Blind and Visually Impaired Community
↑
8
↓
I'm a sighted person making a blind D&D character. What should I know? (self.Blind)
submitted by idonotvibewiththis
Hi! I'm making a blind character in Dungeons & Dragons (a druid satyr). As I was researching, the mechanics pertaining to blindness got me thinking. It automatically gives you blindsight and advantage on Wisdom checks against lying and Wisdom checks involving sound/smell.
Translation: blindsight just makes you not blind (it's also an ability only monks get at level 10) and my character has improved hearing and smell. She's also really good at telling whether or not someone is lying to her. But my problem with those mechanics is that... she might as well not be blind. I mean, I'd just be making her blind for the "aesthetic", and that seems rude. Not to mention that her advantage against being lied to makes no sense.
Which got me thinking: What else am I missing? It seems like visually impaired people don't get any good representation, and I would hate to play an insensitive character. I've already edited the mechanics I was given (she can't be that over-powered lol), but what should I know about blind people before I play her? Are there any myths about y'all that you hate? Is there anything people assume about you that you're just dying to correct? What would you love to see in a visually impaired character? Thank you!
Translation: blindsight just makes you not blind (it's also an ability only monks get at level 10) and my character has improved hearing and smell. She's also really good at telling whether or not someone is lying to her. But my problem with those mechanics is that... she might as well not be blind. I mean, I'd just be making her blind for the "aesthetic", and that seems rude. Not to mention that her advantage against being lied to makes no sense.
Which got me thinking: What else am I missing? It seems like visually impaired people don't get any good representation, and I would hate to play an insensitive character. I've already edited the mechanics I was given (she can't be that over-powered lol), but what should I know about blind people before I play her? Are there any myths about y'all that you hate? Is there anything people assume about you that you're just dying to correct? What would you love to see in a visually impaired character? Thank you!
LadyAlleta 5 points 2y ago
Well not all blind people are totally blind. Most of us have residual vision. Certain people can't see colors or shapes. Others far away. Only shadows. Only colors. It's vastly different for each blind person.
There's a good number of blind people who can also pass as sighted. I get told that I don't act blind enough for most people to register that I'm blind, whatever that means.
And your eyes don't have to be cloudy either. My eyes are not cloudy at all. So you could make a blind character that can see objects but not know what they are. Mistake people for others. Talk to pillars. Is affected by bright lights or darkness.
There's a good number of blind people who can also pass as sighted. I get told that I don't act blind enough for most people to register that I'm blind, whatever that means.
And your eyes don't have to be cloudy either. My eyes are not cloudy at all. So you could make a blind character that can see objects but not know what they are. Mistake people for others. Talk to pillars. Is affected by bright lights or darkness.
idonotvibewiththis [OP] 2 points 2y ago
Oh, I didn't know that! I'll think more about what/how much she can see! Also-- I know this might be insensitive, but are there certain types of blindness that can be fixed by wearing glasses?
LadyAlleta 3 points 2y ago
If you can correct your vision with glasses then you aren't classified as blind. Best of luck
idonotvibewiththis [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Thanks :D
siriuslylupin6 4 points 2y ago
Sounds very creative as a perspective. But doesn’t work on paper. It depends on the blind person you can have someone like me who’s a pragmatist and a hardened realist who’s very capable. Then you can have people who don’t have their life together and sits at home and don’t do anything and is rather sheltered.
