Talking Doll & Playing Blind

[WorldOnFire03]

So for a little while now I've had the idea that my next D&D character will be a sorcerer with wild magic (not sure what race yet but I was thinking either a Triton, Gensai or Eladrin depending on what my DM will allow) and potentially multiclassing as a rogue down the line, but I also really want my character to be blind HOWEVER I'm not sure how well it would play. Has anyone played as a blind character or DMed a game with a blind character before, and how well did it work out? I feel like there must be some way of appropriately balancing it so that I am penalized for sight based perception checks and possibly in combat as well, but not to the point where I'm super weak and unable to do anything.

Also on a lighter note in the game I'm currently playing my character bought a creepy talking doll that can be taught up to 6 phrases (each need to be 6 words or less) and I'm looking for suggestions :D So far my group and I have come up with "I see you *giggle*" and "New doll, who dis"

Thanks!!

[Vorpalchicken]

*Play with me. Forever. And ever.*
*Be sure to say your prayers*
*Should you die before you wake...*
*I'll be watching you*
*You've never had friends like me*

[sophontteks]

I too am playing a wild magic sorcerer. The backstory is that the wild magic is more of a curse then a blessing. It's more like he is possessed, or stalked, by a chaotic entity. The source of my characters magic is essentially another character all on its own that will often take form as the mage hand spell. When put under stress my character will succumb to the entities will and he no longer has control of his own actions so much. Now if you did something similiar, the thing casting the spells within you doesn't rely on your sight at all and you could get away with being blind pretty easily.

That's one idea at least.

In my characters case there are some really cool spell and metamagics to go with this. He's using subtle and twinned with things like catapult, enlarge/reduce, phantasmal force, haste, etc. Spells that alter reality or make things seem possessed.

[Laserlight]

There have been threads about playing a blind character before. I don't remember any that said "I tried this and it worked out well".

You can do "actually blind" which will be crippling in combat and some noncombat situations. (Quick, run across the rope bridge. Climb the rock wall. Swim the right way, under water).

You can do fluff blind, where it doesn't usually affect you. Your super keen hearing lets you blah blah blah. In which case, why bother?

Or you can ask your DM for blindsight 10ft range or something like that.

WHY do you want to be blind?

[opticalshadow]

If i were your DM, i really wouldnt allow being blind. I wouldnt conceede any special rules or abilities to make your disability not a disability, and you would then be a huge liability to the party.

If you are given any concessions to make being blind not cripplingly bad, why be blind at all?

i guess technically you could pull off a familure that you see through its eyes, and that may work for awhile, but that can still be a huge liability, and also, why bother being blind if you give yourself a way to see anyways?

[Galithar]

The way to play a blind character is to just accept every* single negative and then build your character to reinforce it. Now I haven't done this so it may bet harder to pull off in actual gameplay, but here are my tips.

*Now this is predicated on the assumption that your group and DM are okay with you casting spells that require you to 'see' the target. Without that you have to scrap half of the spells in the game anyways making playing blind and not being useless impossible.


Avoid attack rolls at all costs. As a spellcaster you can do this.
Focus on spells with a DC and buffs for your party. Just because you aren't directly dealing damage doesn't mean your not causing damage. Twinned haste on your GWM Fighter and your Rogue gives your party two more attacks they wouldn't have without you. An extra hit for your Fighter at +10 from GWM is good, plus an extra change for your rogue to land it's sneak attack.
Put a LOT of character resources into AC, or ignore it completely favoring the 'I don't need AC if I'm not an easy target' approach. Since you will be getting attacked at advantage almost every time you are attacked you either need insane AC, or in the long run it matters less because that second roll is going to hit your 16 AC anyways.
Look for ways to even the playing field. Darkness cast around you puts the enemies in the same situation as you. They aren't used to it and will still be relying on attack rolls, you on the other hand are built around not needing to see them.

[cullynthedwarf]

”My name is _______. Love me?"
”Sic transit gloria mundi” {trans. So passes the glory of the world}
”Omnia more aequat” (trans. Death makes all things equal.)

[Laserlight]

”My name is _______. Love me?"
”Sic transit gloria mundi” {trans. So passes the glory of the world}
”Omnia more aequat” (trans. Death makes all things equal.)

Depending on how educated your other players are, "Timor mortis conturbat me" ("fear of Death troubles me") is a phrase used in several Medieval poems. It's taken from the Catholic service for the dead:

Peccantem me quotidie, et non poenitentem, timor mortis conturbat me, Quia in inferno nulla est redemptio..

"[Because I am] Sinning daily, and not repenting, the fear of death disturbs me, For there is no redemption in Hell."

