Blind Monk... with tremorsense

[hylian chozo]

In one of my group's most recent campaigns, our party monk opened a box full of magical radiation. He was permanently blinded but gained tremorsense 10 feet as a result. He is now a blind martial artist (none of us were swordsmen). My question is this: How can he work this to his advantage? We are currently level 5 and have a little money. We don't own very many books so I have to ask for core only.

[Ganurath]

In one of my group's most recent campaigns, our party monk opened a box full of magical radiation. He was permanently blinded but gained tremorsense 10 feet as a result. He is now a blind martial artist (none of us were swordsmen). My question is this: How can he work this to his advantage? We are currently level 5 and have a little money. We don't own very many books so I have to ask for core only.

Find a way to make him burrow, and have him grapple enemies underground. Bury them alive! Of course, the details are irrelevant since you've taken a bad situation (monk) and made it worse (blind.)

[Fax Celestis]

Get him to take a level in Psionic Fist and grab the Synesthete power. That'll counteract his blindness and still retain his tremorsense.

[hylian chozo]

Get him to take a level in Psionic Fist and grab the Synesthete power. That'll counteract his blindness and still retain his tremorsense.

Thanks, but we don't normally use psionics.

Got any items or feats that would help?

[playswithfire]

If he can retrain the character and/or argue that the radiation triggered a mutation that gave him psionic power points and/or knowledge(psionics)*, War Mind is another option and there are feats from Eberron (Monastic Training and Tashalatora) that, if you have both, make your monk levels stack with a chosen psionic class for unarmed strike, AC bonus and flurry

*since you need a power point and knowledge(psionics) 8 ranks to get into war mind. I think Kalashtar are the only race that get in at Monk 5 because of substitution levels that give knowledge(psionics) as a class skill

But it's a nice full-BAB, wisdom-based-manifesting prestige class and sweeping strikes (lvl 5 ability) is rather nice

EDIT: ah, with no psionics, my first thoughts are things outside of core. Blindfold of true darkness from the magic item compendium costs 9000 and gives blindsight 30' and there are a couple prestige classes that give scent. Other option is to multiclass into something with an animal companion and use that mind link to sort of see.
Also, he should probably take Blind-Fight so he isn't constantly denied his dex to AC

[hylian chozo]

EDIT: ah, with no psionics, my first thoughts are things outside of core. Blindfold of true darkness from the magic item compendium costs 9000 and gives blindsight 30' and there are a couple prestige classes that give scent. Other option is to multiclass into something with an animal companion and use that mind link to sort of see.
Also, he should probably take Blind-Fight so he isn't constantly denied his dex to AC

He had blind fight before he opened the box so we're good there. I like this Blindfold of true darkness though. Too bad we are currently in an Antimagic field.

[Tokiko Mima]

If you don't mind taking a level of spell casting and using a Feat, you might consider levels in Earth Dreamer. This PrC from Races of Stone grants Earth Glide, allowing the monk to 'scuba dive' into the walls and ground. The bonus is that it's great protection against attacks and a very useful way to scout with Tremorsense.

[Ganurath]

If you don't mind taking a level of spell casting and using a Feat, you might consider levels in Earth Dreamer. This PrC from Races of Stone grants Earth Glide, allowing the monk to 'scuba dive' into the walls and ground. The bonus is that it's great protection against attacks and a very useful way to scout with Tremorsense.

And, as I mentioned before, grapple your opponents and drag them under with you! They'll have a hard time fighting back when they're breathing gravel. Unless they're undead, but then it's just irony waiting to happen.

[Leon]

a touchy feely monk

[Fax Celestis]

a touchy feely monk

...

...please, please, no more puns.

[hylian chozo]

a touchy feely monk

Actually, I think he's going to start carrying a cane and beating people with it. He also faces the other way when talking to people. It seems to be a great role-playing opportunity.

[Ascension]

1. Get a red costume. Preferably with horns.
2. Get a club.
3. ???
4. Profit

[Tengu]

Does your monk happen to be a 12-year old girl?

I am surprised that nobody made that pun yet.

[Icewalker]

Actually, I think he's going to start carrying a cane and beating people with it. He also faces the other way when talking to people. It seems to be a great role-playing opportunity.

Swordcane? That's always cooler...

Hmm...if you already have blindsight, I can't think of much else you can have.

There is one thing, although it isn't exactly cheap or hugely useful, just awesome. I kind of used it with a character of my brother's in a homemade system. Get a permanent detect magic, just a 5th level spell out of a 9th level caster with a 500 xp cost, which would give you a 60 ft. cone of magic detection so you can see by following magic auras, then people and movement at closer range.

