D&D 5E View distances and perception

[maritimo80]

Expect to find in this new DMG, the distances to sight, smell and hearing, as well as distances to meetings, but unfortunately not found.




So I ask all of you:


1) What is the distance to view (DAY) the following terrains / conditions? (Stealth and detetion)

a) Sparse Forest
b) Medium Forest
c) Dense Forest
d) Moor (Marsh)
e) Swamp (Marsh)
f) Gentle Hill
h) Rugged Hill
i) Montain
j) Desert
l) Desert with dunes
j) Desert with sandstorm
l) Plains
l) Underwater

2) The night or in dim light distances are reduced to how many times?

3) The distance which a character can smell (perception) an enemy for example behind cover?

4) The distance which a character can hear the low noise (perception) of an enemy for example behind cover?

5) The enemy being for example behind a wall in another room, how far a character can hear the low noise (perception) and smell (perception) of an enemy?

 

[Beleriphon]

1) What is the distance to view (DAY) the following terrains / conditions? (Stealth and detetion)

a) Sparse Forest

A few hundred feet at best. The farther out the trees get the denser they appear.

b) Medium Forest
c) Dense Forest

Same as sparse, but it could be as much as half or three quarters shorter.

d) Moor (Marsh)
e) Swamp (Marsh)

Assuming a roughly level terrain with minimal tree cover you'd be looking at the horizon about three miles distant. That's for an average sized human, halflings wouldn't be able to see as far since they much shorter. As a rule though I'd say with clear sight lines at least two and half miles, but that doesn't take into account the fact that at those distance the only thing you'd be able to see if a human sized object standing there.

f) Gentle Hill
h) Rugged Hill
i) Montain

d=3.57(square Height)

So standing on top of Mount Everest you'd be able to see the horizon 336km away.

j) Desert

Same as the horizon

l) Desert with dunes

Until the next dune of sufficient size to block sight.

j) Desert with sandstorm

A dozen feet or less.

l) Plains

Miles and miles.

l) Underwater

As much as a mile or as little as nothing depending on the type and clarity of the water.

 

[maritimo80]

A few hundred feet at best. The farther out the trees get the denser they appear.



Same as sparse, but it could be as much as half or three quarters shorter.



Assuming a roughly level terrain with minimal tree cover you'd be looking at the horizon about three miles distant. That's for an average sized human, halflings wouldn't be able to see as far since they much shorter. As a rule though I'd say with clear sight lines at least two and half miles, but that doesn't take into account the fact that at those distance the only thing you'd be able to see if a human sized object standing there.



d=3.57(square Height)

So standing on top of Mount Everest you'd be able to see the horizon 336km away.



Same as the horizon



Until the next dune of sufficient size to block sight.



A dozen feet or less.



Miles and miles.



As much as a mile or as little as nothing depending on the type and clarity of the water.

Could answer me in feets, please?

 

[Morrus]

Could answer me in feets, please?

He's made the effort to go into detail and answer your question, including doing some math for you. The very least you can do is quickly convert miles or kilometres to feet.

Here's a tool you can use:

http://www.metric-conversions.org/length/kilometers-to-feet.htm

 

[maritimo80]

He's made the effort to go into detail and answer your question, including doing some math for you. The very least you can do is quickly convert miles or kilometres to feet.

Here's a tool you can use:

http://www.metric-conversions.org/length/kilometers-to-feet.htm

I do not need a converter, but only know according to the terrain, which the distance in meters to see and understand?

 

[aramis erak]

Expect to find in this new DMG, the distances to sight, smell and hearing, as well as distances to meetings, but unfortunately not found.




So I ask all of you:


1) What is the distance to view (DAY) the following terrains / conditions? (Stealth and detetion)

a) Sparse Forest
b) Medium Forest
c) Dense Forest
d) Moor (Marsh)
e) Swamp (Marsh)
f) Gentle Hill
h) Rugged Hill
i) Montain
j) Desert
l) Desert with dunes
j) Desert with sandstorm
l) Plains
l) Underwater

2) The night or in dim light distances are reduced to how many times?

