Blind Human Adventurer
A D&D 5e Racial subtype
Art Credit: Midjourney
History
Blind humans have existed throughout history, adapting to their environment and developing unique skills to navigate the world without sight. Some are born blind, while others lose their vision due to illness, injury, or age. Despite the challenges they face, blind humans have developed remarkable abilities that stand in contrast to their sighted peers. Some blind humans may decide to become adventurers and develop skills and ability beyond even their typical blind peers. The following abilities characterize the skills and abilities such a highly trained blind adventurer can possess.
Appearance
Blind humans have the same physical characteristics as other humans, with the exception of their eyes, which may appear different or may be unremarkable.
Age. Blind humans reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.
Alignment. Blind humans tend toward no particular alignment. The best and the worst are found among them.
Size. Medium. Blind humans vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice. However, you can only read and write using a special script, such as Braille, or with the assistance of magic.
Race Type. Human
Blind Human Traits and Abilities
Ability Score Increase. Either your Wisdom or Charisma score increases by 2, and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.
Echolocation. You can perceive the world using vocal/auditory echolocation. You can do this continuously or on-demand. While using your echolocation, you have blindsight up to 30 feet. However, you can "see" no color, and only enough detail to distinguish different characters by their shape, size, equipment, etc. Should you lose the ability to speak (such as from the spell Silence) or hear (such as from the condition Deafened), for that duration you lose your Echolocation ability. You can use a quieter (stealthy) Echolocation and reduce your blindsight range to 10 feet.
Good with a Cane. While holding a staff (or similar object functioning as a cane) in one hand, you have tremorsense up to 5' and do not need to use Echolocation to "see" in this range. In this way you can move without vocalizing any noise (as is needed for Echolocation). You can both draw and stow your cane in a single turn, using your equipment / object interaction. When you aren't equipped with a staff-cane or equivalent in one hand, you lose your Good with a Cane ability. You can also use your reaction at any time to draw and/or stow your cane.
No Vision. While not using or unable to use Echolocation and Good with a Cane, you cannot see anything, and are considered to have the Blinded condition. You cannot otherwise be Blinded as you can't see to begin with.
Stealthy movement. Using your Echolocation ability will generally interfere with your stealthy movement, so if you attempt stealthy movements while using Echolocation, your Stealth check is rolled with disadvantage. If you use your quieter Echolocation ability with a range of 10 feet, you can roll your Stealth checks normally. Using your Good with a Cane ability does not interfere with Stealthy movement.
Detail Oriented. You are proficient in non-visual Perception checks, or you can double your bonus for non-visual Perception checks if you are already proficient in Perception. However, you cannot perform any skill check where sight is required to perform the action, unless you can use your Echolocation or Good with a Cane abilities in place of sight for the check.
Can't see you. While using Echolocation or Good with a Cane, you automatically succeed on any saving throw against effects made against you from spells within your range of perception that require visual sight for their effect, such as hypnotic pattern or minor illusion (image), unless your Echolocation or Good with a Cane ability can perceive the spell effect (for example, Mirage Arcane). If succeeding on a saving throw still results in you taking some damage, that damage does affect you.
Good Ears. You can use your action to concentrate on listening carefully. This grants you advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing until the start of your next turn. However, while focusing on listening carefully, your movement range is zero and you may not use your bonus action or reaction.
Quick to Learn. You can choose to learn either the Blind Fighting or Blind Defending ability below.
Blind Fighting. You can use your bonus action to make a single melee weapon attack against a creature in range who has not moved since your last turn. You can use your bonus action to make this attack as long as the weapon you use is being wielded single-handedly for the bonus action attack. Alternatively, if you have a free hand, you can use your bonus action to make an unarmed melee attack or grapple attack against a target in range who has not moved since your last turn.
Blind Defending. If you can hear, you can use your reaction to roll a Dexterity saving throw when you are hit by missile weapon or ranged spell attack. The DC of the saving throw is the greater of 10 or half the damage you received. If you succeed on your saving throw the damage you take is halved. You must choose to use your reaction after you are hit but before damage is calculated.
Favored Class Options
Fighter, Barbarian, Paladin, Monk are especially effective when combined with this racial subtype, as they often are involved in close quarters combat, where tactical perception beyond 30 feet is less important, and where other party members can support your battlefield awareness verbally, when possible. Notably Monks already can make bonus action unarmed attacks, which reduces the potency of the Blind race for this class, if the Blind Fighting ability is chosen.
Rogue: A Blind Rogue can be effective but may need to rely more on close-quarters combat and short-range attacks. They can still make effective use of the bonus action attack provided by the Targeted trait. Additionally, the Rogue's Expertise feature can be used to enhance their proficiency in skills like Perception (hearing-based) and Stealth, which could help them navigate.