Secret for you blind people don’t have super powers and all it is is a focus transferred from a missing sense to use the other ones to compensate. Some are really good at it and some struggle more. Some people call them the levels of blindness or being at a certain level. I think it would be interesting to see how a blind capable person earns their way up somehow growth would be interesting as a blind person who’s capable. A very resourceful. Should be a fun character. I offer to be your character study ask me anything
Secret for you blind people don’t have super powers and all it is is a focus transferred from a missing sense to use the other ones to compensate. Some are really good at it and some struggle more. Some people call them the levels of blindness or being at a certain level. I think it would be interesting to see how a blind capable person earns their way up somehow growth would be interesting as a blind person who’s capable. A very resourceful. Should be a fun character. I offer to be your character study ask me anything
idonotvibewiththis [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Thank you so much! I had done a little surface-level research (basically I went on Quora a few times lol) before this, which was honestly more helpful than I thought it would be. I learned to change my worldview of "oh my gosh you're blind? I'm so sorry that must be awful" because I'm projecting right? (that was a genuine question)
And I was thinking that she'd be sort of driven yknow? Like you described, because she's an adventurer. But she'd also be a sort of really soft flower child. Also because part of her backstory is that she has to go on an epic quest to prove her worth because she was born blind and no one really expected that and they want to wait to see if she can handle herself before they put any energy into her. She also has a hawk-- I don't know its name yet but it's like her seeing eye dog but if seeing eye dogs had talons lol.
And wow really? That's really nice of you lol! I would probably ask-- have you seen Quest for Camelot? There's a totally blind character in there named Gareth, and I was wondering if you knew him so you could say whether or not he was good representation! Also, are there any sort of "quirks" you have being blind? Or things you notice sighted people don't do that you do? Like, are there things about being visually impaired a sighted person might not even think about? I want to make her as realistic as possible!
And I was thinking that she'd be sort of driven yknow? Like you described, because she's an adventurer. But she'd also be a sort of really soft flower child. Also because part of her backstory is that she has to go on an epic quest to prove her worth because she was born blind and no one really expected that and they want to wait to see if she can handle herself before they put any energy into her. She also has a hawk-- I don't know its name yet but it's like her seeing eye dog but if seeing eye dogs had talons lol.
And wow really? That's really nice of you lol! I would probably ask-- have you seen Quest for Camelot? There's a totally blind character in there named Gareth, and I was wondering if you knew him so you could say whether or not he was good representation! Also, are there any sort of "quirks" you have being blind? Or things you notice sighted people don't do that you do? Like, are there things about being visually impaired a sighted person might not even think about? I want to make her as realistic as possible!
siriuslylupin6 1 points 2y ago
Not a problem. My pleasure I enjoy educating people who want to and who are receptive and interested and actually engaged. I’ve done a lot of this stuff anyway and if I don’t do it in official capacity I take a lot of time to educate the public.I think a lot of people think blindness and it becomes a bit like the end of the world. And it isn’t I say there’s nothing to be sorry about I am not sorry I am me and not sorry I am blind. Haha! I am generally a pretty decently happy and very productive and capable person I do what everyone do and more. I am a bit of an unofficial leader in the community. I do a bit of the more administrative work like I’ve done advocacy and rep work. I’ve traveled to 6 states 2 summers ago. And probably made it around the city better then people who live there found trains and rode them and had a very packed 2 weeks in 6 states. I went surfing and wasn’t shy about it. I was covered by a two foot wave and wasn’t deterred and was then the automatic hero and everyone wanted a piece of me. I started my rep work then and was on a few papers I was on their magazines and flyers for a few years. Ive been recognized for my capability and can do attitude and bravery I don’t mean I am blind I am brave and can walk down the street. Haha! So please don’t feel sorry being blind or going blind is absolutely not the end of the world. This is what i tell everyone I’ve done very well in school, I’ve had a full 28 years of my life I have had no superpowers obviously and no sight. I guess my superpower is my ambition and boldness and readiness to go face challenges. I tell people if you’re willing to pick up your act and get yourself together you can do anything I am not suppose to b able to do any of these. I am not a blind person who just sits out and down and needs a lot of help. I think it has to do with a lot of non-blind things I’ve been doing a lot of self work. Always turn out as tougher kinds on theoretical typological systems. I can go on there’s a lot of life in here. In me. If you want to explore a little I suppose you can dig in to my messy profile haha! Not sure if you’d understand most of it I use this account besides these two days for typology really.
