D&D General How strict are you with vision in your game?

[Blue]

I am DMing both online and in-person, not using a VTT with dynamic lighting.

I am loosey-goosey with vision - I care something about it, but I'm the opposite fo super strict. I make sure they have a light source, I vaguely remember limits if it comes up, and I deal with sunlight sensitivity for the one drow I have. Oh, and dim light for the Sorlock who uses Shadowblade frequently. Oh, and in one campaign the two fashion-conscious characters that are annoyed they can't tell color with darkvision. So I need to pay enough attention to it, but just barely enough to get by. Sort of like how I deal with encumbrance - more exception based than anything else.

 

[Laurefindel]

Oh, and in one campaign the two fashion-conscious characters that are annoyed they can't tell color with darkvision.

"I was wearing PURPLE pants?!? Dude, why didn't you tell me I was wearing purple pants! By the way, your shirt is NOT teal, more like pukey green..."

 

[Rabbitbait]

That sounds cool!...can you send me some of these templates and such, please? I’m new to VTT

If you look in the roll20 marketplace there are a heap of different styles of templates you can use. The rest (particularly lighting ones) I just have small shapes that emit light that I pull out on the dynamic lighting layer, or if it is a spell the player controls, they pull it out on the token layer.

 

[Swedish Chef]

When in person, I draw out the entire room or length of corridor on the battlemap, but will place enemy figures only if within line of sight. If the encounter is outdoors or generally unobstructed, the distance to view an enemy is much greater (a bit more realistic, in my mind).

Currently, we're using Roll20. I've enabled the dynamic lighting and limited to vision to 60'. However, doors on maps register as "closed", which causes some problems. (Un)fortunately, the warlock has an imp familiar, so I've configured it so that everyone on the table can control that character, so in combat scenarios that occur through doorways, the imp acts as the "eyes" for the group. I.E. party tokens are in the hallway and imp token is at the far end of the room in line of sight to the door, simulating what the party would be able to see through the open door. Works well for the most part for us.

 

[Rabbitbait]

When in person, I draw out the entire room or length of corridor on the battlemap, but will place enemy figures only if within line of sight. If the encounter is outdoors or generally unobstructed, the distance to view an enemy is much greater (a bit more realistic, in my mind).

Currently, we're using Roll20. I've enabled the dynamic lighting and limited to vision to 60'. However, doors on maps register as "closed", which causes some problems. (Un)fortunately, the warlock has an imp familiar, so I've configured it so that everyone on the table can control that character, so in combat scenarios that occur through doorways, the imp acts as the "eyes" for the group. I.E. party tokens are in the hallway and imp token is at the far end of the room in line of sight to the door, simulating what the party would be able to see through the open door. Works well for the most part for us.

Are you going onto the dynamic lighting layer and deleting the line over the door when a door is opened? That's the usual convention - block the light on the doors seperately (and with a different colour) so that you can delete that small section easily.

 

[Swedish Chef]

Are you going onto the dynamic lighting layer and deleting the line over the door when a door is opened? That's the usual convention - block the light on the doors seperately (and with a different colour) so that you can delete that small section easily.

I'll have to look into it. We are all new to Roll20 and I'm running Descent to Avernus. Not certain if I can do that with the module, but it is worth taking a look. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[MGibster]

Dealing with vision when typically the whole group, maybe minus one character, has dark vision just isn't worth my time and effort.

 

[Rabbitbait]

I'll have to look into it. We are all new to Roll20 and I'm running Descent to Avernus. Not certain if I can do that with the module, but it is worth taking a look. Thanks for the suggestion.

Cool. It should work. I have not seen that module, but the other WoTC modules I have seen all work that way.

 

[the_redbeard]

If I'm running a game with a VTT instead of theater of the mind, vision is the feature that makes the additional hassle worthwhile. I think it really changes the game and adds a lot of suspense.
Making maps in DungeonDraft and exporting to Foundry has all the lighting and walls fixed, and then set vision individually by token. There are lots of features in Foundry but just the base install does lighting and vision fine.