3) The distance which a character can smell (perception) an enemy for example behind cover?

4) The distance which a character can hear the low noise (perception) of an enemy for example behind cover?

5) The enemy being for example behind a wall in another room, how far a character can hear the low noise (perception) and smell (perception) of an enemy?

Underwater is mentioned in the DMG. 60' bright, 30' dim, 10' murky encounter distances.

 

[Antz7766]

Could answer me in feets, please?

Not everything is measured in feet though in the game. If the player is traveling between cities, the distance covered is measured in miles, not feet. If you want to know the distance so you can judge how far they can see on a particular battle map, chances are they can see the entire map unless A) Something is blocking line of sight like trees, huge boulders, high hills, B) There are things that obscure vision like fogs or light conditions, or C) Your battle map is just that huge for non-water battle. Assuming 5 feet squares, in the case of a forest map, a few hundred feet (say 200) will require your map to be at least 40x40. A plains map that you can basically see out to the horizon means you'll need a battle map that's over 1000x1000 (1 mile = 5280 feet = 1056 squares) for them to not be able to see everything.

The way I handle vision is usually just allow them to see everything unless foliage/light restricts otherwise.

As for smell, I'd just use a 30 feet radius in open area, and adjust the radius to be larger if the players are in an enclosed area where the smell tends to linger and permeate.

Hearing also depends largely on surrounding and the volume of the speaker. I just use the same rule above.

Not sure what you mean by distance to meeting, but if you mean the distance to start combat and roll initiative, then I'd say if the player and enemy sees each other, roll initiative. If they're far apart that just means there'll be a couple round of combat where people are just trying to move closer to one another. Otherwise, let one side try and sneak up to the other to try and surprise them, and with the first intentional harmful action declared against the surprised player/enemy, roll for initiative, awarding surprise round to the party that initiated combat.

Unfortunately, the rules tend to be non-specific when it comes to things like this. It really is up to you if you want the players to hear them or not. Remember you're just there to drive the story, and not actively trying to kill the party, so if you want them to see/hear/smell it to move the story forward? let them just do so naturally. If you want the see/hear/smell to be more challenging, set a DC, and ask them roll perception checks if they aren't already asking for it. If they roll high enough, they get to observe their surrounding with more focus and see/hear/smell those things.

 

[toasterferret]

Not to be rude or anything, but do you think you could condense all of your rules questions into one thread instead of starting a new one every time? You've started almost 20 threads now and most of them are simple rules clarifications that might be better grouped together. That way other people with questions can look in one place, and the board isnt cluttered with a ton of simple question threads.

 

[Scorpio616]

Not to be rude or anything, but do you think you could condense all of your rules questions into one thread

That would diminish the usefulness of the topic and any answers. One of the features of the board is topics are never deleted and can found by posterity with the site's search feature for paid members or for free by the public through search engines. A topic with a specific and accurate title and tags will be found by others searching for the same topic, while a unspecific title like 'Some Rules Questions' will be of little use down the timestream.

 

[Hand of Evil]

I think the question should be; What is the Skill check to notice something at distance?

Humans have great vision, we look into the night sky and see light years away, but are we just talking humans?

It has to do with the curve of the earth, your height and obstructions. Normally this is only 3.5 miles. If the earth was flat, at night you could see the light from a candle 30 miles away. So, what is the answer? Think I would be looking at coverage rules, how much coverage does what you are looking at have?

I would allow checks for the following distances to NOTICE something; flash of color, movement.

• Sparse Forest & Moor (Marsh) - 2 miles or less
• Medium Forest & Swamp (Marsh) - 1/2 mile or less
• Dense Forest - Quarter of mile or less
• Mountain - 30 miles (If you are look out from the mountain)
• Desert & Plains - 3.5 miles