Spells for a blind mage?

[Michael Thayne]

This is a question I got thinking about because of [url=http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=114127]this character,[/i] but it's really a quite general one: what spells work well for a blind mage? Here's what I can come up with:

• Illusion spells are mostly ruled out if you can't see, as are a few others (Know True Shape, Turn Spirit)
• Offensive spells are generally ruled out, unless you can trick someone into letting them touch you
• Regular spells are generally OK if it's not going to be hard to touch the subject
• Information spells are generally OK if you don't need to see the subject

Any other guidelines I should know about? Spells that might not seem like they require touch, but do?

[Otaku]

I am curious if there are any legitimate "work around" options for a blind mage - spells that while being used might provide at least some form of sight. If there are, should they be treated as a mitigator? How does exact skill level apply? As per usual, I am working from 3e books myself, so perhaps this is more clear in 4e. Sound Vision, for example, seems to have prerequisites that would allow a blind mage to learn it, but the description makes it sound like it might still be using the eyes.

[David Johnston2]

Animal would be a highly effective college for a blind caster. Summon Animal. Beast Speech. Rider Within. Illusions work if you get to the point where you can give them Independence as do Creations. Wizard Eye is another spell that would compensate for blindness. Yes, you can know Keen Vision without being able to see. And yes, Sound Vision gives you sonar.

[gilbertocarlos]

Wizard's eye should be the way to go.

[Dalillama]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Animal would be a highly effective college for a blind caster. Summon Animal. Beast Speech. Rider Within. .

There's a witch in one of the Discworld books who uses this method; she's been blind for decades, but she has a pet raven who sits on her shoulder, and she uses its eyes to see through.

[Alex1976]

You could always create a power to allow them "sight" in a manner of speaking. I'd even go a step further and put the Magic -10% modifier on it.

The first thought that popped in mind is Toph, from the Avatar the Last Airbender. No matter what direction you go for a "sight" advantage, Blindness needs a mitigator on it I would think.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Alex1976

You could always create a power to allow them "sight" in a manner of speaking. I'd even go a step further and put the Magic -10% modifier on it.

The first thought that popped in mind is Toph, from the Avatar the Last Airbender. No matter what direction you go for a "sight" advantage, Blindness needs a mitigator on it I would think.

Mitigator is only necessary if the counter measure does not itself costs character points.

[Kromm]

Don't forget that any Regular spell allows you to name a vague target you can neither see nor touch, and then cast at an extra -5. See Regular Spells (Magic, p. 11). A blind wizard is at -5 a lot of the time, but can work most magic – including combat magic – if he's good enough.

As for using magic in place of vision, take a look at Sound Vision (Magic, p. 171), as others have recommended; it does not rely on the eyes. And Restore Sight (Magic, p. 92) is obviously a possibility.

[sir_pudding]

FWIW, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't let a player start with Blindness and Instant Restoration expecting to say "I cast Instant Restoration on myself" as their first in character action (and have it work).

[Alex1976]

Hahaha! That would be pretty hilarious! I'd allow it but I'd make them pay off the debt before they could spend points elsewhere the moment they cast it.