You can use your Channel Divinity to refresh your allies with soothing twilight.
As an action, you present your holy symbol, and a sphere of twilight emanates from you. The sphere is centered on you, has a 30-foot radius, and is filled with dim light. The sphere moves with you, and it lasts for 1 minute or until you are incapacitated or die. Whenever a creature (including you) ends its turn in the sphere, you can grant that creature one of these benefits:
You grant it temporary hit points equal to 1d6 plus your cleric level.
You can draw on the mystical power of night to rise into the air. As a bonus action when you are in dim light or darkness, you can magically give yourself a flying speed equal to your walking speed for 1 minute. You can use this bonus action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Divine Strike
8th-level Twilight Domain feature
You gain the ability to infuse your weapon strikes with divine energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 radiant damage. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8.
Twilight Shroud
17th-level Twilight Domain feature
The twilight that you summon offers a protective embrace: you and your allies have half cover while in the sphere created by your Twilight Sanctuary.
Let's take it step by step:
The first feature has two bullet points. Both of them are negated by any source of light brighter than Dim. Darkness of any kind won't stop them.
With Steps of Night, you cannot fly in any source of light brighter than Dim, again, darkness of any sort will not stop you.
Divine Strike makes no mention of light at all, so can be used no matter what the lighting conditions.
Twilight Shroud can be used no matter what the lighting conditions. In darkness, you have total cover, and in any other condition, you have half cover.
So what have I missed?
I disagree with the bolded. Nothing about the bullet point effects depend on the quality of light inside the sphere, only that the sphere exists. The requirements for the activation of those bullet points is that the creature ends its turn in the sphere, not in the sphere's light. The sphere is defined only by its source (you), its range (30 feet), and its duration (1 minute). Other effects are qualities of the sphere, but don't define it's existence.
I'm pretty sure, unless otherwise specified, an area affected by a dim light overlapping an effect of bright light is brightly lit. Common sense dictates that your torch doesn't dim as you approach another torchbearer. However, magical light overlapping magical darkness usually results in a contest of magical power.
I think there are some really clever uses for a portable dim light. It could work like Pass Without Trace, since dim light imposes disadvantage on Perception checks. And it would be a really unique vibe. You carry around twilight with you, even at midday. It's very goth. Or you could flavor it as a sunset aura, casting dim red light, and have a druid vibe.
Correct, the magical sphere of twilight emanating from the cleric who is channeling the divine power of a god of twilight... is entirely filled with dim light.
It makes the caster into something like a torch,
Yikes, see, now you're making things up. The term "like a torch" is not at all written into that class feature.
There are three degrees of light in the game; Bright, Dim, and Dark. Twilight Sanctuary works beautifully in two of the three. To allow it to nullify the third, as it was clearly not intended to do, it would need a name like Twilight Invulnerable Fortress.
You could argue there is a 4th, sunlight. And, there is no prerequisite for which lighting condition is eligible to channel divinity. You can channel divinity in all lighting conditions, because ambient light levels have absolutely nothing to do with that class feature. Twilight Sanctuary works beautifully in any lighting condition.
You might have better luck in a different forum entirely. The Dungeons and Dragons Discussions forum in particular, and I'd say the best one there is Rules & Game Mechanics. An option would be the Class forums, where you will find them talking about Twilight Sanctuary already.
You can generally tell when someone has lost an argument when they try to invite the party with the dissenting opinion to simply go away.
Look, I don't mean to be dismissive, let's go through it, let's start with a rereading of the ability:
You can use your Channel Divinity to refresh your allies with soothing twilight.
As an action, you present your holy symbol, and a sphere of twilight emanates from you. The sphere is centered on you, has a 30-foot radius, and is filled with dim light.
What does the ability do? It: Refreshes your allies with soothing twilight.
That's what the ability does. Fundamentally. The "Intention" of it. The ability spells it out for you in black and white.
How does it "Refresh your allies with twilight'? That's exactly what the rest of the ability tells us!
You create a "sphere of twilight" that "emanates from you".
If you are having a hard time imagining what a "sphere of twilight" is then you have my condolences. You'll have to trust us when we tell you it isn't an area of bright light. Instead, it is an area of dim light. OH WAIT! You don't need to trust us, it actually says that:
"The sphere is centered on you, has a 30-foot radius, and is filled with dim light."
If you create a sphere of twilight during the day in bright light it is still a sphere of twilight that has dim light in it. Because it is a sphere of twilight.
