If a spell does not say it sheds light I wouldn't let players use it as a light source except to light a fire or a torch. The fire and torch would be non-magical sources of light, and so could not illuminat the area, but also would not be dispelled by it.
That seems reasonable. So by that measure, Faerie Fire would be dispelled, but Guiding Bolt would not, although it's hard to imagine how "the next attack roll made against this target before the end of your next turn has advantage, thanks to the mystical dim light glittering on the target until then."
I think it might be fair enough if they do use lightning or fire to see it glow away inside the dark and give people rough split second silhouettes of who it burns around and a guess where its emanating from. (still disadvantage to hit but a chance of hitting, but first that would only matter if you assume someone who is blind cant aim at targets 500' away with a longbow 'because its only blindness / darkness - the rules say Disadvantage doesnt stack and dont say I cant fire at them just that I get disadvantage)
That is where I approach darkness from - I want to build a game world and have it make some sense not have blind people able to pinpoint the enemy.
That seems reasonable. So by that measure, Faerie Fire would be dispelled, but Guiding Bolt would not, although it's hard to imagine how "the next attack roll made against this target before the end of your next turn has advantage, thanks to the mystical dim light glittering on the target until then."
The light doesn't take effect until after the spell hits so it would be dispelled - the spell does damage but no laser guidance.
EDIT: It's also important to consider that if Darkness doesn't dispel any of these spells, then they would be completely unaffected because Darkness only affects non-magical light. I guess I should amend my earlier statement about Guiding Bolt. It's either all or nothing.
yup my bad... I find it interesting that continual flame isn't dispelled by darkness either by how we're reading it here.
But if you look at darkness closely it doesn't state that the light has to be magical at all just that the spell creates light that overlaps the area of the darkness.
Honestly tho I would probably judge that only spells where the primary effect is light would be effected by the spell all other spells simply have their light suppressed.
Only times I might change that would be in adventures where light is a big deal light fights against Drow or Aberrations where having the magic act erratically would add flavour and coolness to the encounter.
But if you look at darkness closely it doesn't state that the light has to be magical at all just that the spell creates light that overlaps the area of the darkness.
Darkness does two things. It obscures non-magical light and it dispels spells of level two or lower that cast an area of light.
So in response to your comment, if it is not dispelled and if it is not non-magical light, darkness does not affect it. At least that’s how I read it.
Darkness plus the warlocks' Devil's sight invocation means that you can see, but enemies can't, even those with darkvision! Devil's sight lets you see through dark, dim, or *magical* darkness!
question, I am currently playing as a dragonborn, Eldritch Knight - fighter, I'm looking into getting the Darkness spell when I reach level 7, what would be be the best way to use it in combat? since I'm a fighter I usually fight up close to the target but then I wouldn't be able to see them.
question, I am currently playing as a dragonborn, Eldritch Knight - fighter, I'm looking into getting the Darkness spell when I reach level 7, what would be be the best way to use it in combat? since I'm a fighter I usually fight up close to the target but then I wouldn't be able to see them.
You can take the Blind Fighting fighting style.
Though be aware that Darkness can cause issues with your teammates . For example, Many spells require the caster to see the target of the spell.
In more RP style sessions Darkness can be useful for backing up Illusion and Deception work.
Such as if trying to snatch something thief heist movie style in a way which the illusions wouldn't cover.
Suggest something with an illusion or disguise for a moment, such as an ambush round, before triggering Darkness and breaking the scene into chaos. Leaving the illusions to be the closest thing to obvious eye witness account style evidence for characters to grab onto.
This can also lead into more mystery investigation style quests, cold war style emergency dead drops for intel, or any version of escape scenarios. Many ways to play around with that and any clues a DM wants to add on; such as having some form of a tell so it's not the OP shapeshifter scenario.
Up to the particular DM & how you work with them for how well things like this'll work. Certain people butt heads with being unable to not use concealed information when ever they see it to their immediate advantage to exploit or say they have an auto-counter for it.
On a combat side could be used similar to how older thunder & flash stones could be used in flashbang tactics; particularly for a group skilled in Blind Fighting. Along with Blind then AoE tactics. Which can be backed by some of: Cleric or Paladin's Channel Divinity powers, Fireballs, tar pit with Sphere of Thorns or Grease, and fear related effects pinning them inside or behind the darkness, etc.
Paired up with a Rogue - Thief & their Supreme Sneak (Lvl 9) or similar partner you can give them a location for both staying invisible and doing their other hit and run tactics and staying hidden/invisible.
Monk - Warrior of Shadow (Lvl 6) Shadow Step > Give them a extra spot to teleport to. Also from the outside this creates more of a "shell game" if NPCs are starting to fire off AoEs; they have to pick between spots of darkness which they're going to attack.
Again DM dependent but could try forcing a group to have to run through darkness to escape something. Then set up as Sentinel with attacks of opportunity as they exit. Easily backed by other kinds of traps like bags of caltrops.
