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I'm playing a Wild Magic Sorcerer who obtained a Wand of Wonders — randomness ftw! Anyway, I accidentally blinded myself by using the wand.

On my next turn, still being blind, I want to cast Acid Splash on a target — can I do this?

I attacked the target before, and they haven't moved, I chose Acid Splash because the spell doesn't need "a target you can see" (unlike Hold Person, for instance). I did have line of effect, not line of sight, but I don't think I need it for this spell.

The DM wouldn't let me cast it unless I rolled to see if I targeted the enemy or an ally standing next to it.

We couldn't really find an answer to this, so I switched to Ray of Frost and rolled with disadvantage, as that is all Blindness does to your attacks.

Can someone point me to the right page in the PHB, or just tell me who is right? (I know the DM can always make his own rulings.)

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    \$\begingroup\$ DM: "A Wand of Wonders? You'll shoot your eye out, kid." \$\endgroup\$
    – Liesmith
    Jun 30, 2016 at 12:39
  • \$\begingroup\$ Remember that blindness provides disadvantage on the attack - but only if you know where the target is. The enemy could, for example, use the Hide action to prevent your character from sensing it (really, he just moves over a few steps and stands quietly) and Ray of Frost becomes useless. \$\endgroup\$
    – pokep
    Jun 30, 2016 at 15:20

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There's nothing in the PHB that says you can't.

The Blinded condition (PHB p. 290) says:

  • A blinded creature can’t see and automatically fails any ability check that requires sight.
  • Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature’s attack rolls have disadvantage.

The blinded condition doesn't prevent you from casting any spell per se.

As you pointed out certain spell like Hold Person explicitly state "a target that you can see" therefore any factor that prevents you from seeing the target makes the spell unusable.

As you also pointed out, Acid Splash doesn't have such a requirement. The spell description states that you hurl a ball of acid but doesn't require any attack roll, so you are also safe from the second effect of the blinded condition.

Note that the line of sight rules still apply; see the "Targets" section on PHB p. 201.
Despite the name, line of sight is about walls and other objects that impair vision, not the state of your eyes.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Thanks, I though as much, but I wanted to be sure \$\endgroup\$
    – BlackHawk
    Jun 30, 2016 at 9:29
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    \$\begingroup\$ I would add that the caster's blindness would be a good cause to give the target advantage on the save. \$\endgroup\$
    – pokep
    Jun 30, 2016 at 15:17
  • \$\begingroup\$ Is line of sight blocked by thin sheets of black paper? Thick smoke? \$\endgroup\$
    – Yakk
    Jun 30, 2016 at 17:14
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Yakk: Thick smoke, and probably thin paper as well, would be heavy concealment. You can't see the target very well or at all, but it's not going to stop your attack. They are effectively similar to being in darkness. \$\endgroup\$
    – Ethan
    Jun 30, 2016 at 18:16
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    \$\begingroup\$ The November 2018 errata for the PHB changed acid splash to target “one creature you can see.” dnd.wizards.com/articles/sage-advice/errata-november-2018 \$\endgroup\$
    – user10063
    Sep 30, 2019 at 20:16
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PHB page 211:

You hurl a bubble of acid. Choose one creature within range, or choose two creatures within range that are within 5 feet o f each other. A target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d6 acid damage.

The spell description does not say anything about needing to see.

PHB page 290:

Blinded
• A blinded creature can’t see and automatically fails any ability check that requires sight.
• Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature’s attack rolls have disadvantage.

Being blinded also makes no comment on spellcasting as a whole, just on making attack rolls.

As long as the target doesn't move and there is nothing that could block line of sight, nothing RAW stops you from casting.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Thx for your response, I'll make sure my DM sees this \$\endgroup\$
    – BlackHawk
    Jun 30, 2016 at 9:39
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    \$\begingroup\$ @BlackHawk Keep in mind that DnD5e gives very open rules to be interpreted by the DM. Besides that, a DM can always rule as he/she thinks is best. Don't go to your DM saying "You are wrong!", but discuss what your point of view is and reach a common standing. You don't fight the DM, you fight the creatures ;). \$\endgroup\$
    – Me_Maikey
    Jun 30, 2016 at 9:44
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RAW has been covered in other answers. Here's the way I would have handled it:

I would have had you make a spell attack roll at disadvantage vs DC:10 or DC: 15 (probably DC: 10 if you were lower level because I'm a nice DM). If you succeeded, the spell hits and operates as normal. If not, the spell "scatters" a number of feet equal to the difference between the DC and the Roll (direction determined by a d12 roll) from the center of that square. Anyone in the square it "hits" makes their save as normal, but with advantage.

This makes it likely you'll hit the enemy anyway (the game is supposed to be fun and challenging, not tedious), but adds a little randomness because you are blind (there should be consequences to status effects).

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Note that the act (picking a target for acid splash) should be near-automatic when not blinded, and attacking a target in a known square that you cannot see only imposes disadvantage on the attack roll. Given that picking a target for acid splash is easier than shooting a bow at a human-sized immobile bale of hay (AC~ 5: AC 10, but with 0 dex), should shooting a bow while blind at that target (AC 5 with disadvantage) be easier than the acid splash target while blind? Seems questionable. \$\endgroup\$
    – Yakk
    Jun 30, 2016 at 17:17
  • \$\begingroup\$ The lesser DC above effectively gives them AC: 8 (as deviation of 2 or less would result in hitting the square regardless) with a high chance (AC: 10) of treating it like the caster wasn't blind. Given that its highly likely your 1st level caster has a 3 or 4 in their casting stat, they have to roll a 2/3 or better to hit, and a 4/5 or better to hit with no advantage to the opponent's save. \$\endgroup\$
    – Marshall Tigerus
    Jun 30, 2016 at 17:44

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