Special Characteristics

Special Characteristics

It’ **s not enough to have eyes to see (anonymous)

Every creature is special and unique, yet there are beings even more unique and special for their characteristics. These are the peculiarities of some of them.

Twilight Vision

What is darkness for many is seeing well for those with twilight vision as long as there is a minimal source of light.

Twilight vision is color vision. A spellcaster with twilight vision can read a Scroll as long as there is even the dimmest of candles as a light source nearby.

Characters with twilight vision can see outside on moonlit nights as if they were in daylight. In the absolute absence of light, twilight vision does not help; it remains impenetrable pitch darkness.

Darkvision

Darkvision is the extraordinary ability to see without light sources, up to a maximum distance indicated for each creature.

Darkvision is only in black and white (it does not allow the creature to distinguish colors). It does not allow characters to see anything they could not otherwise see: Invisible objects are still Invisible, and Illusions are still visible for what they appear to be.

In the same way, Darkvision makes a creature subject to gaze attacks normally. The presence of light does not alter Darkvision. Making a Survival check to look for traps or a visual-only Awareness check takes a -2 penalty.

Scent

This special quality allows a creature to use its sense of smell to detect hidden or approaching enemies and to follow tracks. Creatures with scent can identify familiar smells by smell just as humans do with sight.

The creature can detect creatures within 6 meters by smell. If the opponent is downwind, the range increases to 18 meters; if upwind, the range decreases to a distance of 3 meters. Stronger odors, such as smoke, garbage, or decomposing bodies, can be detected at twice the range indicated above.

When a creature detects a smell, the exact location of its source is not revealed, only its presence within range. The creature can use an Action to determine the direction from which the smell is coming. When within melee distance of the source, it identifies its position.

A creature with scent can follow tracks using its sense of smell, making a Track check to find and follow a trail. The typical DC of a fresh track is 10 (regardless of the surface on which the track is found). The DC increases or decreases depending on the intensity of the track, the number of creatures leaving it, and the time elapsed since it was left. For each hour that passes, the DC increases by 2.

For the rest, this ability follows the rules of the Survival skill. Creatures that follow tracks with scent ignore the effects of the surfaces on which the track is found and poor visibility.

Water, especially running water, negates the track-following ability of creatures.

Some strong odors can easily mask others. The presence of a similar odor makes it impossible to detect or exactly identify a creature by Scent; the base DC of the Survival skill to follow tracks in the presence of masking odors changes from 10 to 20.

Blindsight

Using a set of senses other than sight, such as vibration perception, keen smell, acute hearing, or sonar, a creature with blindsight moves and fights as well as a sighted creature.

Invisibility and darkness are indifferent, although the creature with blindsight must have a line of effect to notice a particular creature or object.

A creature with cover still continues to have its Defense advantage.

The range of the ability is indicated in the creature’ **s description. The creature generally does not need to make Awareness checks to notice creatures within the range of its blindsight.

Unless otherwise indicated, blindsight is always active, and the creature does not need to take actions to activate it. Some forms of blindsight must be activated as an Immediate Action. In this case, it is indicated in the creature’ **s description.

An ethereal creature is not visible to blindsight.

True Sight

A creature with True Sight can, within the indicated range, see in normal and magical darkness, see invisible creatures and objects, automatically detect visual illusions and pass Saving Throws against them. It perceives the original form of a shapeshifter or a creature transformed by magic. The creature with True Sight can see into the Ethereal Plane.

Tremorsense

A creature with Tremorsense is sensitive to ground vibrations and can automatically detect anything in contact with the ground within the range specified by Tremorsense.

Aquatic Creatures with Tremorsense (echolocation) can perceive the position of creatures in contact with water.

The range of the ability is specified in the descriptive text of the creature.

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