Also have to really know which psychology a group is going to act by to do some of these things. Natural real world and fantasy settings darkness is danger; not always rules mechanic safety to run inside.
If a group is running by darkness = bad (such as if a group learns to avoid it because of many of these tactics) then it can be used to start channeling groups along paths you don't put into darkness.
Another question is if the characters involved act immediately to action; or end up spending a round trying to work as a group. How actively is there going to be "friendly fire" with this group or DM's preferences?
Of course has its benefits for general retreat. Probably best if the group has this tactic under plans ahead of time. May auto work to stick together if all chained together as prisoners or tied as a climber group. Then there's the "Apache Retreat" where people could know that is the sign to scatter and find their own individual wandering way back to the meeting point. A decent way of dealing with at least some of a group getting away from super trackers so they don't all get caught.
This might also throw some story-line delay in being able to directly engage vs having to hunt down another group when each are at telescope range peering at each other. Unable to see which direction headed away from the last position seen can make a group more cautious or urgent in their pursuit depending on what is going on.
Any ships in a: marina, bay, around coral reef, and etc- can be suddenly in a very dangerous situation. Much chaos trying to avoid running into anything and any traffic could shut them down to want to throw anchor against it. Which then would need time to start to pick up speed again. Similar thing if you take out a light house or signal tower.
More potential benefits in un-aware not completely armed ambush situations for delaying their ability to get armed. Or catch part of a larger group in the darkness and add some Illusion magic clamor of threatening sounds from a different direction from the party. That way at least a portion of them "should" turn to face what sounds like an incoming threat. So the party can deal with half or less of the opposition first which sees them to engage.
But if you cast it on yourself to avoid OAs don't you suffer from not being able to see?
RE: counterspell, you cast darkness, so your next spell is safe from counterspell but you can't see your target? I suppose you fling a fireball in the general direction and hope for a hit?
Trying to enhance my Drow tactics for a coming campaign.
Ask your DM how they are going to interpret darkness. There are two main ways of viewing it. If you follow the illumination rules you suffer the blind condition when looking into a heavily obscured area. This could be interpreted as you can't see into the darkness but you can see out of the darkness.
This is best illustrated by thinking of someone hiding in a shadow. You may not be able to see them, but they will still see you if you are standing in broad daylight.
The issue with magical darkness is whether or not it prevents light from coming in. (I would be inclined to say it does so you couldn't see out, but DMs differ on this considerably)
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If a spell does not say it sheds light I wouldn't let players use it as a light source except to light a fire or a torch. The fire and torch would be non-magical sources of light, and so could not illuminat the area, but also would not be dispelled by it.
Extended Signature
That seems reasonable. So by that measure, Faerie Fire would be dispelled, but Guiding Bolt would not, although it's hard to imagine how "the next attack roll made against this target before the end of your next turn has advantage, thanks to the mystical dim light glittering on the target until then."
"Not all those who wander are lost"
I think it might be fair enough if they do use lightning or fire to see it glow away inside the dark and give people rough split second silhouettes of who it burns around and a guess where its emanating from. (still disadvantage to hit but a chance of hitting, but first that would only matter if you assume someone who is blind cant aim at targets 500' away with a longbow 'because its only blindness / darkness - the rules say Disadvantage doesnt stack and dont say I cant fire at them just that I get disadvantage)
That is where I approach darkness from - I want to build a game world and have it make some sense not have blind people able to pinpoint the enemy.
The light doesn't take effect until after the spell hits so it would be dispelled - the spell does damage but no laser guidance.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Create Bonfire
Dancing lights
Light
Produce Flame
Flame Blade
Flaming Sphere
Moonbeam
all dispelled by Darkness raw if you think Guiding bolt is affected then a ton of spells would be shut down by Darkness
Create Bonfire doesn’t specifically say it produces an area of light so it wouldn’t be dispelled. Yeah, I think that is ridiculous too.
EDIT: It's also important to consider that if Darkness doesn't dispel any of these spells, then they would be completely unaffected because Darkness only affects non-magical light. I guess I should amend my earlier statement about Guiding Bolt. It's either all or nothing.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Darkness dispels all of the above listed spells except Bonfire.
Extended Signature
yup my bad... I find it interesting that continual flame isn't dispelled by darkness either by how we're reading it here.
But if you look at darkness closely it doesn't state that the light has to be magical at all just that the spell creates light that overlaps the area of the darkness.
Honestly tho I would probably judge that only spells where the primary effect is light would be effected by the spell all other spells simply have their light suppressed.
Only times I might change that would be in adventures where light is a big deal light fights against Drow or Aberrations where having the magic act erratically would add flavour and coolness to the encounter.
Light sources or lack there of, also effect how you can use Gloomstalker Rangers too.
Blank
Darkness does two things. It obscures non-magical light and it dispels spells of level two or lower that cast an area of light.
So in response to your comment, if it is not dispelled and if it is not non-magical light, darkness does not affect it. At least that’s how I read it.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Unless of course, you have Devil's sight, right? >:)
Old enough to be a Grognard,
Young at heart enough for 5e
Played this game for 40+ years
Why not come and play with me!
