4e Blind Swordsman

[Human Paragon 3]

One of my players wants to play a blind paladin dedicated to an order that blinds themselves in order to be closer to god. Here's the compromize I arrived at:


1) She's blind, except she doesn't grant combat advantage
2) In return, she can take Blind Fight at level 1
3) Bonus to Insight Checks
4) Gain's the encounter power Moment of Clarity.


Moment of Clarity
Utility * Encounter
Minor Action * Close Burst 6 (see text)
You pause for a moment, opening your senses and gaining a perfect, but fleeting, understanding of your surroundings.
The effects of your blind fight feat extend to the radius of the burst until the begining of your next turn.
Increase to close burst 12 at paragon tier.
Increase to close burst 24 at epic tier.


Thoughts on this?

[AKA_Bait]

This seems pretty reasonable. I'm not sure why the bonus to insight checks, unless there is going to be a penalty to perception checks based on sight.

As for moment of clarity, it looks ok, but might I suggest the following alternative?

Moment of Clarity
Utility * At Will
Standard Action * Close Burst 6 (see text)
You pause for a moment, opening your senses and gaining a perfect, but fleeting, understanding of your surroundings.
The effects of your blind fight feat extend to the radius of the burst until the end of your next turn.
Increase to close burst 12 at paragon tier.
Increase to close burst 24 at epic tier.

That just seems cooler to me.

[Human Paragon 3]

Well, being blind gives you a -10 to perception checks, so I figured a bonus to Insight would compensate somewhat. As for making Moment an at will standard action, I'm a little afraid that it would make the power less useful and create situations where the character is constantly losing 1/2 her actions. Also, if there's an invisible enemy, she could walk around sending off "pings" in order to detect it... which might actually be cool. Maybe I'll give her the option and let her pick.

[AKA_Bait]

Oh yeah, forgot about that. Makes sense to me then for the +10 to insight.

Also, damn you for making me think of that episode of the Boondocks at work!

[SamTheCleric]

Hmm, if you make the Sonar at-will, I'd recommend making it either a move or a standard action, that way you can't just "focus" as a minor, then just run up and smack the hidden things.... the paladin has to take a deep breath and focus their other senses (ala daredevil)

[AKA_Bait]

Hmm, if you make the Sonar at-will, I'd recommend making it either a move or a standard action, that way you can't just "focus" as a minor, then just run up and smack the hidden things.... the paladin has to take a deep breath and focus their other senses (ala daredevil)

Well, yes. That's why my suggested at will version was a standard action...

[Baxbart]

I suppose it depends how difficult this makes life for the Paladin. I can see this, at points, being a big problem. Its great for flavour, I won't deny that - but sometimes something that is good in theory actually becomes a big hassle in play.

To be honest - in this Paladin's case I might rob her of sight and instead give her Blindsight 5, essentially giving a short-range, but reasonable boost. Being forced to give up a standard action every other round just so you can make use of yourself in combat doesn't really feel fair to me.

But, it depends how 'cinematic' and 'heroic' you want your game to be. It is D&D, after all.

On an amusing side note - I played a GURPS game fairly recently where one of the other players actually had a blind character. It was a very realistic game, so being blind was a serious handicap. In order to stay 'in character' the player actually brought a blindfold, and refused to take it off, not even to read his sheet (he got someone else to do it) or see what he had rolled on the dice.

[Ceiling009]

But with that, means you either see or move, or see or attack. I think a minor action is better; since then you can move and attack at least. That means to see the character would have to give up minor actions which can constitute a few nifty powers and options.

[AKA_Bait]

The trade off is bascially this, as the Minor Encounter power, once per encounter the Paladin will get the increased sight once and for one round. With the Standard At-Will power, the Paladin will get it every other round, if needed.

I suppose you could make it a Standard Encounter power with a Minor sustain to make it look like this:

Moment of Clarity
Utility * Encounter
Standard Action * Close Burst 6 (see text)
You pause for a moment, opening your senses and gaining a perfect, but fleeting, understanding of your surroundings.
The effects of your blind fight feat extend to the radius of the burst until the end of your next turn.
Sustain, Minor: You may keep the extended range of your blind fight feat until the end of your next turn. You may continue to sustain this power until the end of the encounter.
Increase to close burst 12 at paragon tier.
Increase to close burst 24 at epic tier.

Actually, looking at it, I like this even better. It gives me a more tactical options granted feel, since the player can sustain seeing or take some perhaps vitally important minor action.

[Flickerdart]

Shouldn't you let her have Blindsight instead of Blindfight? Less crippling that way, I think.

[SamTheCleric]

Well, yes. That's why my suggested at will version was a standard action...

Whoops, missed that! Ignore me.

[Yakk]

If you make it a move action, the Paladin has to either not move or not attack to use it.

If you make it a standard action, the Paladin has to not attack to use it.

...

Combat-mechanically, the Paladin is in trouble. Paladin's main job is to mark bad guys and prevent them from hurting their allies. For their mark to work, they must either end their turn adjacent (requiring lots of movement), or make a melee attack against the target (requiring they start adjacent, or move).

...

Thoughts:
Let them "swear to protect" a limited number of targets. They have blindsight 1 around them as well, so long as they are within X squares of the Paladin.

Change the Paladin's Mark to be "the nearest creature to themselves, or someone they have sworn to protect, that has line of sight".

Give them Blindsight 1 around any Marked target.

(Fluff the marking so it is visible to everyone).

...

This gives them reduced tactical options compared to a sighted person, but doesn't cripple them in combat. It also ties their ability to blindsight as a Divine power, centered around protecting others.

[Human Paragon 3]

Yakk, Interesting-

Any thoughts on the minor-action-encounter-power version? How about an ability that always lets them see the enemy they marked?

[Lapak]

Give them Blindsight 1 around any Marked target.

(Fluff the marking so it is visible to everyone).

...

This gives them reduced tactical options compared to a sighted person, but doesn't cripple them in combat. It also ties their ability to blindsight as a Divine power, centered around protecting others.

I like this one a lot. I'd keep the Minor Action/Encounter version of the power, to let them get the layout of combat as it begins, then add the 'automatic Blindsight around a marked target' ability. It's thematic, since their god is supposed to be guiding them (the point of blinding herself) and it helps the paladin adequately fulfill their role.

[Yakk]

*nod* -- Blindsight around self (range 1), around "Sworn Protectees" (range 1), and around anyone they have marked (range 1).

The rewording of the Paladin Mark, to hit the closest enemy to themselves or their marked protectees, is also needed (as their opponents have concealment (the Paladin is blind)).

I'd make any "ping" power be wisdom or charisma based. Ie:
Free Action + Encounter
Gain Blindsight (Wisdom stat value) radius until the end of your next turn.

Standard Action + At-will
Gain Blindsight (Cha bonus) radius until the end of your next turn.

[namo]

Call me a killjoy but I would simply give him a permanent ability that functions like... sight.

If the player is not metagaming, there are really lots of complications that will arise:
- the other characters will have to keep describing the situation to the paladin: if, say, they enter a large and deep hall, with enemies at the other end, they'll have to explain it while scrambling to prepare to fight (and keep one hand on his shoulder so he doesn't wander off in the wrong direction !). Similarly, what if the players are attacked by archers ?

- what if there are traps that become active after he used his ability ?

- if you use Blindsight conversely he gains an advantage when there's a fog (wizards have powers like that) or hidden enemies or...

I'm pretty tired so I doubt my arguments are very good. Good luck finding a solution, though.