Blinding

[Afgncaap5]

I was working on tweaking a fire elemental to give it the ability to blind people, and it got me looking for all the different canon ways of doing this. I'm mainly thinking spells (Blindness/Deafness is the most obvious, but things like Glitterdust and Faerie Fire can do it to), but I'm also interested in monster abilities, items (Dust Eggshell Bombs, for instance), or other things. Is there a... blinding handbook out there?

[Tarvus]

No handbook that I know of, but listing blinding effects?

Quick search finds:

The spell Blinding Glory from Book of Exalted Deeds Sor/Wiz 9, 100ft radius spread/level, anything evil is blinded while in light with no save.
Oruighen a drug from Lords of Darkness: Inhaled poison that you throw. Blinds for a few minutes. Basically its fantasy pepperspray.
Seething Eyebane Wiz 1 from BoVD inflicts blindness with duration instantenous. But theres a corruption cost.
Theres also the SRD's power word blind.

[ZamielVanWeber]

Faerie Fire cannot blind. IIRC Shadow Radiance blinds anyone who fails a save against it.

[ace rooster]

Flashburst is a 3rd level wizard evocation that produces short duration blindness over a 120ft radius (if memory serves). For a level 5 wizard medium range spells only go 150ft, so you can hit them if you have know which direction they are in to within 90 degrees. Additionally contagion can cause blinding sickness.

[Demidos]

Nymph comes to mind, though it would have to be quite the fire elemental...:smallamused:

[Thurbane]

You could give it an ability similar to a Harssaf's Sand Pulse (3d6 damage and blinding for 5 rounds, save for half damage and no blinding, 30 ft radius centred on the creature).

[Dread_Head]

Give it the ability to use the spell Pyrotechnics (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/pyrotechnics.htm) on itself?


Pyrotechnics turns a fire into either a burst of blinding fireworks or a thick cloud of choking smoke, depending on the version you choose.

Fireworks
The fireworks are a flashing, fiery, momentary burst of glowing, colored aerial lights. This effect causes creatures within 120 feet of the fire source to become blinded for 1d4+1 rounds (Will negates). These creatures must have line of sight to the fire to be affected. Spell resistance can prevent blindness.

Smoke Cloud
A writhing stream of smoke billows out from the source, forming a choking cloud. The cloud spreads 20 feet in all directions and lasts for 1 round per caster level. All sight, even darkvision, is ineffective in or through the cloud. All within the cloud take -4 penalties to Strength and Dexterity (Fortitude negates). These effects last for 1d4+1 rounds after the cloud dissipates or after the creature leaves the area of the cloud. Spell resistance does not apply.

Material Component
The spell uses one fire source, which is immediately extinguished. A fire so large that it exceeds a 20-foot cube is only partly extinguished. Magical fires are not extinguished, although a fire-based creature used as a source takes 1 point of damage per caster level.

[Ketiara]

Murderous mist spc P. 256
Its a steam cloud that deals a little nonlethal dam and then it blinds permanently if creature fails ref.
Its a 4th lvl druid spell, but hot steam fits a fire elemental!

[Afgncaap5]

Give it the ability to use the spell Pyrotechnics (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/pyrotechnics.htm) on itself?

Oooh... that's brilliant in at least two ways. I may wind up using that. Maybe I should treat it like a "breath attack" so that it can only do it once every 1d4 rounds or something.

[Keldrin]

We made our DM cry in this week's session. Used Sunburst in two combats and a few failed saving throws later, monsters flailed helplessly. Then died...
Being blind is a quick way to be dead

[Dread_Head]

Oooh... that's brilliant in at least two ways. I may wind up using that. Maybe I should treat it like a "breath attack" so that it can only do it once every 1d4 rounds or something.

That might be wise, Pyrotechnics is a pretty powerful spell and one of it's main limitations is the need for a source of fire which a fire elemental doesn't have a problem with. Be aware it damages the elemental each time it uses it though.

[Afgncaap5]

That might be wise, Pyrotechnics is a pretty powerful spell and one of it's main limitations is the need for a source of fire which a fire elemental doesn't have a problem with. Be aware it damages the elemental each time it uses it though.

I noticed, yeah. Which... actually, makes it better. I was worried that the encounter, for all its niftiness, might be just a shade mean for the players. (Especially since the Fire elemental will be joined by an Earth elemental who can absorb the light of whatever blinding attack the Fire elemental has to be used a round later as a way to attack a player with a Confusion effect, which I'm going to call Lunacy.)