Darkness Spell: For the duration, magical Darkness spreads from a point within range and fills a 15-foot-radius Sphere. Darkvision can't see through it, and nonmagical light can't illuminate it.
The part I am interested in: Alternatively, you cast the spell on an object that isn't being worn or carried, causing the Darkness to fill a 15-foot Emanation originating from that object. Covering that object with something opaque, such as a bowl or helm, blocks the Darkness.
So I cast Darkness on a small object that is not being worn. I then pick up and give the object to my Imp Familiar. With instructions to hover near enemy spell caster, and have it ready its move action, so as soon as the spell caster moves, the imp moves with the caster, keeping them in the dark and unable to see targets.
Darkness Spell: For the duration, magical Darkness spreads from a point within range and fills a 15-foot-radius Sphere. Darkvision can't see through it, and nonmagical light can't illuminate it.
The part I am interested in: Alternatively, you cast the spell on an object that isn't being worn or carried, causing the Darkness to fill a 15-foot Emanation originating from that object. Covering that object with something opaque, such as a bowl or helm, blocks the Darkness.
So I cast Darkness on a small object that is not being worn. I then pick up and give the object to my Imp Familiar. With instructions to hover near enemy spell caster, and have it ready its move action, so as soon as the spell caster moves, the imp moves with the caster, keeping them in the dark and unable to see targets.
Not quite. Where this falls down is that "move action" is not a thing in 5e. Moving is moving, not an action, which means you can't "ready" it. You can only ready an action.
However, everything else about this seems like it should work, and you can certainly tell your familiar to try to stay near the enemy caster as best it can on its turn.
Darkness Spell: For the duration, magical Darkness spreads from a point within range and fills a 15-foot-radius Sphere. Darkvision can't see through it, and nonmagical light can't illuminate it.
The part I am interested in: Alternatively, you cast the spell on an object that isn't being worn or carried, causing the Darkness to fill a 15-foot Emanation originating from that object. Covering that object with something opaque, such as a bowl or helm, blocks the Darkness.
So I cast Darkness on a small object that is not being worn. I then pick up and give the object to my Imp Familiar. With instructions to hover near enemy spell caster, and have it ready its move action, so as soon as the spell caster moves, the imp moves with the caster, keeping them in the dark and unable to see targets.
Not quite. Where this falls down is that "move action" is not a thing in 5e. Moving is moving, not an action, which means you can't "ready" it. You can only ready an action.
However, everything else about this seems like it should work, and you can certainly tell your familiar to try to stay near the enemy caster as best it can on its turn.
Darkness Spell: For the duration, magical Darkness spreads from a point within range and fills a 15-foot-radius Sphere. Darkvision can't see through it, and nonmagical light can't illuminate it.
The part I am interested in: Alternatively, you cast the spell on an object that isn't being worn or carried, causing the Darkness to fill a 15-foot Emanation originating from that object. Covering that object with something opaque, such as a bowl or helm, blocks the Darkness.
So I cast Darkness on a small object that is not being worn. I then pick up and give the object to my Imp Familiar. With instructions to hover near enemy spell caster, and have it ready its move action, so as soon as the spell caster moves, the imp moves with the caster, keeping them in the dark and unable to see targets.
Not quite. Where this falls down is that "move action" is not a thing in 5e. Moving is moving, not an action, which means you can't "ready" it. You can only ready an action.
However, everything else about this seems like it should work, and you can certainly tell your familiar to try to stay near the enemy caster as best it can on its turn.
You could ready a dash action, no?
Technically yes, but that doesn't do anything. The Dash action increases your speed for the turn; it doesn't actually move you. You can't move on someone else's turn unless you have some other ability that explicitly says you can do that.
But you can take the Ready action and choose to move up to your Speed (emphasis mine):
Ready [Action]
You take the Ready action to wait for a particular circumstance before you act. To do so, you take this action on your turn, which lets you act by taking a Reaction before the start of your next turn.
First, you decide what perceivable circumstance will trigger your Reaction. Then, you choose the action you will take in response to that trigger, or you choose to move up to your Speed in response to it. Examples include “If the cultist steps on the trapdoor, I’ll pull the lever that opens it,” and “If the zombie steps next to me, I move away.”
But you can take the Ready action and choose to move up to your Speed (emphasis mine):
Ready [Action]
You take the Ready action to wait for a particular circumstance before you act. To do so, you take this action on your turn, which lets you act by taking a Reaction before the start of your next turn.
First, you decide what perceivable circumstance will trigger your Reaction. Then, you choose the action you will take in response to that trigger, or you choose to move up to your Speed in response to it. Examples include “If the cultist steps on the trapdoor, I’ll pull the lever that opens it,” and “If the zombie steps next to me, I move away.”
Awesome. Looking at a building a blind fighting build that can minimises the impact on other party members and also deal with enemies that move out of the darkness area.
So to be clear if enemy moves out of the darkness AOE to cast a spell, I assume the imp's move happens after the enemies move, but before they cast their targeting spell?
But would only be able to do it once. (ie if enemy moves half their movement to cast, them imp cane move the same amount to keep them in the darkness., if enemy then moves the rest of their movement, the imp would not be able ot move a second time).
Only issue I can see is one round setup action to cast the darkness on a stone, and then interaction to give the to the imp and for the imp to move into position.
[...] So to be clear if enemy moves out of the darkness AOE to cast a spell, I assume the imp's move happens after the enemies move, but before they cast their targeting spell?
Technically yes, because the rule says:
First, you decide what perceivable circumstance will trigger your Reaction. Then, you choose the action you will take in response to that trigger, or you choose to move up to your Speed in response to it. Examples include “If the cultist steps on the trapdoor, I’ll pull the lever that opens it,” and “If the zombie steps next to me, I move away.”
