Does Invisibility Work Against Blindsight 5e?
No, invisibility typically does not work against blindsight in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition (5e). Blindsight allows a creature to perceive its surroundings without relying on sight. This ability bypasses the concealment that invisibility provides, rendering it ineffective against creatures with blindsight. However, the specifics depend on the source of the blindsight and the nature of the invisibility.
Understanding Blindsight in 5e
Blindsight is a special sense described in the Monster Manual and Player’s Handbook. It states that a creature with blindsight can perceive its surroundings without relying on sight, within a specific radius. This means they can “see” without using their eyes, often relying on other senses like echolocation, tremorsense, or heightened sensitivity to air currents.
The Core Mechanic of Blindsight
The core mechanic of blindsight centers around its ability to bypass visual impairments. Standard vision relies on light and the ability to perceive it. Invisibility grants advantage on attack rolls and disadvantage on attack rolls against you because opponents rely on sight. Blindsight negates this advantage and disadvantage because sight isn’t used to perceive the invisible creature.
Limitations of Blindsight
While potent, blindsight isn’t unlimited. The creature’s blindsight typically has a limited range. Outside this range, even creatures with blindsight are subject to the normal rules of vision, including the effects of invisibility. Also, the description of blindsight might specify limitations. Some creatures might only be able to perceive objects, not illusions.
Invisibility and its Effects in 5e
Invisibility is a condition that makes a creature impossible to see without the aid of magic or a special sense. This is commonly achieved through spells like invisibility or abilities like a rogue’s expertise in Stealth.
The Combat Advantage of Invisibility
In combat, invisibility is a powerful tool. It grants advantage on attack rolls for the invisible creature and imposes disadvantage on attack rolls against the invisible creature. This is because the enemy has difficulty locating and targeting the invisible character.
Circumventing Invisibility
Several abilities and spells can circumvent invisibility. These include truesight, which allows a creature to see things as they truly are, ignoring illusions and shapeshifting. But blindsight is perhaps the most common way to ignore invisibility.
Blindsight vs. Invisibility: A Head-to-Head Comparison
When a creature with blindsight faces an invisible creature, the blindsight effectively neutralizes the benefits of invisibility. The creature with blindsight can pinpoint the location of the invisible creature and target it as if it were visible. This doesn’t mean the invisible creature loses all benefits. Certain conditions, such as being heavily obscured by something other than invisibility, might still provide some advantage.
Specific Scenarios
- Close Quarters Combat: In a tight corridor, a creature with a 30-foot blindsight radius can easily track an invisible opponent within that range.
- Open Field: If the invisible creature is outside the range of the blindsight, the advantage of invisibility returns.
- Combined Effects: If the invisible creature is also hidden (through a Stealth check), the creature with blindsight might still need to succeed on a Wisdom (Perception) check to notice the invisible, hiding creature, though the invisibility itself provides no inherent advantage. The hiding aspect is what requires the check.
Caveats and Exceptions
Some forms of invisibility explicitly state that they do work against certain senses. For instance, some illusions might be undetectable by certain forms of blindsight that only perceive physical objects. Always refer to the specific description of the spell or ability causing the invisibility and the specific description of the creature’s blindsight.
Additional Considerations
The Dungeon Master (DM) has the final say on how abilities interact. If a situation is particularly ambiguous, the DM’s ruling is what matters. They might consider the specific flavor of the blindsight (is it echolocation-based? tremorsense-based?) and the nature of the invisibility (is it a simple illusion? a magical effect that alters perception on a deeper level?) to make a ruling.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Does Truesight also negate Invisibility?
Yes, truesight completely negates invisibility. Truesight allows a creature to see things as they truly are, ignoring illusions, shapeshifting, and other forms of concealment, including invisibility.
2. If a creature has both Blindsight and Truesight, which takes precedence?
Truesight takes precedence. Truesight provides a complete and accurate perception of reality, rendering blindsight (which may have limitations) effectively unnecessary.
3. Can a creature with Blindsight be surprised by an invisible creature?
It depends. If the invisible creature makes a successful Stealth check to hide and the creature with blindsight doesn’t notice them, yes, they can be surprised. Invisibility itself doesn’t guarantee surprise; it’s the act of hiding combined with a successful Stealth check that determines surprise.
4. How does darkness interact with Blindsight?
Darkness typically does not affect blindsight. Since blindsight doesn’t rely on sight, magical or mundane darkness does not impair it.
5. Does Greater Invisibility work differently against Blindsight than regular Invisibility?
No. Greater Invisibility provides the same benefits as Invisibility regarding concealment. Blindsight negates the benefits of Greater Invisibility in the same way it negates the benefits of regular Invisibility.
6. Can Blindsight perceive illusions?
It depends on the specific description of the blindsight. Some blindsight abilities might only detect physical objects and not illusions. Read the description carefully. If the description doesn’t specify a limitation regarding illusions, then the blindsight can perceive them.
7. What if an invisible creature is also behind total cover?
Blindsight does not allow a creature to see through total cover. Total cover blocks line of sight, regardless of whether the creature is invisible. The creature with blindsight would know something is there, but wouldn’t be able to target the invisible creature without bypassing the cover.
8. Does deafening a creature with echolocation-based Blindsight impair their Blindsight?
Yes, deafening a creature with echolocation-based blindsight would impair, or potentially completely negate, their blindsight. Echolocation relies on sound waves, so removing the ability to hear effectively removes their ability to “see” with sound.
9. Can a creature with tremorsense-based Blindsight detect an invisible flying creature?
No. Tremorsense relies on detecting vibrations in the ground or other solid surfaces. An invisible flying creature wouldn’t create those vibrations, and therefore wouldn’t be detectable by tremorsense-based blindsight.
10. How does the Blinded condition affect a creature with Blindsight?
The Blinded condition has no effect on creatures using blindsight. The blinded condition imposes disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks that rely on sight. Blindsight bypasses the need for sight, making the Blinded condition irrelevant.
11. Are there any spells that can specifically counter Blindsight?
There are no spells specifically designed to counter blindsight. However, spells that create zones of silence might impair echolocation-based blindsight, and spells that alter the terrain might hinder tremorsense-based blindsight.
12. If an invisible creature is making a Stealth check, does a creature with Blindsight automatically detect them?
No. They don’t automatically detect them. The creature with blindsight still needs to be actively looking for the invisible creature. The invisible creature makes a Stealth check, and the creature with blindsight makes a Wisdom (Perception) check to contest it. Invisibility itself doesn’t negate the need for a check, it just removes the visual cues the creature would normally be looking for.
13. Can a creature with Blindsight use the Help action to assist another creature attacking an invisible target?
Yes. Because the creature with blindsight can accurately perceive the location of the invisible target, they can use the Help action to grant advantage on the next attack roll against that target.
14. Does Blindsight work against creatures that are ethereal?
It depends on the nature of the blindsight and the Ethereal Plane. Typically, blindsight works within the Material Plane. To detect creatures on the Ethereal Plane, a creature usually needs a special sense like ethereal sight or the ability to travel to the Ethereal Plane. Some specific forms of blindsight might extend into the Ethereal Plane, but this would be explicitly stated in the ability’s description.
15. How does Fog Cloud interact with Blindsight?
Fog Cloud typically doesn’t affect blindsight. Fog Cloud heavily obscures an area, making it heavily obscured. Because blindsight doesn’t rely on sight, the visual impairment of Fog Cloud is irrelevant. A creature with blindsight within the Fog Cloud can still perceive creatures within their blindsight radius. However, this doesn’t mean the creature gains the benefits of being unseen; a creature without blindsight can’t use the fog to hide from a creature with blindsight.