It doesn't create a torch, it doesn't even shed light. It creates a 30ft sphere of twilight with the characteristic: Is filled with dim light.
I'm pretty sure, unless otherwise specified, an area affected by a dim light overlapping an effect of bright light is brightly lit. Common sense dictates that your torch doesn't dim as you approach another torchbearer.
Twilight Sanctuary is the "unless otherwise specified" that you're looking for. The sphere is filled with dim light. That's it. Not: Is filled with dim light and also whatever ambient light was nearby. No. Is filled with dim light. Simple, exactly what it says on the page. Black and white: is dim.
Again... Not: sheds dim. Not: radiates dim. Not: casts dim. No, just: Is. The sphere IS dim.
However, magical light overlapping magical darkness usually results in a contest of magical power.
I found this thread because I was searching for insight into how Twilight Sanctuary interacts with magical light and darkness spells but seeing people this confused about how it interacts with nonmagical light is startling. I figure that's still a reasonably productive direction for this topic to explore.
What's clear is this ability and magical spells that create light/darkness don't "dispel" one another. Those spells in question specify which other spells they dispel, but since twilight sanctuary isn't even a spell it doesn't interact on that level.
But what of the overlapping areas? I'm of the mind that the area is whatever a natural combination of those lighting conditions would produce, but I'm not entirely certain nor can I explain my rationale, that's pure gut instinct. So, if Twilight sanctuary plus daylight, then bright light. If twilight sanctuary plus darkness, then dim light. Etc.
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I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
If I devote my life to a god/goddess of twilight, and gain the ability to conjure a bubble of twilight around me, and I run outside to summon this bubble of twilight, and a bubble of friggin' twilight doesn't friggin' appear, I'm going to feel pretty damn cheated.
Torches don't conjure a bubble of light. They just emit light additively to the environment. Same with the Light cantrip. It simply emits light that can be blocked by dropping whatever's glowing into a chest and closing it. The spell even specifies specifically that its light can be overpowered in such ways. That's not what Twilight Sanctuary says.
This spell specifically states, and I quote: "sphere of twilight." Period. If there is no sphere of twilight, then my channel divinity didn't work. Twilight isn't daylight. It isn't darkness. It's in between the two. In order for the spell to create a sphere of twilight around you, it would have no choice but to override bright light as well as darkness. Otherwise the feature wouldn't be accomplishing what it says it accomplishes. If sunlight overrides Twilight Sanctuary, then you haven't created a sphere of twilight. You've created a sphere in which you give off dim light that can't even be seen, so nobody can tell you even have the spell up, or where it's located.
DnD tends to have very specific wording for things. Torches and the Light cantrip don't say they "fill" an area. The Darkness spell does, using the word "fill", and stating that it overrides existing light, unless that light is from a magical source stronger than the Darkness spell itself. To assume "fill" means the same thing as "emits" or "gives off" is as logically unsound as assuming you can use Booming Blade as one of your attacks during the attack action. You can't. Melee Weapon Attack and Melee Spell Attack are not the same thing. If you have extra attack, and use Booming Blade, you only attack once, because you didn't use a weapon attack, even though a weapon attack calculation and damage occurred. They were part of a cantrip cast, and you can't replace Extra Attack actions with cantrips (unless Extra Attack specifically says so in your subclass). So when they use "fill" and "emit" differently in various spells, it's fair to assume they mean something different every time they use them, until they tell us otherwise.
Twilight Sanctuary provides Dim Light in its radius. However it doesn't say that it cancels any brighter light that was illuminating that area previously; thus the area would be bright light if the area was previously bright light.
You'll notice that the darkness specifically mentions that "nonmagical light can't illuminate [its area]" - this wording does not appear in the description of Twilight Sanctuary.
Twilight Sanctuary provides Dim Light in its radius. However it doesn't say that it cancels any brighter light that was illuminating that area previously; thus the area would be bright light if the area was previously bright light.
You'll notice that the darkness specifically mentions that "nonmagical light can't illuminate [its area]" - this wording does not appear in the description of Twilight Sanctuary.
Yep that's true, it is a fairly poorly written feature with a lot of detail missing (most all of the Twilight features have the same issue).
That said I have to think that the RAI is that the dim light within the sphere overrides bright light (possibly not bright light created by magic?). Because otherwise there really is no reason at all to include the "and is filled with dim light." text in the feature as the only time the sphere would actually be dim light is when it is in an area that already is dim light (possibly also when in darkness).
