Mask of the Wild. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.
When it says 'other natural phenomena' does that include dim light? Light is natural, and the lack of it, even if those conditions come about unnaturally, like say from magic. If someone were to cast Dancing Lights, which sheds dim light, and dim light counts as being lightly obscured, can a Wood Elf attempt to hide within the vague shadows of Dancing Lights?
I would argue that Dancing Lights would shed dim light in an otherwise dark area, so if anything it could be counter-productive to cast it if one wants to hide, and casting it in a situation of bright light would not change the overall light status so it would not allow the use of the racial feature.
I agree that it would not make a bright light area go to dim light so the racial feature would be of no use in that situation. And I agree with the logic of making a dark area into dim light being counter-productive, but in this particular case it is still dim light (lightly obscured) and allows the Mask of the Wild feature to trigger. Also, think about this, a torch sheds light for 20 feet and then dim light for another 20 feet, that 20 foot to 40 foot area of dim light around a torch could potentially hide a Wild Elf... no?
I agree that it would not make a bright light area go to dim light so the racial feature would be of no use in that situation. And I agree with the logic of making a dark area into dim light being counter-productive, but in this particular case it is still dim light (lightly obscured) and allows the Mask of the Wild feature to trigger. Also, think about this, a torch sheds light for 20 feet and then dim light for another 20 feet, that 20 foot to 40 foot area of dim light around a torch could potentially hide a Wild Elf... no?
Yes, this second explanation of your situation would indeed be working with RAW, as dim light is indeed lightly obscured territory, so from total darkness to the limit between bright and dim light a Wood Elf could b hiding anywhere.
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Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
I would say no to the dim light. The intention is draw the whole Elf-Ranger affinity thing. Natural wilderness types. I would say that it feels against the intent of the ability. Hiding in dim light has no relationship to "masking yourself in the wild."
I would say no to the dim light. The intention is draw the whole Elf-Ranger affinity thing. Natural wilderness types. I would say that it feels against the intent of the ability. Hiding in dim light has no relationship to "masking yourself in the wild."
From a purely flavour-wise point of view, I would agree with you, but wouldn't you consider moonlight dim light, therefore a natural occurrence allowing the feature to be used?
To be clear, I agree 100% that the use of this is better to be decided on a case-by-case scenario, I am just wondering for the more "to the letter" users.
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Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
I would say no to the dim light. The intention is draw the whole Elf-Ranger affinity thing. Natural wilderness types. I would say that it feels against the intent of the ability. Hiding in dim light has no relationship to "masking yourself in the wild."
From a purely flavour-wise point of view, I would agree with you, but wouldn't you consider moonlight dim light, therefore a natural occurrence allowing the feature to be used?
To be clear, I agree 100% that the use of this is better to be decided on a case-by-case scenario, I am just wondering for the more "to the letter" users.
I would not. Even if we're talking legalize here, then I would not consider moonlight to be acceptable either. Why? Fun quirk of how the English language works. When you make a list of things (in this case, foliage and various forms of precipitation) followed by "other," that other always comes with the caveat of "other things similar to the first listed items."
I do not consider moonlight to be on par with fog or heavy brush used for concealment. The latter directly block line of sight, while the former does not.
Actually moonlight, along with early dawn and dusk, are 100% natural things that would trigger Mask of the Wild. And the name is just that, a name. Not all Wood Elves are Rangers, some are any of the other classes that have nothing to do with nature. And as for fog and heavy brush, anyone can attempt to hide in these dense and heavily obscured conditions.
Mask of the Wild is for hiding in 'lightly' obscured conditions, such as mist instead of fog and foliage instead of heavy brush, and the examples provided are just that, examples. They don't have room to list them all so finish with a catch-all phrase... other natural phenomena. This is to unlock the imaginations of the players and allow them the freedom to think of 'any' natural conditions that might apply. A tiger uses it's stripes to hide in the shadows of foliage during daylight hours and has gotten quite adept at it. Light and Dark, and the dimness of the areas in between, are all natural.
Wood elves should be able to seem to appear and disappear in the shadows of tall trees deep within a forest, giving them an almost mystical quality. I see them as exiles from the Feywild forced to live among the mortals of this prime material plane. For all elves are enchanted beings able to trace their ancestry to the faerie folk.
Mask of the Wild. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.
When it says 'other natural phenomena' does that include dim light? Light is natural, and the lack of it, even if those conditions come about unnaturally, like say from magic. If someone were to cast Dancing Lights, which sheds dim light, and dim light counts as being lightly obscured, can a Wood Elf attempt to hide within the vague shadows of Dancing Lights?
I would argue that Dancing Lights would shed dim light in an otherwise dark area, so if anything it could be counter-productive to cast it if one wants to hide, and casting it in a situation of bright light would not change the overall light status so it would not allow the use of the racial feature.
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
I agree that it would not make a bright light area go to dim light so the racial feature would be of no use in that situation. And I agree with the logic of making a dark area into dim light being counter-productive, but in this particular case it is still dim light (lightly obscured) and allows the Mask of the Wild feature to trigger. Also, think about this, a torch sheds light for 20 feet and then dim light for another 20 feet, that 20 foot to 40 foot area of dim light around a torch could potentially hide a Wild Elf... no?
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
I would say no to the dim light. The intention is draw the whole Elf-Ranger affinity thing. Natural wilderness types. I would say that it feels against the intent of the ability. Hiding in dim light has no relationship to "masking yourself in the wild."
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
Actually moonlight, along with early dawn and dusk, are 100% natural things that would trigger Mask of the Wild. And the name is just that, a name. Not all Wood Elves are Rangers, some are any of the other classes that have nothing to do with nature. And as for fog and heavy brush, anyone can attempt to hide in these dense and heavily obscured conditions.
Mask of the Wild is for hiding in 'lightly' obscured conditions, such as mist instead of fog and foliage instead of heavy brush, and the examples provided are just that, examples. They don't have room to list them all so finish with a catch-all phrase... other natural phenomena. This is to unlock the imaginations of the players and allow them the freedom to think of 'any' natural conditions that might apply. A tiger uses it's stripes to hide in the shadows of foliage during daylight hours and has gotten quite adept at it. Light and Dark, and the dimness of the areas in between, are all natural.
I personally will never understand why some people insist that the story aspects aren't part of the rules as much as numbers, but to each their own.
Wood elves should be able to seem to appear and disappear in the shadows of tall trees deep within a forest, giving them an almost mystical quality. I see them as exiles from the Feywild forced to live among the mortals of this prime material plane. For all elves are enchanted beings able to trace their ancestry to the faerie folk.
Natural dim light does in fact allow you to hide: "Mask of the Wild lets a wood elf try to hide when lightly obscured by anything in nature: the dim light of dusk, fog, etc."