To directly answer your question I guess you can say that or people don’t know better I feel in the community there’s plenty of members to feel sorry for even I do. Because they really struggle then theres me. I’ve told people I don’t know if I am quite your mean average in terms of blind people in terms of people people probably but yeah..... extremely pragmatic, independent, capable, and willful in a sense. So yeah.... definitely if you want a survey to see the common blind person don’t ask me. Haha!
I’ve done my share of adventuring myself I like it. Especially involve food. I am all yours hahaha!
Most blind people see us or me and think unusual but because they have seen so much mean average it all depends there’s a good handful of us though it depends again where you are.
I like it seeing eye hawk! Very neat idea hahaha!
I’ve never seen that movie. There’ is only kind of one quirk I have a few but most of them are not blindness related there’s one that’s tangentially so but mostly not.
I sometimes have very bad posture, my facial feature and expressions are probably meh and sometimes I will do wierdish thing like listen to you and multi task not that I do that well but it’s like...... I am so use to listening to things and do things and then maybe stop when I talk sometimes I don’t. I can also sometimes when listening to a thing on the phone or even a lecture really bad idea but relax on the desk like lean forward. I probably look like I am bored but I am listening intently but relaxed no I don’t usually look at you it’s a really bad habit I know haha! When I remember I will or in a video I will and will probably pay more attention to posture. Maybe not.
Oh I really like textures and stuff of that nature like glassy surfaces or stuff like that smooth things polished rocks etc..... it’s also typology related too though I don’t want to confuse you and use big words so leaving it. Out haha!
He tangential one and someone said it was odd I think it may be more me then blindness is I dont like video games or tv. It’s not that I can not watch I know that I could I don’t like audio discription so I just don’t watch much I watch some and I can tell with a lot of them but most of it is no interest there’s also audio games but I don’t also enjoy those again a me thing not a blind thing. I enjoy it rarely. I work to hard if I was to be honest.
There’s another thing. My writing is good obviously but people have called me out on it. I think I also write weird but some of us do I pay attention to that aspect less also can be a me thing but punctuation can also be a bit visual. If you listened to it without it it would just keep on going but you can make sense of it. One person is like this is almost a perfect run on sentence I dont know what you said. Haha! Some blind people are better. At this.
And if you have more ask away.
To directly answer your question I guess you can say that or people don’t know better I feel in the community there’s plenty of members to feel sorry for even I do. Because they really struggle then theres me. I’ve told people I don’t know if I am quite your mean average in terms of blind people in terms of people people probably but yeah..... extremely pragmatic, independent, capable, and willful in a sense. So yeah.... definitely if you want a survey to see the common blind person don’t ask me. Haha!
I’ve done my share of adventuring myself I like it. Especially involve food. I am all yours hahaha!
Most blind people see us or me and think unusual but because they have seen so much mean average it all depends there’s a good handful of us though it depends again where you are.
I like it seeing eye hawk! Very neat idea hahaha!
I’ve never seen that movie. There’ is only kind of one quirk I have a few but most of them are not blindness related there’s one that’s tangentially so but mostly not.
I sometimes have very bad posture, my facial feature and expressions are probably meh and sometimes I will do wierdish thing like listen to you and multi task not that I do that well but it’s like...... I am so use to listening to things and do things and then maybe stop when I talk sometimes I don’t. I can also sometimes when listening to a thing on the phone or even a lecture really bad idea but relax on the desk like lean forward. I probably look like I am bored but I am listening intently but relaxed no I don’t usually look at you it’s a really bad habit I know haha! When I remember I will or in a video I will and will probably pay more attention to posture. Maybe not.
Oh I really like textures and stuff of that nature like glassy surfaces or stuff like that smooth things polished rocks etc..... it’s also typology related too though I don’t want to confuse you and use big words so leaving it. Out haha!