So your perceivable circumstance could be "if the enemy moves out", and your Reaction "I follow them".
And:
When the trigger occurs, you can either take your Reaction right after the trigger finishes or ignore the trigger.
So if the trigger was "the enemy moved out", you'd take your Reaction right after that trigger finishes.
I'll try not to belabor the point in this thread since it's not a popular interpretation around here . . . but Darkness is a buff for the creature that is within the Darkness. An area of darkness in 5e is a Heavily Obscured area. The concept of a Heavily Obscured area is that you cannot see anything in that area. If you drop your car key into that area, you'll have trouble finding it because it is obscured from your view. However, things that are outside of the area are not obscured. This is what allows a character within a nighttime environment to be able to look up and see the stars or to be able to see the campfire that is several hundred feet away.
So, if you are in a well-lit area and you cause an area of Darkness to surround an enemy spellcaster, that would be a tactical error. You would no longer be able to see that spellcaster because that spellcaster is now obscured from you. But he can still see you since you are in a well-lit area and thus are not obscured from him. Your attacks against him have disadvantage. His attacks against you have advantage. You cannot target him with spells that require you to see him. He can target you with spells that require him to see you.
This is the whole reason why the Darkness spell is designed such that half of the text is all about being able to basically pick it up and carry it around with you and to be able to turn it on and off by simply covering and uncovering the object. It allows you to be able to hide yourself within this darkness as needed but then you can turn it off when you need to try to look at something that is close to you.
Now you will see at least 10 or so responses to this post trying to tell you that I am wrong, but you should research the relevant rules for yourself and also think about the common sense situation of standing in a small nook that is dark and shadowy while looking out at the rest of the world around you that is lit up in bright sunlight.
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Darkness Spell: For the duration, magical Darkness spreads from a point within range and fills a 15-foot-radius Sphere. Darkvision can't see through it, and nonmagical light can't illuminate it.
The part I am interested in: Alternatively, you cast the spell on an object that isn't being worn or carried, causing the Darkness to fill a 15-foot Emanation originating from that object. Covering that object with something opaque, such as a bowl or helm, blocks the Darkness.
So I cast Darkness on a small object that is not being worn.
I then pick up and give the object to my Imp Familiar. With instructions to hover near enemy spell caster, and have it ready its move action, so as soon as the spell caster moves, the imp moves with the caster, keeping them in the dark and unable to see targets.
Not quite. Where this falls down is that "move action" is not a thing in 5e. Moving is moving, not an action, which means you can't "ready" it. You can only ready an action.
However, everything else about this seems like it should work, and you can certainly tell your familiar to try to stay near the enemy caster as best it can on its turn.
You could ready a dash action, no?
Technically yes, but that doesn't do anything. The Dash action increases your speed for the turn; it doesn't actually move you. You can't move on someone else's turn unless you have some other ability that explicitly says you can do that.Edit: never mind, I'm wrong, see below
But you can take the Ready action and choose to move up to your Speed (emphasis mine):
Oh, huh. Well, I learned something today.
Yeah, Ready a move is one of the ways to move during another creature's turn.
Because as you said, Readying the Dash action don't let move you, because you have no movement off turn.
PS. Learning is always good :D
So over all this would work. (DM dependent)
Awesome. Looking at a building a blind fighting build that can minimises the impact on other party members and also deal with enemies that move out of the darkness area.
So to be clear if enemy moves out of the darkness AOE to cast a spell, I assume the imp's move happens after the enemies move, but before they cast their targeting spell?
But would only be able to do it once. (ie if enemy moves half their movement to cast, them imp cane move the same amount to keep them in the darkness., if enemy then moves the rest of their movement, the imp would not be able ot move a second time).
Only issue I can see is one round setup action to cast the darkness on a stone, and then interaction to give the to the imp and for the imp to move into position.
Technically yes, because the rule says:
So your perceivable circumstance could be "if the enemy moves out", and your Reaction "I follow them".
And:
So if the trigger was "the enemy moved out", you'd take your Reaction right after that trigger finishes.
Seems there's easier ways to do this
Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
I'll try not to belabor the point in this thread since it's not a popular interpretation around here . . . but Darkness is a buff for the creature that is within the Darkness. An area of darkness in 5e is a Heavily Obscured area. The concept of a Heavily Obscured area is that you cannot see anything in that area. If you drop your car key into that area, you'll have trouble finding it because it is obscured from your view. However, things that are outside of the area are not obscured. This is what allows a character within a nighttime environment to be able to look up and see the stars or to be able to see the campfire that is several hundred feet away.
So, if you are in a well-lit area and you cause an area of Darkness to surround an enemy spellcaster, that would be a tactical error. You would no longer be able to see that spellcaster because that spellcaster is now obscured from you. But he can still see you since you are in a well-lit area and thus are not obscured from him. Your attacks against him have disadvantage. His attacks against you have advantage. You cannot target him with spells that require you to see him. He can target you with spells that require him to see you.
This is the whole reason why the Darkness spell is designed such that half of the text is all about being able to basically pick it up and carry it around with you and to be able to turn it on and off by simply covering and uncovering the object. It allows you to be able to hide yourself within this darkness as needed but then you can turn it off when you need to try to look at something that is close to you.
Now you will see at least 10 or so responses to this post trying to tell you that I am wrong, but you should research the relevant rules for yourself and also think about the common sense situation of standing in a small nook that is dark and shadowy while looking out at the rest of the world around you that is lit up in bright sunlight.