Improving my othervise weak human rogue

[Max Caysey]

Hello...

So I'm starting a character, a level 3 human rogue...

I'm trying to figure out how to get a few niceties from items...

Is there any non-custom items which grant Low-Light Vision, Darkvision or Hide in Plain Sight?


Thanks

[The Viscount]

The only item for plain low-light vision I know of is the Phoenix Helm from MIC which is quite expensive.

Darkvision is easy from the Goggles of Night in the DMG.

The Collar of Umbral Metamorphosis from Tome of Magic will give you the dark template, which gives you darkvision, superior low-light vision (4x instead of 2x) and Hide in Plain Sight except in natural daylight or similar. Do note that this version of HiPS does still require that you have cover or concealment to hide with. There is a cheaper limited use version and a more expensive continuous one.

[DrMotives]

I can't find an item offhand that does it, but anything that gives you Alter Self will let you take a form with Low-Light Vision or Darkvision as those are not considered Supernatural abilities. Of course, get enough skill with UMD and a wand of Alter Self will work fine.

[Fizban]

The Drow House Insignia (Drow of the Underdark) is the gold standard of getting 1st level spells wherever you want for ridiculously cheap. Low-Light Vision (Spell Compendium) is a spell that gives you low-light vision, which on a DHI will last for many hours.

You've run into the problem with humans, which is also the problem with all fantasy vision powers. In order to sneak around in perfect darkness you need super vision which people don't have, but take note that night-time in DnD is not usually perfect darkness: with the moon and stars out it's shadowy illumination, and lighting a candle once you're out of the open will let you see to loot just fine. Meanwhile it's completely impossible to sneak past a dwarf or orc in the dark at any range less than 60', period, unless there's physical cover or concealment for you to hide in because their camp is terrible, and elves can only ever be snuck past in the open when there's cloudcover to block the night sky.

Sneaking in the open doesn't seem important until you read any story where someone does it, and against other humans its pretty easy. Against special dnd races with vision powers, there's a massive divide.

[Darrin]

Shax (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?148101-3-x-Shax-s-Indispensible-Haversack-(Equipment-Handbook)) has low-light vision covered:

Panther Tears (x2, 30 GP ea.)
Price: 60 GP
Weight: 0.2#
(Secrets of Xendrik p. 139)
Eye drops that give you low-light vision for 1 hour. This also gives you light sensitivity, but for only 10 GP Sundark Goggles will fix that for you.
Craft (Alchemy) DC: 20

...although at that price, a potion of low-light vision or ebon eyes is cheaper.

As far as magic items go, Mask of the Tiger (4000 GP, MIC) is cheaper than the Phoenix Helm. For darkvision... hmm. Mask of Nightseeing (8000 GP, Unapproachable East) is cheaper than Goggles of Night.


I can't find an item offhand that does it, but anything that gives you Alter Self will let you take a form with Low-Light Vision or Darkvision as those are not considered Supernatural abilities.

There is an item with at-will alter self: Fleshshifter Armor (13160 GP, Book of Vile Darkness). Phylactery of Change (11200 GP, A&EG) is a bit cheaper, and offers all-day polymorph up to 7HD.

Also, don't forget to stock up on Torch Bug Paste (25 GP, Complete Scoundrel). You can throw this as a splash weapon to "paint" your enemies, and the faerie fire effect negates most concealment (except the darkness spell).