Ok, I cast blindness on the...

[Dryder]

...ETTIN!

I had this last night during gaming and I wasn't sure about the two heads. I ruled (for once) that both heads had been blinded, but I want to hear from you guys, what you think of this or if there's a rule which I've maybe overseen?!
Any input is appreciated!

- Tom

[Carnivore]

from SRD:
Blindness/Deafness
Necromancy
Level: Brd 2, Clr 3, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One living creature
Duration: Permanent (D)
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

You call upon the powers of unlife to render the subject blinded or deafened, as you choose.

It does say "Target: One living creature", so I'd say blindness blinds both ettin heads.

[d13]

Don't Ettin have some special two weapon fighting feat because of their two heads? That makes it seem like they are able to split their focus equally. I've always thought (and played) that the two heads both have seperate consciousnesses. Its an interesting question, but if I were running the game I would've blinded only one of the heads.

[I’ve Got Reach]

Does the severing of one head (or, say the brain sucking of an Illithid) kill an ettin?

Come on! I was always told that two heads are better than one! :)

[DMFTodd]

Yep, ettin is one living creature so both heads are blinded.

Now, an illithid sucking out 1 brain and the beast keeps going? That's just cool.

[d13]

I’ve Got Reach wrote:

Does the severing of one head (or, say the brain sucking of an Illithid) kill an ettin?

Not necessarily, but it would lose control of half of its body.

At least, thats how I would run it on the fly.

Thats a pretty full meal for an Illithid by the way. He may need a doggy bag.

[Colin McKinney]

A guy played a two-headed dwarf in my last campaign. His theory was, if the character only gets to benefit from one helmet, or circlet, or necklace, any blinding that gets done blinds the whole creature. He mentioned a feat that could be taken that would grant the ability for each head to be able to wear its own magic items. I don't know if that would be extended to allow one to be blinded but the other, not; unfortunately, I have no cite for this feat.

[Sebastian]

My memory of earlier editions is that an ettin had a special resistance to mind effecting type spells (not that blindness is a mind effecting spell) whereby either both heads got saves or only one head was effected. Looking up the current version of the monster, I see no such ability, so I think the call you made was correct under the RAW.

[d13]

I guess blinding the whole creature seems correct as far as the RAW, but in terms of storytelling, I see much more of a bonus in playing only half of the Ettin as blinded. This makes room for a some on-the-fly-bonuses to flanking and a wicked opening for a rogue to use a sneak attack.

According to the MMI, Ettins have superior two weapon fighting because each of its two heads controls an arm (and) the ettin does not take a penalty on attack or damage rolls. . .

Perhaps blinding the Ettin would take this inherent bonus away. . .

Storytelling-wise, it is just cool to me to picture fighting an Ettin with this disadvantage - one arm flailing blindly while the other tries to keep itself together. . .

Not to mention fighting an Ettin with one of its brain sucked out by an Illithid. If it could sustain the initial shock of the brain removal, a hobbled, one armed Ettin (giant) fighting for its life is cool to imagine.

[Saern]

Yeah, but if he manages to kill the mind flayer, I actually feel really bad for the ettin, who then must go around with his other half clinging dead to him. Ugh.

On a side note, why do the game designers love using ettins for templates so much?

From the MM3: Spellwarped... ETTIN!

From Libris Mortis: Hooded Pupil... ETTIN!

Huh?

[DMFTodd]

>> Storytelling-wise, it is just cool to me to picture fighting an Ettin with this disadvantage - one arm flailing blindly while the other tries to keep itself together. . .

Now yeah, that's cool. It doesn't fit the RAW but it evens out. One arm attacks as blind, roll each round to see which head gets to control movement - the random wandering blind head or the one that can see. Screams of "Ahhh! I can't see!" followed by "Yes, I can!", "No, I can't!", "Yes, I can!".