Here is what I think is final proof that the light level is set to Dim Light.
Look at the spell Summon Fey and the Fey Spirit's ability:
Tricksy. The fey can fill a 5-foot cube within 5 feet of it with magical darkness, which lasts until the end of its next turn.
This ability also fills an area with a certain light level, specifically magical darkness. I doubt anyone is arguing that the ambient lighting automatically illuminates this magical darkness. Twilight Sanctuary is doing the same thing, but filling the area with magical dim light. It does not get illuminated by ambient lighting.
Here is what I think is final proof that the light level is set to Dim Light.
Look at the spell Summon Fey and the Fey Spirit's ability:
Tricksy. The fey can fill a 5-foot cube within 5 feet of it with magical darkness, which lasts until the end of its next turn.
This ability also fills an area with a certain light level, specifically magical darkness. I doubt anyone is arguing that the ambient lighting automatically illuminates this magical darkness. Twilight Sanctuary is doing the same thing, but filling the area with magical dim light. It does not get illuminated by ambient lighting.
Excellent catch that Summon Fey uses "fill" - it's always worth looking at other effects for rules precedent. This is especially interesting because Summon Fey doesn't specify how the magical darkness interacts with other light, which is abnormal for magical darkness.
Spells from the PHB that use "fill" for providing light:
Darkness, which explicitly specifies how it interacts with other light levels.
Some environmental effects, since the TS CD isn't a spell:
Xanathar's p107 has "Luminescent fungi growing on the walls ofa moist cave, filling it with dim light".
Not explicit, Dim.
This is the only example I've found so far of an object that fills with light - normally, light producing objects, like a torch, use other verbs (torches "provide", lamps and lanterns "cast", candles "shed".
Tasha's p150 has a Blessed Radiance effect which fills with light of an unknown level.
Not explicit, unknown level.
I think the most damning evidence above that fill isn't special is the fungus from Xanathar's. The problem with Summon Fey is that Darkness, Maddening Darkness, and Hallow imply that magical darkness doesn't block light unless we're told it does.
The ability* creates a Sphere of Twilight. What is that? What is a sphere of twilight exactly?
I still think the easiest way to visualize the effect is to imagine a giant bubble. The bubble is made of a material that blocks outside light sources from entering into it, but which also doesn't block vison into or out of it. Then, inside the bubble the very air itself is alight with dim light. Almost like the inside of a neon bulb set all the way to the dimmest illumination setting.
That's a Sphere of Twilight. It is a bubble that fills its space with dim light. And, while basking in this magical protective illumination, you gain temp HP and charm and frightened are removed.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
The spell creates a Sphere of Twilight. What is that? What is a sphere of twilight exactly?
I still think the easiest way to visualize the effect is to imagine a giant bubble. The bubble is made of a material that blocks outside light sources from entering into it, but which also doesn't block vison into or out of it. Then, inside the bubble the very air itself is alight with dim light. Almost like the inside of a neon bulb set all the way to the dimmest illumination setting.
That's a Sphere of Twilight. It is a bubble that fills its space with dim light. And, while basking in this magical protective illumination, you gain temp HP and charm and frightened are removed.
Well, it's not a spell, and there's no evidence at all that the sphere we're talking about cares whether a light source is inside it or not. If it did, we could discuss things like it potentially interacting differently with a Light effect inside it vs outside it, but there's just nothing in its rules at all suggesting that the location of other light sources matters to it.
I mean, Ravnodaus is probably right in his interpretation of the RAI. But RAW we are left to common language usage to determine what the word "fill" means.
Of course, I would never let a badly written rule dictate my play. I would play as intended. ;)
The ability* creates a Sphere of Twilight. What is that? What is a sphere of twilight exactly?
I still think the easiest way to visualize the effect is to imagine a giant bubble. The bubble is made of a material that blocks outside light sources from entering into it, but which also doesn't block vison into or out of it. Then, inside the bubble the very air itself is alight with dim light. Almost like the inside of a neon bulb set all the way to the dimmest illumination setting.
That's a Sphere of Twilight. It is a bubble that fills its space with dim light. And, while basking in this magical protective illumination, you gain temp HP and charm and frightened are removed.
Well, it's not a spell, and there's no evidence at all that the sphere we're talking about cares whether a light source is inside it or not. If it did, we could discuss things like it potentially interacting differently with a Light effect inside it vs outside it, but there's just nothing in its rules at all suggesting that the location of other light sources matters to it.
