Blinded

The creature cannot see. It is effectively operating in total darkness regardless of the actual light level.

Effects

• –2 penalty to AC and loses its Dexterity bonus to AC (if any).
• –4 penalty on most Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks, and on opposed Perception checks.
• All checks and activities that rely on vision — including sight-based Perception checks and reading — automatically fail.
• All opponents are considered to have total concealment (50% miss chance) from the blinded creature.
• Must make a DC 10 Acrobatics check to move faster than half speed; failure causes the creature to fall prone.
• Opponents do not gain the normal +2 bonus to attack rolls against a blinded creature, because the creature also cannot detect them normally — both sides are impaired. However, attackers who can see the blinded creature still benefit from it losing its Dex bonus to AC.

Ending the Condition

• Magical blindness (e.g., from blindness/deafness) is typically ended by remove blindness/deafness or dispel magic.
• Physical blindness from damage or conditions usually ends when the underlying cause is healed.
• Temporary blindness (such as from a color spray or blindness spell) ends when its duration expires.

Related Conditions

• Dazzled — a weaker vision impairment; –1 on attacks and sight-based Perception only.
• Flat-Footed — blinded creatures also lose their Dex bonus to AC, effectively making them flat-footed against all attacks.
• Prone — result of a failed Acrobatics check while moving at full speed when blinded.

Common Sources

The blindness/deafness spell; color spray and blindness effects; the Blinding Critical feat; gaze attacks from certain monsters; glitterdust; darkness or supernatural darkness that a creature's vision cannot penetrate.