How does blindsight work?

Ormraxes · Sep 4, 2002

I have a bat familiar with blindsight, and I'm wondering whether the blindsight ability works like a spread or an emanation?

LokiDR · Sep 4, 2002

? huh?

from the SRD

Some creatures have the extraordinary ability to use a nonvisual sense (or a combination of such senses) to operate effectively without vision. Such sense may include sensitivity to vibrations, acute scent, keen hearing, or echolocation. This ability makes invisibility and darkness (even magical darkness) irrelevant to the creature (though it still can’t see ethereal creatures). This ability operates out to a range specified in the creature description.

Blindsight never allows a creature to distinguish color or visual contrast. A creature cannot read with blindsight.

Blindsight does not subject a creature to gaze attacks.

Blinding attacks do not penalize creatures using blindsight.

Deafening attacks thwart blindsight if it relies on hearing.

Blindsight works underwater but not in a vacuum.

It is a sense, not a spell. For simplicity, think of it as seeing without eyes, so blinding effects or invis don't work

hong · Sep 4, 2002

LokiDR said:
It is a sense, not a spell. For simplicity, think of it as seeing without eyes, so blinding effects or invis don't work

Yep, just as darkvision is seeing without light. Keeping these in mind makes life much easier.

Valmur_Dwur · Sep 4, 2002

I would say an emanation of 30 degrees out to the limit of the bats blindsight "vision" arc. So that means you can be looking one way and the bat the other but you "see" what the bat sees unless you overide the info and look yourself.

LokiDR · Sep 5, 2002

Valmur_Dwur said:
I would say an emanation of 30 degrees out to the limit of the bats blindsight "vision" arc. So that means you can be looking one way and the bat the other but you "see" what the bat sees unless you overide the info and look yourself.

Huh? This just must be the day strange conceptions. As far as the rules say, you never get to see through your familiar's senses. The best you get is level 13 wiz, scry on familiar.

Don't do "vision arcs" or other nonsense unless you like complicated games. Just treat it as vision with limits and benifits, just like darkvision.