So what are the implications of Ultra-vision?

[jmucchiello]

They'd be able to see some extra colors past the purple end of the spectrum, essentially. The only normal source of UV (that would be encountered in a medieval world) is the sun, so they'd basically get the superpower to... see in normal daylight.

This is basically about it. It would give you another reason to argue over what color the flowers are. A normal sighted person might see a red flower while a UV sighted person might see patterns and shadings with the "red" that the normal person cannot perceive.

 

[Modin Godstalker]

It was a while ago since I read about, so I don't remember his name. They have a huge Biotech department there, so there are possibly other studies there that are just as interesting.

 

[Zoatebix]

I'm pretty sure that a creature that *only* saw in ultravision wouldn't be able to see stars or the moon in the night sky, since our atmosphere is really rather opaque to UV waves (we get soooo little of the UV radiation the sun puts out). Do flames give off enough UV for a creature with UVision to see at all?

I think Hong's answer is jumping the gun - no amount of remotely realistic pseudo science and hand-waving can make ultravision an attractive option to a player...

 

[BOZ]

OK, here are the appropriate sections from the 1E PHB:

INFRAVISION
As previously mentioned, infravision is the ability to see into the infrared spectrum. Thus heat radiation becomes visible and differences in temperature allow infrared sight. Warm things are bright, cool things grey, very cold things are black. Most infravision extends to 60' distance. Dungeon-dwelling monsters have infravision to 120'. All infravision is spoiled if a light source is shedding illumination upon the creature possessing the infrared sight capability. Similarly, great heat will spoil the capability.
Thieves hiding in shadows are successful with respect to infravision only if there is a heat/light source nearby to mask their body heat, or a very cold object or radiation to provide similar cover.

ULTRAVISION
Ultravision is the ability to see radiation in the ultraviolet spectrum - gamma rays, x-rays, etc. Creatures with this ability can see in normal nighttime darkness; that is, they see at night as well as a human can see at dusk because of the continual bombardment of ultraviolet radiation upon the earth.

 

[Gez]

So in fact, elves and gnomes have ultravision -- it's just called low-light vision!

 

[BOZ]

i did notice the similarities.

 

[Voadam]

Some flowers have extra patterns on them that can only be viewed in ultraviolet. These attract some insects for pollination.

Not much game use there unless they were used for a code of some kind, perhaps ink that only showed up as distinct to ultravision.

 

[Voadam]

I remember svirfneblin had ultravision. Did anybody else? i rember it was described in the DMG but I don't recall anybody else having ultravision.

 

[BOZ]

i don't remember it being particularly common.

 

[Zoatebix]

that is, they see at night as well as a human can see at dusk because of the continual bombardment of ultraviolet radiation upon the earth.

That really seems to contradict something that came up in Astronomy class just today... I mean there's a reason that we have ultraviolet telescopes in orbit and none on the Earth's surface...

Oh well - I think I'm being too nitpicky.