Blind Shooting: This skill is the ability to shoot at a target without being able to see it; it is typically used when the character is in darkness or when the target is outside the range of his sight or infravision. The character must be able to hear the target so that its position can be evaluated. If the character makes his skill check, he can then fire at the target; he needs an attack roll to hit the target, but the character doesn’t suffer the normal darkness penalties.
🏹 Racial Variants #
| Variant | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Dwarven | Echo-Location | In cramped tunnels, Dwarves listen for how their own breathing or heartbeats bounce off objects. They can “visualize” the room’s dimensions, reducing the penalty for shooting at stationary objects in total darkness. |
| Elven | Aetheric Intuition | Elves sense the “displacement” of magic or nature. Even if they can’t hear a target, they can feel the “void” where a living creature is standing against the natural background hum of the world. |
| Gnomish | Trigonometric Guesswork | Gnomes don’t trust their gut; they trust math. By hearing a sound, they mentally calculate the trajectory and distance. If they miss their attack roll by only 1 or 2, they may “skip” the shot off a wall to try and hit for half damage. |
| Orc | Vibratory Snarl | They use a low, sub-vocal growl to act as a primitive sonar. This allows them to “see” the silhouette of a target within 20′, even if the target is being perfectly quiet. |
🗺️ Regional Variants #
- The Fog-Coast Harrier (Coastal/Maritime)
Trained in “The Great Grey” where mist hides everything, these archers rely on Water-Sound.
- Specialty: They can pinpoint targets through the “splash” of a footstep or the “drip” of water off a cloak. They ignore penalties for shooting at targets that are partially submerged or walking on wet surfaces.
- The Great Forest Stalker (Wilderness/Jungle)
In the dense canopy, you rarely see the prey before you shoot.
- Specialty: The Rustle-Read. They can distinguish between the wind in the leaves and the weight of a body moving through branches. They gain a +2 to the skill check if the target is moving through any kind of foliage.
- The Under-City Assassin (Metropolitan/Sewer)
In the pitch-black tunnels beneath the capital, sounds echo and lie.
- Specialty: Echo-Filtering. These shooters have trained to ignore the “bounce” of sound. They can pinpoint the true source of a noise even in a room designed to reflect sound, preventing them from being tricked by misdirection.
- The Sand-Storm Sniper (Desert/Wasteland)
In regions where “Blind Shooting” is a daily necessity due to shifting sands.
- Specialty: Tactile Wind-Sense. They don’t just listen; they feel the wind. They can detect the “wind-break” caused by a target’s body, allowing them to shoot blindly even if the environment is extremely loud (like a howling gale).
🎯 Combat Mechanic: The “Volley of Faith” #
Since this skill requires a skill check and an attack roll, it is difficult to pull off.
- Design Tip: If the character succeeds on the Blind Shooting check by 5 or more, you might allow their subsequent attack roll to be made with Advantage (or a +2 bonus), representing a moment of perfect sensory clarity.
