move at 1/2 speed. I'd allow the character to use Blind-fighting as a prerequisite to getting blindsight 5' radius, and then later expand that radius, achieving true Zaitoichi-like mastery of his environment.

Actually, you move at 3/4 movement with Blind-Fight feat instead of 1/2. And if you had a few levels of monk then that might not be so bad as you could get some bonus movement to offset it.

Tellerve

p.s. The Quick Reconnoiter feat from Complete Adventurer allows you to make free spot and listen checks each round. Obviously you wouldn't be making spot checks but the listen check could be helpful in finding out where people are...and for free Also adds +2 to initiative

 

[Hypersmurf]

Note that the Blind-Fight feat does not allow a blind creature to retain his Dex bonus to AC.

-Hyp.

 

[reveal]

The Psionic Power is Synesthete.

For 3000gp you can make an item that makes this permanent.

 

[Cabral]

Blind-Fight
"In melee, every time you miss because of concealment, you can reroll your miss chance percentile roll one time to see if you actually hit.

An invisible attacker gets no advantages related to hitting you in melee. That is, you don’t lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, and the attacker doesn’t get the usual +2 bonus for being invisible. The invisible attacker’s bonuses do still apply for ranged attacks, however.

You take only half the usual penalty to speed for being unable to see. Darkness and poor visibility in general reduces your speed to three-quarters normal, instead of one-half."

From, Invisible,
"Visually undetectable. An invisible creature gains a +2 bonus on attack rolls against sighted opponents, and ignores its opponents’ Dexterity bonuses to AC (if any). (See Invisibility, under Special Abilities.)"

So why doesn't he keep the dex bonus to AC (versus melee opponents anyway?)

 

[Mistwell]

If you are allowing the Arms and Equipment guide, the Blindfold of True Darkness grants blindsight out to 60 feet at a cost of 9000 gp and covering the glasses item slot. Immune to gaze attacks, etc that require vision, but blindsight(not blindsense) out to 60 ft. You may not use any other form of vision during it (so if you are a beholder, you have to close all eyes to use it lol)

I agree, that is probably the best answer to your question, if your DM allows it.

 

[reveal]

I agree, that is probably the best answer to your question, if your DM allows it.

Synesthete
Psychometabolism
Level: Psion/wilder 1, psychic warrior 1
Display: Material
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 min./level (D)
Power Points: 1

You receive one kind of sensory input when a different sense is stimulated. In particular, you can either feel light or feel sound. You can shift your stimulated sense between these two options once per round as a swift action Your senses continue to work normally as well, unless they are impaired for some reason.

Your face must be uncovered to use this power, because it is the skin of your face that acts as the sensory receiver.

If you are feeling light by absorbing ambient light onto your skin, you have your normal visual abilities (except for darkvision), even if your eyes are closed or you are blinded. If your eyes are working normally, you gain a +4 circumstance bonus on all Spot and Search checks. While feeling light, you are immune to gaze attacks.

If you are feeling sound by absorbing sound onto your skin and your ears are working normally, the expanded audio input provides you with a +4 circumstance bonus on Listen checks.

Psionic or magical displacement effects, invisibility effects, illusions, and other similar effects confuse your synesthete senses just as they would your normal senses.

You can also use this power to see sound if you are deafened, or hear light if you are blinded, thus removing all penalties associated with either condition (though you gain no bonuses for using the power in this way if you are not deafened or blinded).

At a cost of 3,000gp ((1 x 1 x 2000)x1.5) to make this into goggles, I think this is your best bet.

 

[Enamel_32]

This is probably one of the coolest concepts I have read about all week.

That said, I think he should take a feat or two, so that he's never left completely helpless if deprived of his item's abilities.