Blinded

[Turtlejay]

This has come up twice in our games. When a mob is blinded, do all of the targets have superior cover even vs bursts? What this means is that even though a dragon's fear has nothing to do with it seeing you, would it still take a penalty to hit you? Or a caster power that emanates outward from him, even though he doesn't need to see you to bathe the area in flames, do you still get the bonus?

One thing we settled on is coming up with creative explanations for why this happens, like with warlord's healing word. This can work usually, but one player brought up the point, if a blind man drops a grenade, it is just as deadly as if a sighted one does.

This should not be a thread for "this is why 4e sucks, you all are sheep", but some sort of discussion for how to make this work.

Jay

 

[chitzk0i]

Check out the definition of blinded on page 277. Blinded means your targets have total concealment, not cover. Checking out concealment on page 279 shows that concealment only applies to melee and ranged attacks. Does that solve your problem?

 

[Larrin]

bursts and blasts simply fill the squares. You can do it just as well with your eyes close. You aren't trying to pick out individual tagets, you are spraying the whole region with whatever energies you're using. Blind has no effect on a fireballs ability to fill a 5x5 region with firey death. The most blind could do is cause the wrong 5x5 region to be filled with firey death. Thats where the whole targeting what you can't see section of the PHB deals with.

Bursts and blasts don't suffer the same way other attacks do from blindness.

 

[Turtlejay]

It sure does. I don't know how we missed that, thanks!

Jay

 

[Danceofmasks]

you are spraying the whole region with whatever energies you're using.

Well, for mages, sure ... but for a lot of martial bursts and blasts, such as sweeping blow (fighter 3) or blinding barrage (rogue 1), you have to be able to see your targets ... as well as having enough ammo.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Well, for mages, sure ... but for a lot of martial bursts and blasts, such as sweeping blow (fighter 3) or blinding barrage (rogue 1), you have to be able to see your targets ... as well as having enough ammo.

At least the martial bursts still have the virtue of bypassing those annoying "When an opponent hits you with a melee attack" immediate reactions!

-Hyp.

 

[Danceofmasks]

At least the martial bursts still have the virtue of bypassing those annoying "When an opponent hits you with a melee attack" immediate reactions!

-Hyp.

I'm not sure that's worth the price of feats such as Hammer Rhythm and Axe Mastery not functioning.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I'm not sure that's worth the price of feats such as Hammer Rhythm and Axe Mastery not functioning.

My favourite is the poor Rogue who uses his magic dagger for Blinding Barrage, and can't understand why it refuses to come back...

-Hyp.

 

[Danceofmasks]

Well, as funny as it is, I'm sure that one was an oversight.

 

[Larrin]

Well, as funny as it is, I'm sure that one was an oversight.

Indeed, as if the magical dagger knows whether you threw it as part of a ranged attack or a blast...its not that smart!


Interestingly, using blinding barrage while blinded carries no penalty!


I just wanted to stay on topic.