Does anything say the walls of a room block the outside sunlight? Or keep the light of a torch hanging outside the closed door from illuminating the inside of that room?
This ability creates something, a sphere of twilight. What exactly is a sphere of twilight? You or your DM is going to have to figure that out for yourselves. But if it doesn't result in something which outside observers would describe as 1) A sphere and 2) Twilight. Then you probably came to the wrong conclusion.
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I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
As someone playing a Twilight cleric and having used Twilight Sanctuary a number of times I tend to think of it as a hazy sphere around the caster. I would expect that using it outside in bright light wouldn't negate it's abilities (temp hps/remove charm or frighten). Someone lighting a torch inside probably wouldn't override the dim light but we've never tested in our game as we are in Icewind Dale in forever dim-light/darkness generally.
The ability to fly given by Steps of the Night wouldn't stop if you flew into bright light either as it requires dim light / darkness to activate. Otherwise someone throwing a torch near you could ruin your day.
For consideration, how does the lighting effect in the tiny hut spell inform this discussion:
"Until the spell ends, you can command the interior to become dimly lit or dark. The dome is opaque from the outside, of any color you choose, but it is transparent from the inside."
It makes no reference to how it interacts with ambient lighting, but does state previously in the description that, "Spells and other magical effects can't extend through the dome or be cast through it."
So, I think tiny hut eliminates the magical lighting issue, but is silent on the ambient lighting. If tiny hut is cast in an open field in full daylight, it can still be commanded to be dimly lit inside. Why wouldn't the sphere of twilight also ignore exterior ambient light?
Why wouldn't the sphere of twilight also ignore exterior ambient light?
Because the text doesn't say it can.
It does say it creates a sphere of twilight, though. So, if your interpretation causes it to not create a sphere of twilight, and instead creates a 'sphere of no obvious change to the ambient lighting conditions', then you messed up and should try again.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
Why wouldn't the sphere of twilight also ignore exterior ambient light?
Because the text doesn't say it can.
It does say it creates a sphere of twilight, though. So, if your interpretation causes it to not create a sphere of twilight, and instead creates a 'sphere of no obvious change to the ambient lighting conditions', then you messed up and should try again.
Pointing out that a feature doesn't do something it doesn't say it does is not an "interpretation," my guy. A "sphere of twilight" can be anything. What it does is fill a volume with dim light. What happens when you fill with a dim light a volume that already has bright light in it? It gets brighter. That is how light works. Since the feature doesn't say that its light works any differently from any other light, that's what happens. And absolutely none of that requires that the feature not create a sphere of twilight.
Rules do what they say and they don't do what they don't say.
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I disagree with the bolded. Nothing about the bullet point effects depend on the quality of light inside the sphere, only that the sphere exists. The requirements for the activation of those bullet points is that the creature ends its turn in the sphere, not in the sphere's light. The sphere is defined only by its source (you), its range (30 feet), and its duration (1 minute). Other effects are qualities of the sphere, but don't define it's existence.
I'm pretty sure, unless otherwise specified, an area affected by a dim light overlapping an effect of bright light is brightly lit. Common sense dictates that your torch doesn't dim as you approach another torchbearer. However, magical light overlapping magical darkness usually results in a contest of magical power.
I think there are some really clever uses for a portable dim light. It could work like Pass Without Trace, since dim light imposes disadvantage on Perception checks. And it would be a really unique vibe. You carry around twilight with you, even at midday. It's very goth. Or you could flavor it as a sunset aura, casting dim red light, and have a druid vibe.
Yes.
Correct, the magical sphere of twilight emanating from the cleric who is channeling the divine power of a god of twilight... is entirely filled with dim light.
Yikes, see, now you're making things up. The term "like a torch" is not at all written into that class feature.
Actually: Yes. Yes. Yes.
You could argue there is a 4th, sunlight. And, there is no prerequisite for which lighting condition is eligible to channel divinity. You can channel divinity in all lighting conditions, because ambient light levels have absolutely nothing to do with that class feature. Twilight Sanctuary works beautifully in any lighting condition.
You can generally tell when someone has lost an argument when they try to invite the party with the dissenting opinion to simply go away.
Look, I don't mean to be dismissive, let's go through it, let's start with a rereading of the ability:
What does the ability do? It: Refreshes your allies with soothing twilight.
That's what the ability does. Fundamentally. The "Intention" of it. The ability spells it out for you in black and white.
