Hey, WotC: Give Dwarves their Darkvision Back

[Qualidar]

On the other hand, if at least some PCs don't have darkvision, they can never, ever sneak up on an indigenous critter with darkvision.

No matter how stealthy, you can't hide light.

ER...so what?

You can't sneak up on something with tremmorsense when you're walking on the ground, either. Doesn't mean people should fly.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

ER...so what?

You can't sneak up on something with tremmorsense when you're walking on the ground, either. Doesn't mean people should fly.

"Sneaking up on creatures in a dungeon" is just a teensy bit more common than creatures with tremorsense.

Informed design takes impediments to common play experiences into account.

 

[BASHMAN]

I'd be happy if they went back to infravision myself. Had more flavor I think than darkvision.

 

[Njall]

Maybe some races will be able to take a racial feat/talent to gain darkvision as they level up?
After all, it seems that Dragonborn will be able to gain wings eventually...

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

"Sneaking up on creatures in a dungeon" is just a teensy bit more common than creatures with tremorsense.

Informed design takes impediments to common play experiences into account.

Well, unless you have more information than we do, it is entirely possible that darkvision will be gone from most or all of the common humanoid underground dwellers (CHUD) like drow.

 

[Wormwood]

I'd be happy if they went back to infravision myself. Had more flavor I think than darkvision.

Flavorful? sure. Playable? Not so much.

Infravision was a shining exsample of how too much "simulationism" could hinder gameplay. Unless you're one of the lucky few to never have your game grind to a screeching halt over the 'physics' of infravision.

 

[KingCrab]

Aren't dwarves moving from in the mountain to on the mountain?

 

[bmcdaniel]

great change

I really like this change. It especially helps the rogue. In 3.5, it's really foolish to play a rogue without darkvision if you plan on doing any sneaking around.

No humanoids should have darkvision, period. The ones that live underground can use torches or glow-worms or phosphorescent fungus to see. Darkvision should be reserved for aberrations and undead and the like.

Ken (posting under bmcdaniel's account)

 

[Traycor]

Infravision was a shining exsample of how too much "simulationism" could hinder gameplay. Unless you're one of the lucky few to never have your game grind to a screeching halt over the 'physics' of infravision.

I loved infravision myself, though I understand it was too mechanically wonky for play. However, darkvision has always rubbed me the wrong way. The whole 60 feet thing means that the creatures would always be walking around in a fog. How would drow look out over their cities? Besides faerie fire, they wouldn't even be able to see the next building over, much less the city they live in. Seems stupid to me.

 

[Klaus]

Note that 4e Low-light vision will probably work like it does in Star Wars Saga:

Low-light Vision: the character ignores concealment from poor lighting, except for total concealment.