Trouble understanding blindness and legality of target choice in combat...

[Epicurus88]

Ok, this is my first time navigating a combat involving blindness. I've done invisibility but that was easy because then I was able to just remove the mini from the grid... but blindess is different in that you cant just remove the mini....

This is what I understand about blindness

PC is blind:
-2 penalty to melee and ranged attacks
-2 penalty to AC
–4 penalty on Search checks and on most Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks
Sight based skill checks (like spot) fail automatically
Loses any Dexterity bonus to AC
Moves at half speed

All opponents are considerd to have total concealment therefore:
blinded character can’t execute an attacks of opportunity
all attacks suffer a 50% miss chance.

Question: How is the blinded PC supposed to adjudicate within the mechanics of the game which square he should attack? Listen checks immediately come to mind, but if the PC fails the listen check, then he can't attack at all? Is he supposed to roll dice to determine a random adjacent square if he wishes to attack with no clue where his opponent is? Is the DM supposed to remove the miniture from the combat grid to represent the PC's blindness? That doesn't seem right because what about the other non-blinded PC's?

Basically, we have a PC in melee with an opponent. The opponent moved 5', successfully cast Blindness (PC failed the save). Now it's the PC's turn and he wants to attack the opponent. The player knows where the opponent is, the mini is on the grid (the non-blinded need to know where the opponent is). How can the blinded PC go about the attack without cheating by using player knowledge?

 

[kmdietri]

Personally I'd ask the blinded pc to leave the gaming table area and tell me verbally which direction he's moving and roughly how far, and allow him to use listen checks to determin in which direction enemies are etc.

 

[Thanee]

Check the DMG description of the Invisibility ability to find the rules for Listen checks when one cannot see the target.

If the check is failed, you have to guess... of course, using a map, there is that metagaming problem with the player.

You can use a d8 to determine the square randomly if the Listen check is failed.

Bye
Thanee

 

[shilsen]

Somebody posted on these boards about making the player sit with his back to the grid, which sounds like a good solution.

For locating opponents, the Listen check becomes very important, and since that is a free action, if he fails it then he can choose to do other things. Also, companions can yell advice to him, though I wouldn't let that pinpoint enemies for him. If he blows the listen check and someone has yelled, "There's an orc to your right," I'd let him randomly pick one of the squares to the right to attack into (assuming he wanted to, of course).

 

[Thanee]

Yeah, then just use a d3 instead of the d8.

Also note, that if you get attacked in melee with no more than 5 ft. reach, you automatically pinpoint the attacker (with higher reach you only get a general direction), so as long as the attacker stays there, you can attack back at least.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Hypersmurf]

Somebody posted on these boards about making the player sit with his back to the grid, which sounds like a good solution.

I like Monte Cook's idea for handling invisible characters - make them sit under the table.

(That's so everyone remembers they can't see him. But it works for blindness, too )

-Hyp.

 

[shilsen]

I like Monte Cook's idea for handling invisible characters - make them sit under the table.

(That's so everyone remembers they can't see him. But it works for blindness, too )

-Hyp.

I remembered that one, but didn't suggest it, since it would be a little mean for everyone to forget the existence of the poor blinded guy. Then again, in practice, it sometimes works that way

 

[Len]

The last time my character was blinded, I just tried to stay out of the way of the fighting and keep my back to the wall. Didn't quite work - another PC was panicked and ran to cower behind the blind rogue. When I heard someone run next to me I lashed out - "Ow!" "Oops, sorry Taratar."

I find that for a player the biggest problem, if the blindness can't be cured immediately, is finding stuff to do. So:

Don't forget that you're blind. How are you navigating through the dungeon? "Hey, where are you guys going? Somebody hold my hand!"

Come up with something to say or do, just to keep yourself from getting bored and the other players from forgetting about you:
PC A: "I search through the items on the table."
PC B: "I read the titles of the books on the shelves."
Blind Guy: "I feel around for a chair and sit down."

Or, "You know, if I wasn't blind I could tell you whether or not that door is trapped."

I like Monte Cook's idea for handling invisible characters - make them sit under the table.

(That's so everyone remembers they can't see him. But it works for blindness, too )

You could make everyone with ability damage sit under the table too. Just for fun, no practical reason.

And gnomes. All gnome-players should definitely be under the table.

 

[Zodar]

And gnomes. All gnome-players should definitely be under the table.

Hey! That would mean my whole LG group would have to game on the floor!

Yes, we are playing a group of 6 gnomes in Adri.
And we are having a blast (although we might have to send our GM to therapy soon ).