Hey guys, i'm a relatively new DM and i've found it hard to deal with dark dungeons/caves/etc. i find that of the party i'm running usually at least 2 of them have darkvision but always at least 1 of them doesn't. but i've always found it tedious and annoying to force that player to always carry a torch or some other light source around to see and i end up neglecting to even take the darkness into effect any more and basically treat the whole group like they have darkvision. should i be making the one character carry a torch? do you usually end up with someone fighting with a torch in their hand? how do you guys typically handle this?
It is a pain. So here's my advice. Make it painful. Super painful. They can't see. What do they do? Carry a torch! Great idea. Now you can only use single handed weapons. I put the torch on the ground! Cool. Now it doesn't light as much area, and there's always the chance it goes out, or you get pushed onto it, burning yourself. Fine! I get the wizard to cast some cool lights so I can see. Another great plan! There goes a spell slot.
Then the next time they're in a town, they come across a magic item that lets them see in the dark. Better buy it, because last time was such a pain! Now everyone can see in the dark and you don't have to care anymore.
It's the same reason the Drow in my campaign found sunglasses (or the Faerunian equivalent).
Hey guys, i'm a relatively new DM and i've found it hard to deal with dark dungeons/caves/etc. i find that of the party i'm running usually at least 2 of them have darkvision but always at least 1 of them doesn't. but i've always found it tedious and annoying to force that player to always carry a torch or some other light source around to see and i end up neglecting to even take the darkness into effect any more and basically treat the whole group like they have darkvision. should i be making the one character carry a torch? do you usually end up with someone fighting with a torch in their hand? how do you guys typically handle this?
Not to say it doesn't suck to deal with, but worth mentioning I feel. Darkvision makes creatures able to see in darkness as though it were dim light, and dim light as though it were bright light. So in the event of traveling through a dark dungeon or cave your PCs with Darkvision would still have disadvantages as outlined in the Vision and Light section of the Player's Handbook.
Dim light, creates a lightly obscured area. This imposes disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. Even your Darkvision PCs should be experiencing disadvantage to visually see things in heavily obscured areas.
Darkness creates a heavily obscured area. A creature effectively suffers from the blinded condition when trying to see something in that area. So while your Darkvision PCs have disadvantage the PCs without effectively can't see at all. A torch is beneficial to both groups in the sense that it provides 20' of bright light, and an additional 20' of dim light, giving the Darkvision group 40' of bright light since they can perceive dim light as though it were bright light. The other group would have 20' of solid vision, and another 20' of vision with disadvantage to see things.
If they don't have darkvision or devils sight then they can't see anything in the dark. Giving out free darkvision by effectively ignoring it is just giving an advantage to those folks who chose a race without darkvision.
In the games I have played in, the characters who can't see in the dark carry a light source. This is a torch/lantern/bullseye lantern or some object with continual flame cast on it. If they are paranoid they will have a belt pouch with continual flame rocks that they can drop on the ground during a fight to light up the area. In terms of combat, it is usually assumed that the character puts down the light source which then illuminates the area near the character. I don't worry about it going out or getting stepped on unless an NPC/PC specifically decides to try to put out the light.
Having a party that requires a light source to see has a significant impact on how that party will operate. In particular, carrying a light source in darkness is not stealthy and you will be visible from some distance away.
I usually assume someone cast a light spell on something someone is carrying if its a low-stakes situation. its a cantrip and lasts an hour, so they can refresh it all day. I guess if no one in the party took light, there'd be a problem, but it seems like someone always does.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Hey guys, i'm a relatively new DM and i've found it hard to deal with dark dungeons/caves/etc. i find that of the party i'm running usually at least 2 of them have darkvision but always at least 1 of them doesn't. but i've always found it tedious and annoying to force that player to always carry a torch or some other light source around to see and i end up neglecting to even take the darkness into effect any more and basically treat the whole group like they have darkvision. should i be making the one character carry a torch? do you usually end up with someone fighting with a torch in their hand? how do you guys typically handle this?
It is a pain. So here's my advice.
Make it painful. Super painful. They can't see. What do they do? Carry a torch! Great idea. Now you can only use single handed weapons. I put the torch on the ground! Cool. Now it doesn't light as much area, and there's always the chance it goes out, or you get pushed onto it, burning yourself. Fine! I get the wizard to cast some cool lights so I can see. Another great plan! There goes a spell slot.
Then the next time they're in a town, they come across a magic item that lets them see in the dark. Better buy it, because last time was such a pain! Now everyone can see in the dark and you don't have to care anymore.
It's the same reason the Drow in my campaign found sunglasses (or the Faerunian equivalent).
Not to say it doesn't suck to deal with, but worth mentioning I feel. Darkvision makes creatures able to see in darkness as though it were dim light, and dim light as though it were bright light. So in the event of traveling through a dark dungeon or cave your PCs with Darkvision would still have disadvantages as outlined in the Vision and Light section of the Player's Handbook.
Dim light, creates a lightly obscured area. This imposes disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. Even your Darkvision PCs should be experiencing disadvantage to visually see things in heavily obscured areas.
Darkness creates a heavily obscured area. A creature effectively suffers from the blinded condition when trying to see something in that area. So while your Darkvision PCs have disadvantage the PCs without effectively can't see at all. A torch is beneficial to both groups in the sense that it provides 20' of bright light, and an additional 20' of dim light, giving the Darkvision group 40' of bright light since they can perceive dim light as though it were bright light. The other group would have 20' of solid vision, and another 20' of vision with disadvantage to see things.
Check out my latest homebrew: Mystic Knight (Fighter) v1.31
If they don't have darkvision or devils sight then they can't see anything in the dark. Giving out free darkvision by effectively ignoring it is just giving an advantage to those folks who chose a race without darkvision.
In the games I have played in, the characters who can't see in the dark carry a light source. This is a torch/lantern/bullseye lantern or some object with continual flame cast on it. If they are paranoid they will have a belt pouch with continual flame rocks that they can drop on the ground during a fight to light up the area. In terms of combat, it is usually assumed that the character puts down the light source which then illuminates the area near the character. I don't worry about it going out or getting stepped on unless an NPC/PC specifically decides to try to put out the light.
Having a party that requires a light source to see has a significant impact on how that party will operate. In particular, carrying a light source in darkness is not stealthy and you will be visible from some distance away.
I usually assume someone cast a light spell on something someone is carrying if its a low-stakes situation. its a cantrip and lasts an hour, so they can refresh it all day. I guess if no one in the party took light, there'd be a problem, but it seems like someone always does.