Down with Darkvision!

[Mycanid]

I like your solution to this problem......YOINK!

Uh oh .... Could spell trouble later.

 

[JRR_Talking]

its also an issue that gets forgotten alot, like 1 hour into a dungeon you realise no-one is carrying light, or all have mixed abillity vision.

 

[mmu1]

Something to keep in mind is that just because an underground species has darkvision does NOT necessarily mean that they do not use light sources.

I agree - it's something I've been doing in my games (even if underground humanoids didn't get depressed seeing 60/120 feet in black and white 24/7, I figured they'd need fire for cooking and heat, like everyone else) but I felt it still left too many problematic situations, hence my "fix".

 

[el-remmen]

I am a big stickler on light sources and what the PCs (and their foes) can actually see (or guess).

And the solution mmu1 suggests is exactly what I do, except i only do it on a case by case basis as the monsters come up.

Stone giants? Well, they live in caves and such, I might give them tremorsense.

Hill giant? I see no reason why they should have any kind of special vision at all, and so. . . they don't!

I do not like the half-orcs get darkvision. I think they should get low-light (this is one change I have not made). Full orcs, on the other hand, should keep darkvision.

 

[hong]

I treat the "dark holes" thing as metaphorical.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Up with ultravision!

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

While I agree with you about the DR/ good, I would like to point out that it's "damage reduction", not "damage immunity". Demons can still do damage to devils, just not as much as celestials.

Which seems odd that the only ones that can penetrate your resistance is your enemy.

Yeah, that's mostly my point. I was exaggerating a touch for emphasis...

The same issue applied to Frostburn. Everything in that book was immune ot everything else in that book. They'd say "creature X fears creature Y" and I'd wonder "Why? It's special power doesn't even surpass the cold resistance."

 

[Frostmarrow]

I don't even like elves having low-light vision. It's a DM thing. As a DM I like to monopolize lighting so that I can use it to my advantage when it comes to building atmosphere. If I tell them it rains, the players feel slightly depressed. If i tell them they hear thunder they know dangerous times are ahead. If I tell them there is thunder and lightning they know full well the door is going to get kicked in imminently and the orcs will start to pour in. If I tell them it's dark they know they should be afraid - very afraid.

DM: So it starts to get darker...
Player1: No it doesn't.

DM: I just remembered an appointment.

 

[mhensley]

its also an issue that gets forgotten alot, like 1 hour into a dungeon you realise no-one is carrying light, or all have mixed abillity vision.

Yep, there's also a problem in that darkvision is mainly a waste for pc's. Unless everyone has it, someone has to carry a light which negates the ability.

I agree. Dump darkvision. Things that can see in complete darkness should be very rare.

 

[GreatLemur]

Just for kicks, here's a list of all the monster types that get darkvision or low-light vision by default:

• Aberration - Darkvision
• Animal - Low-light vision
• Construct Type - Darkvision and low-light vision
• Dragon - Darkvision and low-light vision
• Elemental - Darkvision
• Fey - Low-light vision
• Giant - Low-light vision
• Magical Beast - Darkvision and low-light vision
• Monstrous Humanoid - Darkvision
• Outsider - Darkvision
• Plant - Low-light vision
• Undead - Darkvision
• Vermin - Darkvision

So this means that the only creature types without darkvision or low-light vision are Oozes (which are blind) and Humanoids. Even Plants see better in the dark than we do, for some reason.

I don't even like elves having low-light vision.

Seriously, I have never understood why they did.