He tangential one and someone said it was odd I think it may be more me then blindness is I dont like video games or tv. It’s not that I can not watch I know that I could I don’t like audio discription so I just don’t watch much I watch some and I can tell with a lot of them but most of it is no interest there’s also audio games but I don’t also enjoy those again a me thing not a blind thing. I enjoy it rarely. I work to hard if I was to be honest.
There’s another thing. My writing is good obviously but people have called me out on it. I think I also write weird but some of us do I pay attention to that aspect less also can be a me thing but punctuation can also be a bit visual. If you listened to it without it it would just keep on going but you can make sense of it. One person is like this is almost a perfect run on sentence I dont know what you said. Haha! Some blind people are better. At this.
And if you have more ask away.
idonotvibewiththis [OP] 2 points 2y ago
Oh, so you're saying that it's easy to be successful even with a disability if you take opportunities and work hard? And thanks! I hadn't even thought of half of those! And can I contact you if I have more questions later? thanks
FantasticGlove 1 points 2y ago
I'm totally blind myself meaning that I have no useable vision. It isn't so hard now because I've had years of training. I can travel pritty well and I know braille and how to use technology which helps a hell of a lot. I've had plenty of hardships but also plenty of accomplishments along with my blind brothers and father. Meaning that my brothers and Dad are also totally blind thou? its not genetic. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me. I'd be happy to help.
siriuslylupin6 1 points 2y ago
Yes you can. Feel free to message or chat. I would love to help.
That’s my general mindset anyway. Blindness doesn’t cover up personality or self. I am of that mindset anyway.. so yes and this is how I’ve generally been a pretty successful person. There’s people who’s going to disagree fundamentally with me. But whatever.
Also you wuldn’t I guess, because you don’t live it. I came up with more in the interim.
Again here’s some stuff the line is very blurry it’s a personal cognitive thing blind people have different quirks but some are more blindness related but all of them are influenced by who we are and personality for instance I work very hard but have come to believe and understand about myself that I do like relaxing while I do it. I’ll not throw in terms that are too big I can head you that way as many people find it really helpful to also use these things for characters, heck even real people and self-development I’ve done a lot of it and found it tremendously helpful I am talking about the jungian typology stuff either east or west the western stuff gets used sometimes to write stories and such. And characterization and character exercise. I think I’ve given you enough that you can type me anyway hahaha! A lot of my quirks are also directly related to blindness but influenced by these. Probably can’t tell one part of it but yeah....
Anyway. My other two I thought of are tactile type quirks.
Oh blind people in general sometimes like kitchen to cut their stake for them. That’s a common one I am thinking about food.I tend to like to feel around the plate I use my hands excessively. I like making sure I get every piece where my food is etc... there’s the way to use a fork and another fork or spoon but I like more contact with my food. Odd and I am probably going to get some blindy saying I am a weirdo and how uncivilized haha! I also sometimes just eat with hands when fairly appropriate and possible no I am not eating a bowl of pasta with my hands. Absolutely not. But I will a few pieces of meat on a place fairly dry and stuff sometimes if they have bones I just do grab it even if saucy. Often after done eating I put my hand and feel and greedily eat up the last morsels. I am a feeler and not jungian I mean feeling around the next one will be like this too.
I like using my hands and feet to track on the ground and other places usually ground is feet right but I use hands a lot too. If I drop something I’ll track it with my feet. I don’t like slippers for that reason and use like socks instead I’ll rub my feet around or walk around carefully to find it sometimes the item is small a magnet bead. I like fidgeting but I don’t think that’s a blind thing. It’s just a me thing has more to do with the other thing. But I heavily do this with my body and hands and foot. I find things pretty well. I find crawling on the ground not to my liking and I am very alergic. If I need to do it I will but I mostly don’t. But yeah.... I hope that also helps.
Not blindness related but I can give you some resources I think may help you characterize and such. You have to do a little to a lot of studying.
