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Blind characters have disadvantage on attack rolls, however breath weapon does not require the attacker to roll dice. Should I assume, then, that there is not penalty for attacking with a breath weapon while my character is blind?

Thomas Markov
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user3347814
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1 Answers1

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Blindness imposes no mechanical penalty on a creature using a breath weapon.

The blinded condition states:

  • A blinded creature can't see and automatically fails any ability check that requires sight.
  • Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature's attack rolls have disadvantage.

Since a breath weapon uses a saving throw by the target, rather than an attack roll by the attacker, there is no “penalty” to using a breath weapon while blinded. However, you must consider that if you can’t see, maybe you aren’t sure where the best place to point your mouth is.

Thomas Markov
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    +1 for the last sentence. I definitely wouldn't have a blinded dragon precisely place their breath weapon to catch every PC, including the ones at the very edges. Likely, I'd center the cone on one that either struck the dragon in melee or cast a spell with a verbal component in the last few actions, and whoever it hits, it hits. – gatherer818 Sep 19 '21 at 19:24
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    Or I would reduce the damage/effect due to the dragon spraying it everywhere instead of focusing on a target. It's really up to the DM. – Nelson Sep 20 '21 at 04:51
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    @Nelson It’s only up to the DM in sense that the DM can make up rulings for whatever they want. However the rules here are quite clear that that is not necessary. – Thomas Markov Sep 20 '21 at 05:45
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    @gatherer818: Note that dragons have Blindsight, although for blue dragons the 60ft blindsight is less than the range of their 90ft long, 5ft wide line of breath. So the worst-affected creatures will be non-dragons (or young dragons with only 30ft blindsight), and/or ones with line breaths (which need to be aimed accurately). e.g. a Dragonborn with their innate breath weapon on a turn when they're blinded. Sounds of combat (if any) around them might give them a chance to know something exciting is in that direction, but maybe not friend vs. foe. – Peter Cordes Sep 20 '21 at 05:55
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    @PeterCordes unless you Hide, your position is always known in combat. https://rpg.stackexchange.com/a/130130/14988 – Adeptus Sep 20 '21 at 07:28
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    @Adeptus: I think it's reasonable that a creature might do worse than that when deprived of the normal primary sense it uses for keeping track of creatures in a chaotic combat. Like general direction, sure, but hitting the right 5ft square at 60 or 90 ft with a line breath weapon, for a target that's running around amidst the general clamour of combat, for a creature not used to tracking without sight? Or say casting Create Bonfire on the right 5ft square at 60ft? I know there's no specific rule for losing pinpoint position accuracy, but that linked Q&A is using a 1v1 close range example. – Peter Cordes Sep 20 '21 at 08:03
  • @PeterCordes Then the argument becomes how much do dragons rely on sight, and how much of a disadvantage would not having it impose. for most creatures loss of sight is pretty significant (particularly without any good mechanics for most other senses in game) but for a creature with decent blindsight I'd say it's almost no consequence as long as the targets are within the 60 feet (for adult dragons) range – Andrew Sep 20 '21 at 20:02
  • @Andrew I’m about 90% confident that OP is talking about a Dragonborn PC, not a dragon NPC. – Thomas Markov Sep 20 '21 at 20:03
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    @Andrew: Exactly, if we were talking about a dragon at all. Since the question mentions "character", probably not. Could be a dragonborn, could be someone using a spell, or potion of fire breathing. The answer is also relevant to other creatures with breath weapons but not blindsight (or not out to the same range as their breath), which was the point I was making. You're correct that the whole point of blindsight is that there's no combat consequence for relying on it instead of vision, for creatures within its range. Blindsight only misses colors and maybe subtle sign language. – Peter Cordes Sep 20 '21 at 21:29