| 1 person marked this as FAQ candidate. |
Torch: Normal light > dim light.
Light: They negate each other, leaving the illumination the same as before.
Rays of sunlight shining through a hole in the ceiling: I'd say that's either normal or dim light. In either case the Darkness spell will reduce the illumination by one step. Here's the progression:
From bright light to normal light, from normal light to dim light, or from dim light to darkness.
|
| 1 person marked this as FAQ candidate. |
The confusion begins because of the phrase "Nonmagical sources of light, such as torches and lanterns, do not increase the light level in an area of darkness."
Which I take to mean (but am not certain):
1) It is only affected by light sources _outside_ the area of effect shining in but not light sources inside trying to shine out?
2) A lower or non-magical light source inside the area of effect when darkness is cast is completely nullified? If you cast darkness so its area includes the only torch lighting the room then the area is in complete darkness?
3) Cast a light spell or bring a light source _outside_ the area of darkness and the illumination in the overlapping area between the two spells/ranges is only dim light?
Any other interpretation I can think of requires the darkness spell to have memory - which would be unnecessarily complicated - though that might be the case?
EDIT: In simpler terms I interpret darkness as having 2 effects:
1) It prevents lower level light sources inside its area from radiating light at all.
2) It dims light entering its area from outside by one level.
Like i said Darkness will reduce the light level by one step. I should've added: except for Light spells of a higher level and sunlight.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as FAQ candidate. |
Like i said Darkness will reduce the light level by one step. I should've added: except for Light spells of a higher level and sunlight.
So you are saying a torch brought within an area of darkness will raise the light level in the area ie from darkness to dim light? Which seems to contradict the darkness rule I quoted? I am still no clearer.
|
| 1 person marked this as FAQ candidate. |
Like i said Darkness will reduce the light level by one step. I should've added: except for Light spells of a higher level and sunlight.So you are saying a torch brought within an area of darkness will raise the light level in the area ie from darkness to dim light? Which seems to contradict the darkness rule I quoted? I am still no clearer.
The way I read it is that any torch inside an area of Darkness does not function, and a torch outside the area of a Darkness spell would function, but would not affect the area of the spell.
Basically, this is the same concept as using a mundane signal whistle in or near an area of Silence.
3) Cast a light spell or bring a light source _outside_ the area of darkness and the illumination in the overlapping area between the two spells/ranges is only dim light?
This is only true of the Daylight spell. Anything less than that (torches, lanterns, continual flame, sunrods, Light spell) doesn't affect the darkness.
Like i said Darkness will reduce the light level by one step. I should've added: except for Light spells of a higher level and sunlight.So you are saying a torch brought within an area of darkness will raise the light level in the area ie from darkness to dim light? Which seems to contradict the darkness rule I quoted? I am still no clearer.
No. I'm saying that if you're in dim light, and you cast Darkness, then you're now in darkness.
If you bring a lit torch into the radius of the spell, then it doesn't raise the light level, thus you are still in darkness.
*edit*: if you cast Light however, it would raise the light level back to dim light.
Darkness
School evocation [darkness]; Level bard 2, cleric 2, sorcerer/wizard 2This spell causes an object to radiate darkness out to a 20-foot radius. This darkness causes the illumination level in the area to drop one step, from bright light to normal light, from normal light to dim light, or from dim light to darkness. This spell has no effect in an area that is already dark. Creatures with light vulnerability or sensitivity take no penalties in normal light. All creatures gain concealment (20% miss chance) in dim light. All creatures gain total concealment (50% miss chance) in darkness. Creatures with darkvision can see in an area of dim light or darkness without penalty. Nonmagical sources of light, such as torches and lanterns, do not increase the light level in an area of darkness. Magical light sources only increase the light level in an area if they are of a higher spell level than darkness.
If darkness is cast on a small object that is then placed inside or under a lightproof covering, the spell's effect is blocked until the covering is removed.
This spell does not stack with itself. Darkness can be used to counter or dispel any light spell of equal or lower spell level.
Bolded for emphasis.
Only higher level light spells work in Darkness at all. Level 0 light will never penetrate Darkness. Daylight (Level 3) and Silverlight (Level 3 - Guide to the River Kingdoms) can overcome it.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as FAQ candidate. |
If the Sun has no effect on the area in the Darkness spell. What is producing the normal light?
The way I read it is that any torch inside an area of Darkness does not function, and a torch outside the area of a Darkness spell would function, but would not affect the area of the spell....
Yup. If you cast Darkness out in bright sunlight, the area of Darkness becomes normal light instead of bright.
The darkness reduces the amount of sunlight that is coming in to the area, what the statement is saying is that the fact that there is a natural source (wether a torch or the sun) coming in, that does not remove the darkness.
| 1 person marked this as FAQ candidate. |
The darkness reduces the amount of sunlight that is coming in to the area, what the statement is saying is that the fact that there is a natural source (wether a torch or the sun) coming in, that does not remove the darkness.If the Sun has no effect on the area in the Darkness spell. What is producing the normal light?
The way I read it is that any torch inside an area of Darkness does not function, and a torch outside the area of a Darkness spell would function, but would not affect the area of the spell....
Yup. If you cast Darkness out in bright sunlight, the area of Darkness becomes normal light instead of bright.
So if sunlight is reduced to normal, torchlight is reduced to dim, right?
All of this is moot, as Darkness as written in PFRPG is missing a key sentence from the old 3.5 version of the spell. Because of that missing sentence creatures with dark vision can see right through the spell and do not suffer the 20% to 50% miss chances imposed by the spell.
And as 85% of the bestiary are creatures with dark vision the spell is a waste of space in any spell book.
|
All of this is moot, as Darkness as written in PFRPG is missing a key sentence from the old 3.5 version of the spell. Because of that missing sentence creatures with dark vision can see right through the spell and do not suffer the 20% to 50% miss chances imposed by the spell.
And as 85% of the bestiary are creatures with dark vision the spell is a waste of space in any spell book.
The change was purposeful. You are wanting Darkness to function as Deeper Darkness.
Then as stated in a post about a similar topic, then why was the Drow spell-like ability never changed to compensate. As it stands their iconic fighting tactic of using darkness to disorient their opponent is no longer a viable tactic. And their spell-like abilities should have been changed to make up for that.
this would mean that if you are planning on running the second darkness AP every Drow in that book that the players face is a Drow noble or you are replacing key combat feats for racial feats for Over 100,000 Drow that the players could face. I call sananagins
the sentence that is missing from the 3.5 version of the spell is the one that states that creatures with dark vision still suffer the miss chances imposed by the spell. that missing sentence means that darkness is a useless spell-like ability for not only Drow but teiflings, and a number of other creatures that have it.
Then I offer up a fun little exercise for you look through the Bestiary's once and mark down all the creatures that have dark vision, then all the creatures that can cast darkness as a spell like ability. And tell me how you feel later.
Heh, it is kind of weird that faerie fire won't work in a magical darkness. Considering drow are a subterranean race, who are they using faerie fire on? It becomes solely an anti-stealth spell.