Can You Hide From Someone With Blindsight in 5e?
The short answer is: Yes, you can potentially hide from someone with blindsight, but it’s significantly more challenging than hiding from someone relying on normal vision. While blindsight allows a creature to perceive its surroundings without relying on sight, it’s not a perfect substitute for truesight, and there are specific conditions under which a character can successfully use Stealth to remain hidden. This article explores the intricacies of this interaction, providing a clear understanding of how blindsight works, its limitations, and the mechanics of hiding in D&D 5e.
Understanding Blindsight
Blindsight is a special sense that allows creatures to perceive their environment without relying on sight. This isn’t telepathy; it’s generally understood as a combination of other senses like echolocation, vibration, or even a heightened awareness of air currents. A creature with blindsight doesn’t need to “see” in the traditional sense, so effects like darkness or fog that would impede vision do not affect them. It’s important to note that blindsight typically works within a specific range.
Blindsight and Line of Effect
A crucial aspect of blindsight is that it requires a line of effect. This means that the creature with blindsight cannot perceive something that is completely blocked by a solid object. Think of it as being able to “feel” out a room, but not through walls. A creature with blindsight cannot, for instance, “see” through total cover, such as a thick stone wall, even if the hidden character is within their blindsight range.
The Mechanics of Hiding
In D&D 5e, hiding is governed by the Stealth skill. To hide, you make a Dexterity (Stealth) check, which is contested by the Wisdom (Perception) check of any creature actively searching for you. The basic rule for hiding is that you can’t hide from a creature that can see you clearly. However, it’s more nuanced than that.
How Hiding Relates to Blindsight
Here’s where the interaction between hiding and blindsight becomes tricky. A common misconception is that blindsight negates all attempts at stealth, making you automatically visible within its radius. This isn’t entirely accurate. While blindsight renders invisibility and certain other visual illusions ineffective, you can potentially hide, but only under specific conditions.
The key is total cover. If you are behind a solid object, a stone wall for example, that completely obscures you from the blindsight creature’s line of effect, you could attempt to hide by using your Stealth skill. Simply put, if the blindsight user cannot perceive you, you may attempt to use the Hide action.
Key Factors Affecting Stealth vs. Blindsight
- Total Cover: Being completely obscured by a solid object is essential for hiding from blindsight. No peeking out from a small opening.
- Stealth Skill: A higher Stealth check result compared to the creature’s Perception check is required. Even with cover, a sufficiently poor roll on stealth could be detected.
- Magic: Certain spells or magical items can grant complete concealment, masking your presence from even blindsight.
- DM Discretion: Ultimately, the Dungeon Master (DM) has the final say on whether a creature can successfully hide, making the ruling a bit situational.
Why Is Hiding From Blindsight Difficult?
While possible, hiding from a creature with blindsight is difficult for several reasons. Firstly, blindsight effectively cancels out visual concealment, meaning you can’t just rely on shadows or darkness. Secondly, some forms of blindsight might make it harder to avoid detection since they use non-visual senses like sensing vibrations and echoes. This is why having a good Stealth skill and taking advantage of available total cover is crucial.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can blindsight see through walls?
No, blindsight does not allow a creature to perceive through solid objects like walls. It needs a line of effect. If you want your monster to see through walls, give it a trait that explicitly states it can.
2. Can you sneak up on someone with blindsight 5E?
Theoretically, yes, you can attempt to sneak up on a creature with blindsight. You must utilize Stealth and achieve a successful check against the creature’s Perception, as well as being behind total cover.
3. Can blindsight see invisible people?
Yes, blindsight can generally perceive invisible creatures, as invisibility is a visual effect.
4. Can blindsight see through fog?
Yes, while fog impedes vision, it doesn’t affect blindsight. A creature with blindsight would perceive a person in heavy fog as if they were surrounded by static, not total obscurity.
5. Is Tremorsense better than Blindsight?
Not necessarily. Tremorsense is different; it usually relies on feeling vibrations through the ground, so it can’t be used to detect flying or incorporeal creatures. Blindsight is a more versatile sense that covers multiple non-visual senses.
6. Can blindsight see in the dark?
Yes, effects like Darkness or Shadows of Moil, which rely on sight, do not affect creatures with blindsight because they can perceive their surroundings without relying on sight.
7. Can blindsight detect scrying sensors?
No, since a scrying sensor is intangible, a creature with blindsight would not be able to perceive it.
8. Does blindsight ignore Mirror Image?
Yes, creatures with blindsight are unaffected by Mirror Image, as it is an illusion based on visual perception.
9. Can blindsight see through heavy obscurement?
While blindsight negates disadvantage from visual obscurement, it does not allow a creature to see through total cover or other physical barriers.
10. Does blindsight work around corners?
No, blindsight generally requires a direct line of effect and does not work around corners. While some DMs might houserule it to allow it within a certain distance, this is not the standard interpretation.
11. Can blindsight see traps?
Generally, blindsight is not very effective at detecting traps because traps are often designed to be hidden or have no telltale signs that can be perceived with the senses, even non-visual ones.
12. How do you hide in 5E?
To hide, you make a Dexterity (Stealth) check, which is contested by the Wisdom (Perception) of any creatures searching for you. You can’t hide from a creature that can clearly see you.
13. Do rogues get advantage when hidden?
If a rogue is hidden when they attack, they gain advantage on their attack roll. However, the attack gives away their position, so they are no longer considered hidden after the attack.
14. What causes blindsight?
In the real world, blindsight results from damage to the primary visual cortex, typically due to brain trauma. In D&D 5e, it’s a special sense granted to certain creatures.
15. What are some ways a player can get blindsight?
Some ways for a player to acquire blindsight include:
- Fighting Style: Blind Fighting (Fighter, 1st level, or Paladin/Ranger, 2nd level; 10ft radius.)
- Draconic Transformation (7th-level spell, at 13th level for Druid/Sorcerer/Wizard).
- Ascendant Aspect (Monk, Way of the Ascendant Dragon, 17th level).
Conclusion
Hiding from a creature with blindsight in D&D 5e is possible, but requires a solid understanding of the rules and a combination of excellent Stealth, strategic use of total cover, and a bit of luck. While blindsight presents a significant challenge to stealth, it’s not an automatic “I see you” ability. Utilizing your wits and strategic thinking can give you an edge even against creatures with this powerful sense.