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We are running an “3 shot” campaign at our table, and I chose to be a Gloomstalker. The problem is that all the enemies at this adventure have blindsight, effectively muting one of the main Gloomstalker abilities. Since it's a short “campaign”, I figured maybe to propose to the DM an alternative to this ability (on the underpowered side) to see this campaign through. I don't want (and won't) change the character, but also I don't want to feel I missed out on a relatively big part of its mechanical benefits.

Any suggestions?

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    \$\begingroup\$ I’m voting to close this question because it is a "homebrew this for me" question. \$\endgroup\$
    – Akixkisu is on Strike
    Jan 7 at 13:17
  • \$\begingroup\$ It's a different tag I failed to see then? Because I only saw homebrew review (that this clearly is not) and Hombrew as relevant tags. The latter seemed appropriate because I indeed ask for suggestions that will be "homebrew" \$\endgroup\$
    – Giannis Papoutsakis
    Jan 7 at 13:29
  • \$\begingroup\$ Idea generation questions don’t work great with our format here, but your question may be on topic at a traditional discussion forum. \$\endgroup\$
    – Thomas Markov
    Jan 7 at 14:10
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    \$\begingroup\$ However, your question could be made on topic for the stack with some refocusing. Instead of asking for ideas (opinion based), focus on the problem you’re having, something like “I’m a gloomstalker but I frequently encounter enemies with blindsight, nullifying one of my core features. How can I still effectively deal with these enemies?”, along with some details about the fights and how you’ve been trying to play so far. \$\endgroup\$
    – Thomas Markov
    Jan 7 at 14:14
  • \$\begingroup\$ FYI, the word you're looking for is "mooting", not muting. \$\endgroup\$
    – fectin
    Jan 9 at 13:14

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Don't change the feature, change your attack mode

This is a bit of a frame challenge, but I think Umbral Sight can still work in such a campaign.

All creatures with blindsight only can use it in a limited radius, and very nearly all have 60 feet or less (only very unusual ones have 120 feet or more, like elder brains, the Tarrasque or some demon lords).

If you use ranged attacks rather than melee attacks, you will often be able to stay out of blindsight and enjoy the benefits of Umbral Sight. In partciular if you have natural darkvision, as you will then have darkvision out to 90 feet and still will be able to see them.

Addendum: while the above will help against opponents that have blindsight, what you are dealing with is truesight 120 feet, so that will not work.

In this case, I think the most balanced approach to this would be to ask your DM if you can replace the 3rd level feature against another Ranger subclass 3rd level feature. As the subclasses from Xanathar's have two such features (compared to the only one feature in the PHB), to keep it balanced maybe best one of those subclasses, for example the Monster Slayer has Hunters' Sense, or Slayer's Prey, both of which still would fit thematically with the Gloom Stalkers outlook of "seeking to ambush threats before they can reach the broader world".

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Well I thought about that, (it is possible only If you have darkvision inherently that my character conveniently have) but you can only see at 90 ft not 120, and the map on combat is rarely bigger than 60 ft anyway.. Also, I am not sure if this is hardcore metagaming or not... I mean, I know that future enemies have blind sight as well but does my character know (its a dumb one, 9 int only) and if he knows then how can be sure of the range? \$\endgroup\$
    – Giannis Papoutsakis
    Jan 7 at 13:26
  • \$\begingroup\$ The map size can indeed be limiting. What kind of enemies are you fighting? 9 is not that dumb, 10 is the human average. And maybe you have a smart wizard in the group who could tip them off to how to handle it? Would be easier than changing class features, if I were the DM. \$\endgroup\$
    – Nobody the Hobgoblin
    Jan 7 at 13:29
  • \$\begingroup\$ I am not exactly sure how they are called. There are mechanical, sentient constructs from a different plane that are normally obsessed with order and go rogue rarely (but they now did). My umbral sight didn't work at all in all the occasions and after the session the DM told me that unluckily all the enemies have 60ft blightsight... \$\endgroup\$
    – Giannis Papoutsakis
    Jan 7 at 13:35
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    \$\begingroup\$ This is pretty obviously an opinion based question, and we really shouldn’t be answering off topic questions. Your answer is good, but it is an answer to a different question, not the one OP asked. Frame challenges are generally okay, but if your answer is a frame challenge because the question is off topic as written, you should vote to close and give guidance for revision rather than answering a different question from the one that was written. \$\endgroup\$
    – Thomas Markov
    Jan 7 at 14:15
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    \$\begingroup\$ Remember, we’re trying to optimize for pearls, not sand. \$\endgroup\$
    – Thomas Markov
    Jan 7 at 14:45

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