That’s my general mindset anyway. Blindness doesn’t cover up personality or self. I am of that mindset anyway.. so yes and this is how I’ve generally been a pretty successful person. There’s people who’s going to disagree fundamentally with me. But whatever.
Also you wuldn’t I guess, because you don’t live it. I came up with more in the interim.
Again here’s some stuff the line is very blurry it’s a personal cognitive thing blind people have different quirks but some are more blindness related but all of them are influenced by who we are and personality for instance I work very hard but have come to believe and understand about myself that I do like relaxing while I do it. I’ll not throw in terms that are too big I can head you that way as many people find it really helpful to also use these things for characters, heck even real people and self-development I’ve done a lot of it and found it tremendously helpful I am talking about the jungian typology stuff either east or west the western stuff gets used sometimes to write stories and such. And characterization and character exercise. I think I’ve given you enough that you can type me anyway hahaha! A lot of my quirks are also directly related to blindness but influenced by these. Probably can’t tell one part of it but yeah....
Anyway. My other two I thought of are tactile type quirks.
Oh blind people in general sometimes like kitchen to cut their stake for them. That’s a common one I am thinking about food.I tend to like to feel around the plate I use my hands excessively. I like making sure I get every piece where my food is etc... there’s the way to use a fork and another fork or spoon but I like more contact with my food. Odd and I am probably going to get some blindy saying I am a weirdo and how uncivilized haha! I also sometimes just eat with hands when fairly appropriate and possible no I am not eating a bowl of pasta with my hands. Absolutely not. But I will a few pieces of meat on a place fairly dry and stuff sometimes if they have bones I just do grab it even if saucy. Often after done eating I put my hand and feel and greedily eat up the last morsels. I am a feeler and not jungian I mean feeling around the next one will be like this too.
I like using my hands and feet to track on the ground and other places usually ground is feet right but I use hands a lot too. If I drop something I’ll track it with my feet. I don’t like slippers for that reason and use like socks instead I’ll rub my feet around or walk around carefully to find it sometimes the item is small a magnet bead. I like fidgeting but I don’t think that’s a blind thing. It’s just a me thing has more to do with the other thing. But I heavily do this with my body and hands and foot. I find things pretty well. I find crawling on the ground not to my liking and I am very alergic. If I need to do it I will but I mostly don’t. But yeah.... I hope that also helps.
Not blindness related but I can give you some resources I think may help you characterize and such. You have to do a little to a lot of studying.
DrillInstructorJan 1 points 2y ago
Holy hell, can I get improved Wisdom checks?
bradley22 1 points 2y ago
Hmm... How about being able to feel the energies around her? Basicly like a sonar, so she could fling this energy root out and it would stick on whatever she was facing then she'd be gently tugged towards that thing. My way of looking at things is have fun and don't worry if you offend anyone, it's your life and it's just a game :) Enjoy.
idonotvibewiththis [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Oh that might work! That's probably honestly a magical item! I'll ask my DM if that's something I could feasibly have, considering I'm a druid yknow? And thanks!! I like doing this research, but it's nice to sort of have a load off too! Have a great day :D
bradley22 1 points 2y ago
Yeah it sounds like an awesome power :)
Thanks :) you too.
Thanks :) you too.
[deleted] 1 points 2y ago
[deleted]
idonotvibewiththis [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Thank you for responding!! Yeah, my DM's pretty strict lol. She barely let me have a blind character at all because she says I'll be "useless" even though what you said is true. She'd have a pretty big disadvantage but would ultimately have a lot of strengths and attributes about her that'd make her an asset. I'm trying to convince her not to make me have disadvantage on attack rolls since my character also has a seeing eye blood hawk. That's awesome, right?! With our abilities combined I'd definitely be good enough to avoid disadvantage!
This nonprofit website is run by volunteers.
Please contribute if you can. Thank you!
Our mission is to provide everyone with access to large-
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
©2023 HumbleCat Inc • HumbleCat is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Michigan, USA.