How does it "Refresh your allies with twilight'? That's exactly what the rest of the ability tells us!
You create a "sphere of twilight" that "emanates from you".
If you are having a hard time imagining what a "sphere of twilight" is then you have my condolences. You'll have to trust us when we tell you it isn't an area of bright light. Instead, it is an area of dim light. OH WAIT! You don't need to trust us, it actually says that:
"The sphere is centered on you, has a 30-foot radius, and is filled with dim light."
If you create a sphere of twilight during the day in bright light it is still a sphere of twilight that has dim light in it. Because it is a sphere of twilight.
It doesn't create a torch, it doesn't even shed light. It creates a 30ft sphere of twilight with the characteristic: Is filled with dim light.
Twilight Sanctuary is the "unless otherwise specified" that you're looking for. The sphere is filled with dim light. That's it. Not: Is filled with dim light and also whatever ambient light was nearby. No. Is filled with dim light. Simple, exactly what it says on the page. Black and white: is dim.
Again... Not: sheds dim. Not: radiates dim. Not: casts dim. No, just: Is. The sphere IS dim.
I found this thread because I was searching for insight into how Twilight Sanctuary interacts with magical light and darkness spells but seeing people this confused about how it interacts with nonmagical light is startling. I figure that's still a reasonably productive direction for this topic to explore.
What's clear is this ability and magical spells that create light/darkness don't "dispel" one another. Those spells in question specify which other spells they dispel, but since twilight sanctuary isn't even a spell it doesn't interact on that level.
But what of the overlapping areas? I'm of the mind that the area is whatever a natural combination of those lighting conditions would produce, but I'm not entirely certain nor can I explain my rationale, that's pure gut instinct. So, if Twilight sanctuary plus daylight, then bright light. If twilight sanctuary plus darkness, then dim light. Etc.
I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
If I devote my life to a god/goddess of twilight, and gain the ability to conjure a bubble of twilight around me, and I run outside to summon this bubble of twilight, and a bubble of friggin' twilight doesn't friggin' appear, I'm going to feel pretty damn cheated.
Torches don't conjure a bubble of light. They just emit light additively to the environment. Same with the Light cantrip. It simply emits light that can be blocked by dropping whatever's glowing into a chest and closing it. The spell even specifies specifically that its light can be overpowered in such ways. That's not what Twilight Sanctuary says.
This spell specifically states, and I quote: "sphere of twilight." Period. If there is no sphere of twilight, then my channel divinity didn't work. Twilight isn't daylight. It isn't darkness. It's in between the two. In order for the spell to create a sphere of twilight around you, it would have no choice but to override bright light as well as darkness. Otherwise the feature wouldn't be accomplishing what it says it accomplishes. If sunlight overrides Twilight Sanctuary, then you haven't created a sphere of twilight. You've created a sphere in which you give off dim light that can't even be seen, so nobody can tell you even have the spell up, or where it's located.
DnD tends to have very specific wording for things. Torches and the Light cantrip don't say they "fill" an area. The Darkness spell does, using the word "fill", and stating that it overrides existing light, unless that light is from a magical source stronger than the Darkness spell itself. To assume "fill" means the same thing as "emits" or "gives off" is as logically unsound as assuming you can use Booming Blade as one of your attacks during the attack action. You can't. Melee Weapon Attack and Melee Spell Attack are not the same thing. If you have extra attack, and use Booming Blade, you only attack once, because you didn't use a weapon attack, even though a weapon attack calculation and damage occurred. They were part of a cantrip cast, and you can't replace Extra Attack actions with cantrips (unless Extra Attack specifically says so in your subclass). So when they use "fill" and "emit" differently in various spells, it's fair to assume they mean something different every time they use them, until they tell us otherwise.
Twilight Sanctuary provides Dim Light in its radius. However it doesn't say that it cancels any brighter light that was illuminating that area previously; thus the area would be bright light if the area was previously bright light.
You'll notice that the darkness specifically mentions that "nonmagical light can't illuminate [its area]" - this wording does not appear in the description of Twilight Sanctuary.
Yep that's true, it is a fairly poorly written feature with a lot of detail missing (most all of the Twilight features have the same issue).
That said I have to think that the RAI is that the dim light within the sphere overrides bright light (possibly not bright light created by magic?). Because otherwise there really is no reason at all to include the "and is filled with dim light." text in the feature as the only time the sphere would actually be dim light is when it is in an area that already is dim light (possibly also when in darkness).
