Blind Character balancing

[Hobokhajiit]

So a player in my homebrew game wants to play a blind character (Like, fully blind, not like the oracle curse of blindness) and honestly the idea is quite compelling and he's managed to create a great backstory and reasoning for their character being around. However, there is quite the roadblock of making them feel useful both in and out of combat. Beyond giving them blindsense (and eventually blindsight) how would you suggest that I make this character balanced?

[Cult of Vorg]

The blinded blade feat chain, and/or a familiar who can see and gives them constant descriptions, are the best ways I know to them to mitigate their own downsides.
Not a fan of breaking-stuff-to-get-stuff character generation, so I wouldn't give them any extras.

[Claxon]

I wouldn't do much.

Maybe give them the swordmaster's blindfold as a free item. It will make the character viable enough to survive. But giving blindsense/blindsight further than 5 or 10 ft honestly becomes too strong.

[Ventnor]

Have your player look up the Blind Zeal trait, which helps get them what they want.

I’s also recommend that they look up the Master of Many Styles Monk or Unarmed Fighter archetypes, which will help them pick up the Blinded Blade Style of feats which are all about helping to mitigate the downsides of being blind.

[PossibleCabbage]

The most workable ways to play a blind character are either with the Blind Zeal trait (which makes you permanently blind, but you get blind Fight as a bonus feat and you're better off at getting around because you're used to being blind) or to be a Mutant character who takes "Echolocation" as their mutation and (for example) "Blind" as their deformity (e.g. you're Daredevil, but the magical chemicals that blinded you also made you a mutant.)

Then take your first level in a class that grants a style feat without needing to meet the prerequisites (Unarmed Fighter or Master of Many Styles) and pick up Blinded Blade Style. You can get the entire six feat chain by level 3 if you do this right.

[Backlash3906]

PCs with mutations (per People Of The Wastes) can take the Sonar Mutation and Blind Deformity.

[Scott Wilhelm]

To make your character functional while blind, you don't need to do more than have the Scent Ability and the Blind Fighting Feat. Blind Fighting lets you navigate, keep your Dex Mod to AC, and reroll Miss Chances. Scent lets you find your opponents' squares. Catfolk can get Scent as an Alternative Racial Trait. Half Orcs can get it as a Feat. Dwarves can get Tremorsense at the cost of like 2-3 Feats. Improved and Greater Blind Fighting would certainly helped, but my Half Orc Grappler with Blind Fighting and Keen Scent never felt the need to take those: Blind Fighting was enough for her.

Next, this character at level 1 probably wants Smoke Sticks, lots of SmokeSticks. When he can afford it, an Eversmoking Bottle. Hopefully, the Rest of the party will work out countermeasures against going Blind/fighting Invisible opponents, or your Blind Fighter will be the only one who IS any good in melee.

[blahpers]

This got me thinking. Can a blind caster target herself?

[Fuzzy-Wuzzy]

blahpers wrote:

This got me thinking. Can a blind caster target herself?

Aiming a Spell wrote:

Target or Targets: Some spells have a target or targets. You cast these spells on creatures or objects, as defined by the spell itself. You must be able to see or touch the target, and you must specifically choose that target. You do not have to select your target until you finish casting the spell.

You can always touch yourself (let the lame jokes begin!) so yes, she can.

[Rosc]

Funny enough, it circles back around to Oracle. A Life Oracle can lifelink several party members and act as a heal battery, restoring their own hit points on their turn. Channeling without being able to deselect enemies is annoying, but it would be great against, say, an enemy caster that opens up with a long range AoE spell. And I know that kind of caster is popular in APs and PFS scenarios.

I believe gnomes have a favored class bonus of advancing your curse benefits. So consider one of those, especially for the cha/con benefits, and take the clouded vision curse.