Template:Vision
Vision (Awareness)
In broad daylight under optimal weather conditions, sufficiently observant characters can spot objects when they are merely specks on the horizon. However, many conditions can interfere with visibility. Exalted handles such conditions by labeling poor visibility as a -1 external penalty and no visibility as a -2 penalty. For every condition, characters face two associated values measured in yards of radius. The smaller value is the distance at which clear vision ends. Any attack or other physical action intended to affect a target beyond this radius suffers the poor visibility penalty. The second, larger radius is the distance at which murky vision ends. Targets outside this range are effectively invisible, imposing the penalty for no visibility. Without the assistance of Charms or stunts, characters cannot make any ranged attacks to a distance greater than twice the “murky vision ends” radius, unless their targets are individually illuminated (such as by carrying a torch).
Torches and other light sources supplant the regular illumination within their radius, granting sufficient illumination to read inside the clear vision area. Unfortunately, torches and other open flames are visible for several miles, alerting anyone hiding in the darkness to the location of the torchbearer and permitting ranged attacks against these highlighted targets as if they were in poor lighting.
While truly invisible characters also impose a -2 external penalty to hit them, vision penalties do not apply to blind characters. Instead, characters who cannot see clearly suffer a -2 internal penalty, while true blindness increases the penalty to -4. Functionally, blindness affords the same approximate hindrance as true darkness, but the nature of the penalty is different because darkness is an external obstacle whereas blindness impairs a character's ability to function.
Sample Visibility Conditions
| Condition | Clear Vision Ends |
Murky Vision Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Bonfire* | 10 | 20 |
| Fog, Day | 10 | 30 |
| Fog, Night | 0 | 3 |
| Full Moon, City or Forest | 0 | 3 |
| Full Moon, Grass or Leafless Forest | 25 | 50 |
| Full Moon, Snowy Ground or Desert | 50 | 100 |
| Heavy Snow, Day | 0 | 20 |
| Heavy Snow, Night | 0 | 0 |
| No Moon, City or Forest | 0 | 0 |
| No Moon, Grass or Leafless Forest | 0 | 3 |
| No Moon, Snowy Ground or Desert | 5 | 25 |
| Torchlight* | 3 | 5 |
* Indicates a light source that supplants visibility within its radius.