Here is what I think is final proof that the light level is set to Dim Light.
Look at the spell Summon Fey and the Fey Spirit's ability:
This ability also fills an area with a certain light level, specifically magical darkness. I doubt anyone is arguing that the ambient lighting automatically illuminates this magical darkness. Twilight Sanctuary is doing the same thing, but filling the area with magical dim light. It does not get illuminated by ambient lighting.
Excellent catch that Summon Fey uses "fill" - it's always worth looking at other effects for rules precedent. This is especially interesting because Summon Fey doesn't specify how the magical darkness interacts with other light, which is abnormal for magical darkness.
Spells from the PHB that use "fill" for providing light:
Some environmental effects, since the TS CD isn't a spell:
I think the most damning evidence above that fill isn't special is the fungus from Xanathar's. The problem with Summon Fey is that Darkness, Maddening Darkness, and Hallow imply that magical darkness doesn't block light unless we're told it does.
The ability* creates a Sphere of Twilight. What is that? What is a sphere of twilight exactly?
I still think the easiest way to visualize the effect is to imagine a giant bubble. The bubble is made of a material that blocks outside light sources from entering into it, but which also doesn't block vison into or out of it. Then, inside the bubble the very air itself is alight with dim light. Almost like the inside of a neon bulb set all the way to the dimmest illumination setting.
That's a Sphere of Twilight. It is a bubble that fills its space with dim light. And, while basking in this magical protective illumination, you gain temp HP and charm and frightened are removed.
*corrected
I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
Well, it's not a spell, and there's no evidence at all that the sphere we're talking about cares whether a light source is inside it or not. If it did, we could discuss things like it potentially interacting differently with a Light effect inside it vs outside it, but there's just nothing in its rules at all suggesting that the location of other light sources matters to it.
I mean, Ravnodaus is probably right in his interpretation of the RAI. But RAW we are left to common language usage to determine what the word "fill" means.
Of course, I would never let a badly written rule dictate my play. I would play as intended. ;)
Does anything say the walls of a room block the outside sunlight? Or keep the light of a torch hanging outside the closed door from illuminating the inside of that room?
This ability creates something, a sphere of twilight. What exactly is a sphere of twilight? You or your DM is going to have to figure that out for yourselves. But if it doesn't result in something which outside observers would describe as 1) A sphere and 2) Twilight. Then you probably came to the wrong conclusion.
I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
As someone playing a Twilight cleric and having used Twilight Sanctuary a number of times I tend to think of it as a hazy sphere around the caster. I would expect that using it outside in bright light wouldn't negate it's abilities (temp hps/remove charm or frighten). Someone lighting a torch inside probably wouldn't override the dim light but we've never tested in our game as we are in Icewind Dale in forever dim-light/darkness generally.
The ability to fly given by Steps of the Night wouldn't stop if you flew into bright light either as it requires dim light / darkness to activate. Otherwise someone throwing a torch near you could ruin your day.
Not exactly Sage Advice, but from one of the designers, Dan Dillon, when it was only a UA class:
https://twitter.com/Dan_Dillon_1/status/1179861283429990400
Great find
For consideration, how does the lighting effect in the tiny hut spell inform this discussion:
"Until the spell ends, you can command the interior to become dimly lit or dark. The dome is opaque from the outside, of any color you choose, but it is transparent from the inside."
It makes no reference to how it interacts with ambient lighting, but does state previously in the description that, "Spells and other magical effects can't extend through the dome or be cast through it."
So, I think tiny hut eliminates the magical lighting issue, but is silent on the ambient lighting. If tiny hut is cast in an open field in full daylight, it can still be commanded to be dimly lit inside. Why wouldn't the sphere of twilight also ignore exterior ambient light?
Because the text doesn't say it can.
It does say it creates a sphere of twilight, though. So, if your interpretation causes it to not create a sphere of twilight, and instead creates a 'sphere of no obvious change to the ambient lighting conditions', then you messed up and should try again.
I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
Pointing out that a feature doesn't do something it doesn't say it does is not an "interpretation," my guy. A "sphere of twilight" can be anything. What it does is fill a volume with dim light. What happens when you fill with a dim light a volume that already has bright light in it? It gets brighter. That is how light works. Since the feature doesn't say that its light works any differently from any other light, that's what happens. And absolutely none of that requires that the feature not create a sphere of twilight.
Rules do what they say and they don't do what they don't say.