D20:Blindsight and Blindsense Special Ability

Using nonvisual senses, such as sensitivity to vibrations, keen smell, acute hearing, or echolocation, a creature with blindsight maneuvers and fights as well as a sighted creature. Invisibility, darkness, and most kinds of concealment are irrelevant, though the creature must have line of effect to a creature or object to discern that creature or object. The ability?s range is specified in the creature?s descriptive text. The creature usually does not need to make Spot or Listen checks to notice creatures within range of its blindsight ability. Unless noted otherwise, blindsight is continuous, and the creature need do nothing to use it. Some forms of blindsight, however, must be triggered as a free action. If so, this is noted in the creature?s description. If a creature must trigger its blindsight ability, the creature gains the benefits of blindsight only during its turn.

• Blindsight never allows a creature to distinguish color or visual contrast. A creature cannot read with blindsight.
  
• Blindsight does not subject a creature to gaze attacks (even though darkvision does).
  
• Blinding attacks do not penalize creatures using blindsight.
  
• Deafening attacks thwart blindsight if it relies on hearing.
  
• Blindsight works underwater but not in a vacuum.
  
• Blindsight negates displacement and blur effects.
  

Blindsense is a lesser ability that lets the creature notice things it cannot see, but without the precision of blindsight, using nonvisual senses, such as acute smell or hearing. The creature usually does not need to make Spot or Listen checks to pinpoint the location of a creature within range of its blindsense ability, provided that it has line of effect to that creature. Any opponent the creature cannot see still has total concealment (50% miss chance) against the creature with blindsense, and the creature still has the normal miss chance when attacking foes that have concealment. Visibility still affects the movement of a creature with blindsense. A creature with blindsense is still denied its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class against attacks from creatures it cannot see.

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