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What is the increased column on the above table for? What does it mean?
I used to think light produced an area of light (such as a 20-foot radius for a torch), then an additional ring of dim-illumination (such as an additional 40-foot radius of concealment giving dim illumination), but I've recently been told that is not the case.
Looking for clarification ASAP. I have an army to slay within the hour and I'll be attacking at night and need to have an idea of how far they will be able to see with their varied light sources.
EDIT: Found it. Apparently the rule says the following:
The increased entry indicates an area outside the lit radius in which the light level is increased by one step (from darkness to dim light, for example).
That doesn't make any sense to me, however. Doesn't light tend to dim the farther it goes? Shouldn't it read:
The increased entry indicates an area outside the lit radius in which the light level is decreased by one step (from lit to dim light, for example).
Please FAQ if you are as confused as I.
EDIT #2: Oh. Perhaps the increased applies to creatures with low-light vision and that there is no ring? For example, a torch shines light in a 20-foot radius with NO light whatsoever after that. But for an elf with low-light vision, the same torch provides BRIGHT LIGHT out to a radius of 40-feet.
Is that the case?
That doesn't make any sense to me, however. Doesn't light tend to dim the farther it goes? Shouldn't it read:
The increased entry indicates an area outside the lit radius in which the light level is decreased by one step (from lit to dim light, for example).
Please FAQ if you are as confused as I.
Oh ho Mr. Dork! You sir are bending the laws of physics into pathfinder. While in the real world the light forms a gradient from light to shadow, in PF it is simulated with these light "layers". I think it does a reasonable job of it too.
If you'd like a more realistic (and complex) light calculation system, I think you are entitled to create on and employ it.
However, it is much easier to use the current system even though it falls short of reality.
To your point though... i got a little carried away.. I see what you're saying about the light going from bright to dark, but the pathfinder people were writing from the perspective from dark to light. Outside in. It's all about perspective.
But the light level is increased, as it is higher than the surrounding darkness.
The Normal column shows the area where the light is increased to normal conditions, and the Increased column shows where the light is increased by 1 step.
The rules do make sense when you realize they use the surronding darkness as the base to modify instead of the brightly lit light source.
But the light level is increased, as it is higher than the surrounding darkness.
The Normal column shows the area where the light is increased to normal conditions, and the Increased column shows where the light is increased by 1 step.
The rules do make sense when you realize they use the surronding darkness as the base to modify instead of the brightly lit light source.
Huh?
Huh?But the light level is increased, as it is higher than the surrounding darkness.
The Normal column shows the area where the light is increased to normal conditions, and the Increased column shows where the light is increased by 1 step.
The rules do make sense when you realize they use the surronding darkness as the base to modify instead of the brightly lit light source.
Darkness starts out dark. In the inner radius it becomes bright, beyond that there is a ring where the light is one step up from the original light level (Dark to dim light). Further than that, the light does not provide greater visibility. (It will still be visible however).
It works pretty much like the other light sources.
Ah.
So in the initial radius the brightness of the light is determined by the source of the light (usually light, or bright light). The outer radius is [existing lighting conditions] + 1 step up (i.e. - dim light to light).
Is that right?
Hope so. That makes sense.
Just to be sure I understand you correctly, casting daylight in a room that is already lit (standard lighting), there would be a 60-foot radius of bright light and an additional 120-feet of more bright light, due to the ambient conditions.
Yes?
Yes, but there's one additional complication: for creatures with low-light vision, the secondary radius is doubled. One of the Pathfinder podcasts covered light, it was mentioned in there.
Example, light yielding 20ft of normal light in an area of ambient darkness
Human: 20ft normal light, 20ft dim light, rest darkness
Elf: 20ft normal light, 40ft dim light, rest darkness
My memory could be off and possibly *all* light radii should be doubled.
Which is quite annoying at times since light levels are becoming subjective while sometimes in the rules are treated as if they were an objective measure.
EDIT: I'd much prefer that dim light was dim for everyone but creatures with low-light vision saw as if it were normal for 30 feet or something - like a darkvision for dim light (but with colors).
Yes: "Characters with low-light vision (elves, gnomes, and half-elves) can see objects twice as far away as the given radius. Double the effective radius of bright light, normal light, and dim light for such characters."
My memory could be off and possibly *all* light radii should be doubled.
Wouldn't that mean...
Human: 20ft normal light, 20ft dim light, rest darkness
Elf: 40ft normal light, 40ft dim light, rest darkness
...?
Yes! That's it