[Trampaige]

Focus on spells with a DC and buffs for your party. Just because you aren't directly dealing damage doesn't mean your not causing damage. Twinned haste on your GWM Fighter and your Rogue gives your party two more attacks they wouldn't have without you. An extra hit for your Fighter at +10 from GWM is good, plus an extra change for your rogue to land it's sneak attack.
Put a LOT of character resources into AC, or ignore it completely favoring the 'I don't need AC if I'm not an easy target' approach. Since you will be getting attacked at advantage almost every time you are attacked you either need insane AC, or in the long run it matters less because that second roll is going to hit your 16 AC anyways.
Look for ways to even the playing field. Darkness cast around you puts the enemies in the same situation as you. They aren't used to it and will still be relying on attack rolls, you on the other hand are built around not needing to see them.

[/LIST]

Haste requires a target you can see.

Clearly the answer is reckless attack great axe halfling barbarian. You already have advantage to be hit, and it cancels out your disadvantages

[Teaguethebean]

Clearly the answer is reckless attack great axe halfling barbarian. You already have advantage to be hit, and it cancels out your disadvantages

The advantages would double I believe

[Mellack]

By RAW advantage or disadvantage do not stack. You have advantage or you have disadvantage. If you have both they cancel regardless of how many of each you may have. I believe a fair number of groups have a house rule that if you have more of one than the other the majority side remains.

[DeadMech]

One of the guest players on Critical role plays a blind character. I believe he specifically uses the find familiar spell in order to have a spotter present. Shakasta... maybe that was the character's name.

Since perception is both sight and hearing depending on your dm you might be able to convince them that the hearing part of it will cover you in some respects. Others will decide to penalize you harshly regardless.

Particularly large parties might be better able to support a blind character. Enough meatshields that your blind back liner won't be constantly eating attacks with advantage against them. Constantly having someone around to help with terrain navigation

3.5 had rules for listen so that you could locate the square unseen enemies were in, maybe it's something usable.

Alternatively to the buffing suggestions in the thread. If you can somehow find a way to make your party immune to something... then maybe you don't have to worry about collateral damage and can AOE to your hearts content. Though the how eludes me.

At any rate you'll want to run it by your dm and the rest of the players first as it has quite a bit of risk of dragging things down.

I played a blind character in homebrew systems before. Never without psychic abilities though. Whether that was something like life sense to know location of other sentient beings or the passive ability to read other peoples surface thoughts to borrow their senses.

As for your doll.
"Ashes ashes we all fall down"
"Peekaboo I see you"
"I could just eat you up"
"Don't turn around."
"Have you seen college tuition lately"

[Grey Watcher]

Just watch the 60's Twilight Zone episode "Living Doll" and use bits of Talky Tina's dialogue.

[AvvyR]

In Storm King's Thunder I played a blind teenage street rat. I was the UA Mystic class, and my DM ruled that when I was channeling the focus for Third Eye (which gives darkvision), I'd also have regular vision to a normal sight range. (My race already had darkvision)

In general, it was a straight detriment, as I effectively sacrificed my focus most of the time, and it was costly to use a different one, but I wanted to play an extremely underestimatable character with freaky psychic powers. However, it was also ruled that I was immune to most blinding effects, so that was a minor compensation.

I really loved the character, and enjoyed the campaign. Even if I hurt myself for character concept reasons.

[Teaguethebean]

One of the guest players on Critical role plays a blind character. I believe he specifically uses the find familiar spell in order to have a spotter present. Shakasta... maybe

I'm pretty sure Shakasta isn't blind though he uses the grand dutchess to scout he isn't blind

[DeadMech]

I'm pretty sure Shakasta isn't blind though he uses the grand dutchess to scout he isn't blind

I seem to remember it being a reveal in one of the episodes but I don't really have the time to go to the video to make sure.

https://www.reddit.com/r/criticalrole/comments/809x8g/spoilers_c2e07_mechanic_rp_of_new_friend/

This thread seems to think he was. It also has some discussion that may pertain to the OP's questions.

It raises a good point that it takes an action to see through your familiar's eyes and that this ends at the start of your next turn. So technically it is impossible to see and perform a regular action at the same time which may interfere with some spell targeting.

[WorldOnFire03]

Thanks to everyone who replied, you've all given me a lot to think about :) My original idea was based roughly around the character Aelin in the throne of glass series (white hair, human-ish looking, rogue with fire magic) and debated on and off whether being blind is worth it. I like the idea that my character sees her wild magic as a curse and avoids using it (its possibly the reason she is blind now), but when in danger or overwhelmed it almost acts as a separate entity and almost is possessed by it (sort of thinking along the lines of aang when he enters the avatar state) BUT i still need to think it over more and how it would realistically play and talk about it with my DM

Thanks everyone for the replies!