Does Detect Evil Require Sight?

[Three_Haligonians]

So, I'm leading this game where the Paladin had just been hit with a poison arrow that caused him to be blind, and the rest of the PC's start fighting with an assasin who is very much evil. The Paladin, being blind, can't see the assasin, so he uses his "detect evil" ability to act kind of like a radar. Well, the assasin is definatly evil, so he figures out basically where he is, and then I chose to allow him the basic 50% miss chance on attacks on him. We ruled that way because nowhere in the write up of the Paladin's "detect evil" does it say anything about needing sight. Whats more, since the spell says it requires three rounds before the location of the evil aura is known, he did have to wait three rounds in combat before he could attempt to hit the assasin.

Thats how we ruled for it in game, on the fly. I'm just curious to know how many other people here would consider that a fair way of dealing with it. Personally, I thought it was awesome and would certainly allow it in the future. How would you rule?

Thanks in advance,

T from Three Haligonians

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

I think you were correct. Note that the paladin's detect evil ability works through stone, earth, and wood, all of which are usually opaque. He can obviously detect evil that he doesn't have line of sight to...

 

[BiggusGeekus]

I don't care what "da r00lz" would say in this case, the paladin should be able to use detect evil without sight. The dramatic impacations and roleplaying opportunities are just too great.

"Lord Paladin! How did you know that rapscallion was there?"

"My faith allows me to see without seeing."


I mean, this stuff just writes itself!

 

[Mac Callum]

Dude, I am so playing a blind Paladin with Blindfighting and some kind of enhanced Detect Evil which allows the specific location of Evil creatures in less than 3 rounds.

Not to mention the ability to say "Something lies beyond this seal. Something which should not be released."

 

[rrealm]

I think you played it correctly requiring him to take 3 rounds of concentration before attacking. And the fact that one could cast dected evil to "see" beyond a door or the like.

 

[UltimaGabe]

Whats more, since the spell says it requires three rounds before the location of the evil aura is known, he did have to wait three rounds in combat before he could attempt to hit the assasin.

So... the Assassin didn't move for three rounds of combat? What the heck kind of assassin is he?

I mean, I understand that you followed the rules better than most people would, but there's no way he could have continued to follow the Assassin's aura unless he knew where the aura was going, which would have required him to see the Assassin. After all, he can't actually see the aura until the second or third round, if I'm not mistaken, and therefore he would have sensed an aura the first round, and then by the time his turn came around again, the aura would have moved.

 

[Three_Haligonians]

So... the Assassin didn't move for three rounds of combat? What the heck kind of assassin is he?

Think less "duck in the shadow" assassin, more "british thug" assassin. He was having a grand ol' time pounding the ever-living out of the two chicks he had flanking him. So, no, not a whole lot of movement. But you do raise an interesting point. The detect evil ability works in a line, so if our friend, the assassin, was to run in a direct line backward, would the Paladin sense the aura moving. Or, if he ran to the right or left, would the Paladin get a sense of which way he ran before he lost the aura altogether?

Ach! I also forgot to mention that he had evil gear on and the Paladin was using detect evil to figure out where the pieces were. If this comes up again when the Paladin isn't blind (I wouldn't allow it while he was blind), can the Paladin actually figure out that the little bugger was wearing a tounge stud of hellbreath?

I love roleplaying!
Thanks for all your help!

T from Three Haligonians