I like 5e a lot; it has a few flaws but you can work around them. Mostly. I have encountered a tactical problem concerning light and magical darkness that is becoming a bit of a headache for me. I know this has been discussed before, but they did not bring up the problem I have. You see, there seems to be a lot of interesting and challenging monsters that use darkness to their advantage. These monsters become much less challenging and exiting because magical light takes away a lot of their tactical prowess in a fight, and what party of let's say level 5-10 does not have at least a light cantrip? Chances are they will have at least one magical light source, and those tend to spread light in a radius that will mean almost the entire grid can be illuminated. Well, at least the part they are fighting in, because if they have made it to say lvl 5 with a DM who is only moderately cruel they will have learned not to split the party too much. They will do it sometimes anyway, but most of the time they will stick together in the light -- willfully or not.
Take the Drow Shadowblade for example. Will light from say a Mace of Disruption illuminate the patches of darkness it creates?
Looking at the rules I've seen, I would say that it does. Does this mean that the magical darkness is still there but temporarily illuminated? Could the shadow blade use it to shadow step even if the darkness is temporarily illuminated? I would say no, in the latter case. Seeing as the Drow Shadowblade is a lvl 11 challenge it is highly unlikely that your standard party with a fair chance of defeating it would not have at least one way of nerfing a great deal of the threat that the shadowblade poses using just magical light from items and cantrips. Light that would probably be "on" anyway in most cases and does not really cost the party many resources.
I am thinking of house ruling that only magical sunlight (i.e. sunlight created by items or spells) is able to banish magical darkness without using dispel magic or such methods. Such illumination can be especially empowered by the gods of light and sun.
So first we look and find that a magical light source that is Level 2 or under is dispelled when encountering the Darkness spell, so the Light cantrip could not illuminate a darkness spell. edit: Sniped by Metamongoose!
The Mace of Disruption only illuminates a 40 ft radius, 20 normal 20 dim. This is identical to the cantrip Light, so i would say that the light from the mace is dispelled.
Torches, lanterns, candles, campfires, etc. are non-magical light which is unable to push back magical darkness.
I don't think you'll need to put quite as much effort into making it as dangerous as you're attempting.
So first we look and find that a magical light source that is Level 2 or under is dispelled when encountering the Darkness spell, so the Light cantrip could not illuminate a darkness spell. edit: Sniped by Metamongoose!
What can I tell you, mongeese are fast.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
If you read the Darkness spell the last paragraph reads: If any of this spell's area overlaps with an area of light created by a spell of 2nd level or lower, the spell that created the light is dispelled. This means that a light cantrip would be dispelled the moment any of the light from it would touch the darkness spell putting them in total darkness unless they are using a torch or lantern. The light from a torch or lantern wouldn't be able to penetrate the spell for them to see into it but the area that they are in would still be lit. A modification that I would make to the spell if if it's cast at a higher level it dispells any light spell of that level or lower when it overlaps the area of the darkness spell. Reading the Shadowblade ability (Shadow Step) they could teleport to a players shadow but would then be in bright light for the rest of the fight unless they ran for dim or darkness. As for the Mace of Disruption, it doesn't say that it's magical light and I would just treat it like a torch or lantern. I hope this helps.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Remember this is a game and it's suppose to be fun for everybody. Let's all have fun and kill monsters.
So first we look and find that a magical light source that is Level 2 or under is dispelled when encountering the Darkness spell, so the Light cantrip could not illuminate a darkness spell. edit: Sniped by Metamongoose!
What can I tell you, mongeese are fast.
Mongeese is the plural of Mongoose?!
Casting Darkness as a higher level spell gives it a higher level of dispelling magical light, unless I'm misunderstanding the wording.
Pretty much this. if you upcast darkness let say with 5th spell slot the effect stays the same but it is now a 5th level spell. In order to Dispel Magic or Counterspell that spell witouth having to roll for it you gonna have to upcast those spell with 5th spell slot to.