[Admiral Squish]

Does he hit people who do the hand-wavey thing? I would.

[Bag_of_Holding]

There's an exotic weapon called Monk's Cane in Secrets of Sarlona. Also, for only 9,000gp you can get a Blindfold of True Darkness (MIC). 30-ft. blindsight for just 9,000gp? Yes please!

[Learnedguy]

Give him Blind-fight for free. And possibly deflect arrow as well. That should make up for the worst aspects of being blind, although he's still slightly gimped Potentially, you could let the aid another action remove all the other minuses that still remains.

You might also consider giving him a walking dog

[Burley]

Give him Blind-fight for free. And possibly deflect arrow as well. That should make up for the worst aspects of being blind, although he's still slightly gimped Potentially, you could let the aid another action remove all the other minuses that still remains.

You might also consider giving him a walking dog

I agree with this one. A riding dog is specially trained to carry something and follow orders. Would it be so difficult to find a dog specially trained to as a seeing-eye dog? If there is a druid in the party, or a ranger, you could buy the riding dog and wild-empathy it to make it easier to re-train if your DM rules that you need to retrain it.
Even if you don't have a druid or ranger, it takes a week to train an animal to do one trick. I'd say spend a few weeks training a riding dog (which is already obedient and partially trained) and buy an "exotic saddle" as the handle/leash thing.
Also, a quarter staff is a monk weapon, right? I'd say that one of those retractable walking sticks would be a fun way to play things...

And, after you get more money: HEAL!

[Hzurr]

1. Get a red costume. Preferably with horns.
2. Get a club.
3. ???
4. Profit

#$%@#$

I was reading the thread, scrolling down, already preparing for my own silly daredevil-related pun...and then you beat me to it.

I'll never forgive you for this.

[AtomicKitKat]

Get some way to drop Darkness. On every single fight. While on the topic of Races of Stone, Stonedeath Assassin is nice. Turns your opponents into stone rather than killing them outright. Make sure he scratches out their eyes before leaving them behind.

[Yakk]

With tremorsense, he should have no penalty against any attacks made within the radius.

The magic item that grants blindsense 30' is also a good idea.

A pet that provides seeing-eye services is another good idea. It provides cover, and it detects things further away.

Magical darkness is a good plan. As is glitterdust. There are a number of AOE attacks against which he is immune.

[Sir Giacomo]

Hi,

if the monk has tremorsense and is blind, the party should try to equip him with stuff to negate sight for his enemies. This would give him the edge.
The party cleric could cast obscuring mist into the area the monk stands when he melees, for instance. If said monk then also has enlarge up and combat reflexes with decent DEX, he can with tremorsense likely even do AoO since the opponents do not have concealment to him (I think, not sure about the rules right now).

- Giacomo

[Talic]

Hi,

if the monk has tremorsense and is blind, the party should try to equip him with stuff to negate sight for his enemies. This would give him the edge.
The party cleric could cast obscuring mist into the area the monk stands when he melees, for instance. If said monk then also has enlarge up and combat reflexes with decent DEX, he can with tremorsense likely even do AoO since the opponents do not have concealment to him (I think, not sure about the rules right now).

- Giacomo

Nice idea, but it doesn't change the fact that the tremorsense range is absolutely CRIPPLING. Sure, his blindfighting means that 75% of his hits should acually hit, but his opponents will have less miss chance at 5 feet.

If you wanted to take this option, I recommend taking a look at Lords of Madness. Get some aberrant heritage. and increase your reach to 10' with Inhuman reach (2 feats). You can use the prereq feat for a +2 to grapple checks, and attack enemies with total cover. Still, it's really situational.

I'd consider taking levels in cleric. Gain access to Blind/Deaf, and deliver unarmed strikes that make the enemy feel your pain.

[Dan_Hemmens]

Presumably this depends on how strict your DM is about the actual in-game effects of blindness. You could make a good case for any level of Tremorsense essentially negating the Blinded condition. It's ludicrous to assume that, say, a Purple Worm counts as "Blinded". Admittedly it doesn't have much of a Dex bonus anyway, but by strict RAW anything that doesn't naturally see should have a 50% miss chance against anything.

[Rift_Wolf]

There is an item in Arms and Equipment guide, can't remember the name, but it's a blindfold that gives you blindsight to 30ft (Which means he has no miss chance against invisible enemies or enemies with concealment.) This seems like a decent item to have if you're permanently blind; you get immunity to gaze attacks and any attacks that rely on sight (So, most illusions) as well. Plus you can fulfill the Kenshi/Illidan fanboy within us all.