(Yeah. I am a wanna be Bard)
Darkness plus the warlocks' Devil's sight invocation means that you can see, but enemies can't, even those with darkvision!
Devil's sight lets you see through dark, dim, or *magical* darkness!
question, I am currently playing as a dragonborn, Eldritch Knight - fighter, I'm looking into getting the Darkness spell when I reach level 7, what would be be the best way to use it in combat? since I'm a fighter I usually fight up close to the target but then I wouldn't be able to see them.
If you are a melee fighter you can use it on enemies that are at a distance. It could help to block their fire while you get closer.
It is possible to use darkness in close combat if you also pick up the blind fighting Feat.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
You can take the Blind Fighting fighting style.
Though be aware that Darkness can cause issues with your teammates . For example, Many spells require the caster to see the target of the spell.
In more RP style sessions Darkness can be useful for backing up Illusion and Deception work.
Such as if trying to snatch something thief heist movie style in a way which the illusions wouldn't cover.
Suggest something with an illusion or disguise for a moment, such as an ambush round, before triggering Darkness and breaking the scene into chaos. Leaving the illusions to be the closest thing to obvious eye witness account style evidence for characters to grab onto.
This can also lead into more mystery investigation style quests, cold war style emergency dead drops for intel, or any version of escape scenarios. Many ways to play around with that and any clues a DM wants to add on; such as having some form of a tell so it's not the OP shapeshifter scenario.
Up to the particular DM & how you work with them for how well things like this'll work. Certain people butt heads with being unable to not use concealed information when ever they see it to their immediate advantage to exploit or say they have an auto-counter for it.
On a combat side could be used similar to how older thunder & flash stones could be used in flashbang tactics; particularly for a group skilled in Blind Fighting.
Along with Blind then AoE tactics.
Which can be backed by some of: Cleric or Paladin's Channel Divinity powers, Fireballs, tar pit with Sphere of Thorns or Grease, and fear related effects pinning them inside or behind the darkness, etc.
Paired up with a Rogue - Thief & their Supreme Sneak (Lvl 9) or similar partner you can give them a location for both staying invisible and doing their other hit and run tactics and staying hidden/invisible.
Monk - Warrior of Shadow (Lvl 6) Shadow Step > Give them a extra spot to teleport to. Also from the outside this creates more of a "shell game" if NPCs are starting to fire off AoEs; they have to pick between spots of darkness which they're going to attack.
Again DM dependent but could try forcing a group to have to run through darkness to escape something. Then set up as Sentinel with attacks of opportunity as they exit. Easily backed by other kinds of traps like bags of caltrops.
Also have to really know which psychology a group is going to act by to do some of these things. Natural real world and fantasy settings darkness is danger; not always rules mechanic safety to run inside.
If a group is running by darkness = bad (such as if a group learns to avoid it because of many of these tactics) then it can be used to start channeling groups along paths you don't put into darkness.
Another question is if the characters involved act immediately to action; or end up spending a round trying to work as a group. How actively is there going to be "friendly fire" with this group or DM's preferences?
Of course has its benefits for general retreat.
Probably best if the group has this tactic under plans ahead of time. May auto work to stick together if all chained together as prisoners or tied as a climber group.
Then there's the "Apache Retreat" where people could know that is the sign to scatter and find their own individual wandering way back to the meeting point. A decent way of dealing with at least some of a group getting away from super trackers so they don't all get caught.
This might also throw some story-line delay in being able to directly engage vs having to hunt down another group when each are at telescope range peering at each other. Unable to see which direction headed away from the last position seen can make a group more cautious or urgent in their pursuit depending on what is going on.
Any ships in a: marina, bay, around coral reef, and etc- can be suddenly in a very dangerous situation. Much chaos trying to avoid running into anything and any traffic could shut them down to want to throw anchor against it. Which then would need time to start to pick up speed again. Similar thing if you take out a light house or signal tower.
More potential benefits in un-aware not completely armed ambush situations for delaying their ability to get armed.
Or catch part of a larger group in the darkness and add some Illusion magic clamor of threatening sounds from a different direction from the party. That way at least a portion of them "should" turn to face what sounds like an incoming threat. So the party can deal with half or less of the opposition first which sees them to engage.
How do you handle ranged attacks into Darkness when the archer has a rough idea of where the target is but can’t see them directly?
If a creature can't see in Darkness or other Heavily Obscured area, it has the Blinded condition and attack rolls have Disadvantage.
Ask your DM how they are going to interpret darkness. There are two main ways of viewing it. If you follow the illumination rules you suffer the blind condition when looking into a heavily obscured area. This could be interpreted as you can't see into the darkness but you can see out of the darkness.
This is best illustrated by thinking of someone hiding in a shadow. You may not be able to see them, but they will still see you if you are standing in broad daylight.
The issue with magical darkness is whether or not it prevents light from coming in. (I would be inclined to say it does so you couldn't see out, but DMs differ on this considerably)