(No pun intended)
I like 5e a lot; it has a few flaws but you can work around them. Mostly. I have encountered a tactical problem concerning light and magical darkness that is becoming a bit of a headache for me. I know this has been discussed before, but they did not bring up the problem I have. You see, there seems to be a lot of interesting and challenging monsters that use darkness to their advantage. These monsters become much less challenging and exiting because magical light takes away a lot of their tactical prowess in a fight, and what party of let's say level 5-10 does not have at least a light cantrip? Chances are they will have at least one magical light source, and those tend to spread light in a radius that will mean almost the entire grid can be illuminated. Well, at least the part they are fighting in, because if they have made it to say lvl 5 with a DM who is only moderately cruel they will have learned not to split the party too much. They will do it sometimes anyway, but most of the time they will stick together in the light -- willfully or not.
Take the Drow Shadowblade for example. Will light from say a Mace of Disruption illuminate the patches of darkness it creates?
Looking at the rules I've seen, I would say that it does. Does this mean that the magical darkness is still there but temporarily illuminated? Could the shadow blade use it to shadow step even if the darkness is temporarily illuminated? I would say no, in the latter case. Seeing as the Drow Shadowblade is a lvl 11 challenge it is highly unlikely that your standard party with a fair chance of defeating it would not have at least one way of nerfing a great deal of the threat that the shadowblade poses using just magical light from items and cantrips. Light that would probably be "on" anyway in most cases and does not really cost the party many resources.
I am thinking of house ruling that only magical sunlight (i.e. sunlight created by items or spells) is able to banish magical darkness without using dispel magic or such methods. Such illumination can be especially empowered by the gods of light and sun.
What do you think?
Maybe you need to actually read Darkness a little closer....
So Light would just be snuffed out by Darkness.
So first we look and find that a magical light source that is Level 2 or under is dispelled when encountering the Darkness spell, so the Light cantrip could not illuminate a darkness spell.edit: Sniped by Metamongoose!The Mace of Disruption only illuminates a 40 ft radius, 20 normal 20 dim. This is identical to the cantrip Light, so i would say that the light from the mace is dispelled.
Torches, lanterns, candles, campfires, etc. are non-magical light which is unable to push back magical darkness.
I don't think you'll need to put quite as much effort into making it as dangerous as you're attempting.
What can I tell you, mongeese are fast.
If you read the Darkness spell the last paragraph reads: If any of this spell's area overlaps with an area of light created by a spell of 2nd level or lower, the spell that created the light is dispelled. This means that a light cantrip would be dispelled the moment any of the light from it would touch the darkness spell putting them in total darkness unless they are using a torch or lantern. The light from a torch or lantern wouldn't be able to penetrate the spell for them to see into it but the area that they are in would still be lit. A modification that I would make to the spell if if it's cast at a higher level it dispells any light spell of that level or lower when it overlaps the area of the darkness spell. Reading the Shadowblade ability (Shadow Step) they could teleport to a players shadow but would then be in bright light for the rest of the fight unless they ran for dim or darkness. As for the Mace of Disruption, it doesn't say that it's magical light and I would just treat it like a torch or lantern. I hope this helps.
Remember this is a game and it's suppose to be fun for everybody. Let's all have fun and kill monsters.
Mongeese is the plural of Mongoose?!
Casting Darkness as a higher level spell gives it a higher level of dispelling magical light, unless I'm misunderstanding the wording.
I stole my pfp from this person: https://mobile.twitter.com/xelart1/status/1177312449575432193
No. It doesn’t.
Extended Signature! Yay! https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/off-topic/adohands-kitchen/3153-extended-signature-thread?page=2#c21
Haven’t used this account in forever. Still a big fan of crawling claws.
Thanks. Reading it over again, it says 2nd level. Is there any reason to cast it at a higher level?
I stole my pfp from this person: https://mobile.twitter.com/xelart1/status/1177312449575432193
I don’t see one.
to keep it from being dispelled, maybe?
Extended Signature! Yay! https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/off-topic/adohands-kitchen/3153-extended-signature-thread?page=2#c21
Haven’t used this account in forever. Still a big fan of crawling claws.
Pretty much this. if you upcast darkness let say with 5th spell slot the effect stays the same but it is now a 5th level spell. In order to Dispel Magic or Counterspell that spell witouth having to roll for it you gonna have to upcast those spell with 5th spell slot to.
Nox - Adult Oblex - The Trials
Jartrin Ephok - Dragonborn - Zanoliv
Bunol - Grim Angel - The Floating Lands of Goriate
Forgetting about the ending of the Light spell was a major oversight. Thanks for pointing this out to me!
It seems light from magical items vs. darkness from powers other than spells are a often a matter of DM fiat then...