D&D (2024) What PHB races should have darkvision?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

At this moment, a lot of PHB races still have darkvision. Per the 2014 RAW, darkvision isn't the ability to see perfectly in the dark, but that's how it's often played. And even if it's just so-so, many adventuring parties don't have to do the classic D&D fantasy of carrying torches and lanterns into the dark places in the earth, which feels like a loss.

So, maybe we should cut some of these folks' darkvision.

What peoples do you think must have darkvision in the 2014 PHB?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I voted for Dwarf and Orc, two races that often live in the dark places in the earth and don't tend to rely on magic for convenience's sake. And going into their domains should be nervewracking, because these people know the dark and are more comfortable there than intruders are.

Elves and gnomes should have reasons to have sparkling dancing lights in their communities. Humans and halflings need to have communal fires and well-lit gathering spaces to come together. And dragonborn and tieflings need to have extremely atmospheric fires or comparable forms of lighting (lava pits, glowing pools of mysterious liquid, magic bottles lit by trapped lightning).

 

[Minigiant]

Bring back low light vision.

 

[SakanaSensei]

I voted dwarf, but there is a part of me that wishes they got rid of it entirely. If I have to explain one more time why I'm giving someone disadvantage on a perception check "even though [they] have darkvision?!" I swear I'm gonna...

 

[Charlaquin]

Dragonborn, dwarf, elf, gnome, orc, Tiefling, just like has always been the case. I don’t care what they do with Ardlings, cause I hate them.

 

[Charlaquin]

Bring back low light vision.

If they did that, I would be in favor of “downgrading” elves to that. Or better yet, replacing all PC darkvision with it.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Bring back low light vision.

How would you differentiate between low light vision and darkvision?

 

[edosan]

If the entire concept of dark vision disappeared except for underground dwelling monsters I would be fine with it

 

[Hriston]

Dragonborn, dwarf, elf, gnome, orc, Tiefling, just like has always been the case.

Dragonborn haven’t always had dark vision. They don’t in 5E, for example.

I don’t care what they do with Ardlings, cause I hate them.

What did Ardlings ever do to you?

 

[Minigiant]

How would you differentiate between low light vision and darkvision?

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within X feet of yourself as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.

Lowlightvision/Elfsight: You can see in dim light within x feet of yourself as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light.

Night vision:You can see in darkness within 120 feet of yourself as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of green.