Darkvision through a telescope

[Primitive Screwhead]

from the Darkvision spell

Darkvision is black and white only but otherwise like normal sight.

I think this quote covers it quite well. If a spyglass enhances normal sight, then Darkvision is similarly enhanced.

 

[Mistwell]

"Objects viewed through a spyglass are magnified to twice their size." combined with darkvision being "otherwise like normal vision" says to me that you can see twice the distance you normally can using a spyglass. So if your normal vision range using darkvision is 60 feet, you can see 120 feet while looking through the spyglass (though in a very limited field of vision).

It's imaginary - it doesn't really have physics attached. A telescope does (it's based on bending light) and darkvision specifically does not use light. Thus, a telescope is useless (in theory, at least).

Arguing physics seems silly.

Mainly because those objects are transparent to light which darkvision does not operate by. I feel interpreting in this way, while it IS a bit of a stretch, is not completely invalid and anything that takes darkvision down a notch is a good thing.

As does finding artificial reasons to justify a desire to reduce the usefulness of darkvision (just house rule it if it's bugging you).

 

[Jhulae]

There is absolutely NO rules support for this in any way, shape, or form. Further, you seem to be completely misunderstanding the term "black and white" as it relates to vision. Darkvision is greyscale - they presumably didn't use "greyscale" because it's a technical term and everyone at least gets the gist of "black and white".

Exactly. SKR mentioned a while back that Darkvision was supposed to act like "Black and white TV vision". A creature with darkvision sees the world as everything would be seen in a black and white TV show.

 

[Jhaelen]

There is absolutely NO rules support for this in any way, shape, or form.

Yup. Darkvision is supposed to work exactly like normal vision except it's black & white only.

 

[TYPO5478]

Air and water do not seem to be considered objects in this ruleset.

Meaning they're creatures? (Sorry, couldn't resist! )

Count me among those who thinks darkvision operates the way normal vision would through a telescope.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

"Objects viewed through a spyglass are magnified to twice their size." combined with darkvision being "otherwise like normal vision" says to me that you can see twice the distance you normally can using a spyglass.

funny, it tells me that objects within your darkvision range are magnified to twice their size.

 

[Mistwell]

funny, it tells me that objects within your darkvision range are magnified to twice their size.

Well sure, but if you take that to the logical conclusion, it means you can see twice as far. Because the point of your vision where it ordinarily became too difficult to see the necessary details are now twice as big, making it easier to see. Which means you should be able to see roughly twice as far as you could without it (which is generally how 2x Magnification works). At least, that is the rule of thumb I would use based on the item description and vision rules.

 

[Slaved]

But things beyond the normal darkvision range are not more difficult to see with darkvision, they are impossible to see with darkvision. Looking at a blank, featureless wall from 60' away or 30' away yields the same information, none.

With normal vision I believe you are able to see an infinite distance or until something that you cannot see through blocks vision. If darkvision had that range as well then I could see the argument for seeing twice as well with the telescope, but as written it looks like darkvision stops after a certain number of feet regardless of optical tricks.

I do not know if I would allow darkvision to gain any benefit at all from a telescope or not in a game I was running but it certainly would not extend the range of darkvision unless it was specially made to do just that. That would probably require magic though.

 

[Mistwell]

BWith normal vision I believe you are able to see an infinite distance or until something that you cannot see through blocks vision.

In your game, your characters can read 1 inch letters on the side of a barn from a range of 10,000 yards, assuming no obstruction?

Vision rules are in the spot skill I believe. All vision is limited. Per 10 feet of distance you have a –1 to a spot check. Which means at some distance you are unable to see things even without an obstruction, with normal vision. This item however would help, by providing x2 magnification, thus extending your sight by x2.

Much like normal vision should be extended by x2 using this item, darkvision should as well since it functions like normal vision.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

In your game, your characters can read 1 inch letters on the side of a barn from a range of 10,000 yards, assuming no obstruction?

Vision rules are in the spot skill I believe. All vision is limited. Per 10 feet of distance you have a –1 to a spot check. Which means at some distance you are unable to see things even without an obstruction, with normal vision. This item however would help, by providing x2 magnification, thus extending your sight by x2.

Much like normal vision should be extended by x2 using this item, darkvision should as well since it functions like normal vision.

There is a difference between things getting harder to see as they get farther away and a sense mode with an explicit hard edged range. A telescope enlarges things within your visual range, thus making small items easier to spot or details easier to distinguish. Which, imo, it would do for darkvision as well, for anything within the darkvision's range. But an item in total darkness 65 feet away is not at a distance penalty to a dwarf's spot check, it isn't harder to see than an item twice as big would be, it isn't easier to see than an item half as big would be - it is outside the range of the dwarf's visual senses. A telescope makes things look twice as big, which, in normal vision is the same as seeing twice as far in terms of how easily you can see something. But easily doesn't play into the range of dark vision. It's a range, not a range increment.