Skip Williams' Beguiler Article

[shilsen]

How so? Detect Thoughts isn't a targeted spell; I have never seen a DM tell anyone "you're talking to the old harmless hermit...oh, and you got targeted by a magic spell" (hermit, of course, is a doppelganger trying to read the PCs minds).

Detect thoughts is unusual in that it's an area spell but you can choose to target individual minds in the area for mind-reading. And as a DM if the chosen creature makes the save I would tell the PC (or if an NPC, he would realize) that he had been targeted by a spell.

 

[the_mighty_agrippa]

Darkvision
Darkvision is the extraordinary ability to see with no light source at all, out to a range specified for the creature. Darkvision is black and white only (colors cannot be discerned). It does not allow characters to see anything that they could not see otherwise—invisible objects are still invisible, and illusions are still visible as what they seem to be. Likewise, darkvision subjects a creature to gaze attacks normally. The presence of light does not spoil darkvision.

Emphasis added.

This is starting to sound like the old 2E "my drow fighter/thief has infravision and can track you by the residual heat of your footprints."

A rogue can successfully evade a character with darkvision in an unlit dungeon just as they can evade a human in broad daylight in a forest. Creatures with darkvision still have to make spot checks to find a hidden character. Now whether or not the hidden character can see in the darkness is another thing altogether...

 

[Staffan]

I think they would be an awesome NPC opposition group but would be terrible as a PC group. They have lots of interesting and cool abilities, but they are literally incapable of healing past half health without magic items.

Not once they hit 6th level, when the Dragon Shaman gets his Touch of Vitality ability (essentially double-strength Con-based Lay on Hands).

 

[Rystil Arden]

Not once they hit 6th level, when the Dragon Shaman gets his Touch of Vitality ability (essentially double-strength Con-based Lay on Hands).

That is true. I would think, however, that they would be incapable of surviving that long starting from 1st without serious gold expenditure on potions.

 

[Goldmoon]

That is true. I would think, however, that they would be incapable of surviving that long starting from 1st without serious gold expenditure on potions.

Just fight once a month and rest a lot....

 

[Rystil Arden]

Just fight once a month and rest a lot....

That only works if the bad guys are agreeable

I suppose you could also fight really easy enemies and pump up Con so high that you can pretend that half health is actually full health. If that was the case, you could plow through encounters because you effectively have infinite healing.

 

[Goldmoon]

That only works if the bad guys are agreeable

Nah, be evil and make your own enemies. Just kill them before they know theyre enemies......

 

[chaotix42]

This is starting to sound like the old 2E "my drow fighter/thief has infravision and can track you by the residual heat of your footprints."

A rogue can successfully evade a character with darkvision in an unlit dungeon just as they can evade a human in broad daylight in a forest. Creatures with darkvision still have to make spot checks to find a hidden character. Now whether or not the hidden character can see in the darkness is another thing altogether...

A slight clarification:

In the forest the rogue likely has cover, one of the two (standard) things that allow hide checks. The other is concealment, which shadows/darkness provide. If the rogue in the unlit dungeon came into range of a monster with darkvision (standard 60 ft. range) and he had no cover then the rogue would not be allowed a hide check. If the rogue was outside of the monster's darkvision, 65 ft. or farther away, he would be allowed hide checks as normal, because he would then have concealment.

You can hide from creatures with darkvision, solely using darkness to grant concealment, as long as you are outside the range of the creature's darkvision. If you're within range, then you better have some cover around because the thing's gonna see you. That's why peeking around corners is good.

 

[Goldmoon]

A slight clarification:

In the forest the rogue likely has cover, one of the two (standard) things that allow hide checks. The other is concealment, which shadows/darkness provide. If the rogue in the unlit dungeon came into range of a monster with darkvision (standard 60 ft. range) and he had no cover then the rogue would not be allowed a hide check. If the rogue was outside of the monster's darkvision, 65 ft. or farther away, he would be allowed hide checks as normal, because he would then have concealment.

You can hide from creatures with darkvision, solely using darkness to grant concealment, as long as you are outside the range of the creature's darkvision. If you're within range, then you better have some cover around because the thing's gonna see you. That's why peeking around corners is good.

I would have to disagree. In order for you to distinguish shapes and items from one another there must be at least some degree of shadow. Since you can only see in black and white, this allows for even a greater chance of hiding. You could simply "blend" in with the darker images. Of course the rogue would have to have darkvivion herself to know where to hide and would have to know her opponent had darkvision.