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Not every creature with Blindsight is immune to the Blinded condition (like bats). However, blindsight seems to work for those that can't see, and Blinded is about not being able to See.

RAW seems to point that if someone casts Blindness on a bat, they should suffer the Blinded condition even though they have Blindsight because Bats are not immune to that condition.

Is this correct?

SevenSidedDie
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NotArch
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    RAW tag not actually needed when simply asking what the rules do, since that would make it apply to 90% of site questions. Instead, reserve it for when you're really down in the weeds in complex rules interactions — when the tag is actually tagging something significant about the question. (Aside, note that RAW and "5e rules-light interpretation" are nearly always the same in 5e, because "5e rules-light interpretation" is the rules-as-written in 5e.) – SevenSidedDie Dec 15 '16 at 18:36

2 Answers2

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Blindsight
A creature with blindsight can perceive its surroundings without relying on sight, within a specific radius. Creatures without eyes, such as oozes, and creatures with echolocation or heightened senses, such as bats and true dragons, have this sense. (5e SRD, pg 86)

It is important to note that being naturally blind is not a required condition for a creature to have Blindsight or for Blindsight to apply. In cases where creatures are blind outside of their Blindsight radius, it is called out in the entry, such as in this example from the Black Pudding monster:

Senses: blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius)

As written, Bats can be blinded because they are not immune to the condition. However, Blindsight, being a more specific rule, still allows a bat to function while blinded and will not cause the bat to suffer from disadvantage on attacks or grant advantage to attacks against it.

In short, Blindsight is a specific exception to the blinded condition, and differs from being immune to blinded.

However, bear in mind that Blindsight has a radius. For this example I'll use a hypothetical creature that has a ranged attack and Blindsight. The blinded Blindsighted creature may make attacks without disadvantage against targets within its Blindsight radius, but outside of that radius its attacks may suffer from the penalties. The same goes for attacks against it: attacks made by attackers outside the Blindsight range may get advantage, while inside the radius they do not.

LegendaryDude
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    Blindsight also has a limited range, so a non-blinded bat can see for miles on a clear day, but a blinded bat can only see within its 60 ft. blindsight. – Josh Clark Dec 15 '16 at 18:19
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    @NautArch A bat can actually see outside its blindsight radius. Bats are not blind. – Randomorph Dec 15 '16 at 18:28
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A bat afflicted with Blindness would be blind by RAW, which affects its vision beyond its Blindsight radius. Contrary to popular belief, most bats are NOT blind, using Echolocation as an efficient means of hunting small insects, and seeing at night and in dark caves.

They would retain their Blindsight however, as Blindness does not affect this sense. Blindsense is a specific rule which overrides the general rule of Blindness within a set radius. Outside this radius they are still blind and suffer the normal effects, such as disadvantage on attack rolls, and advantage to hit the bat with attacks.

Additionally, a bats stat block has Echolocation, which says that a Bat loses it's Blindsight when Deafened, so to truly render a Bat blinded it must be both effectively Blinded and Deafened.

Randomorph
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  • I think I see my error...I was expecting them to list the standard sensory distance. I now see that it is 60' blindsight, unlimited regular sight (in lit conditions) because every creature can see unlimited in regular lit conditions. – NotArch Dec 15 '16 at 18:45