Figments and Light

[Ganymede425]

Do figments block or affect light?

From the rules, we know for sure that figments block line of sight for those that believe in them. If an archway was filled with the figment of solid brick, an unsuspecting orc would not be able to see past. But imagine that orc was carrying a torch. Would the light of the torch affect the figment?

For instance, do figments cast shadows? We already know that a figment can't make one thing appear as something else, so this would normally preclude using a figment to darken something that is real. So, would the figment of a barrel cast a shadow, or is this lack of a shadow just something that gives someone an opportunity to disbelieve in it?

Secondly, do figments block light? Would using a figment to fill in an ordinarily bright arrow slit cause the room to suddenly darken? Would covering a lantern with the figment of a big bowl stop all light from passing through for those who believe in the bowl?

[DMFTodd]

If you disbelieve a figment, you can see through it. That would seem to indicate that they don't block light. If it's not blocking light, then it's not going to cast a shadow - which I'd agree with you is just one of the ways you get to disbelieve, though you could make a figment that included a shadow.

If you use a figment in a way that would "block" all the light, it's not going to do it. Again I'd say that's one of the ways you can disbelieve it. That's a big "mistake" though for the figment, so I'd probably give an extra disbelief check or a bonus to it.

[The Elusive Jackalope]

The PRD wrote:

Figment: A figment spell creates a false sensation. Those who perceive the figment perceive the same thing, not their own slightly different versions of the figment. It is not a personalized mental impression. Figments cannot make something seem to be something else. A figment that includes audible effects cannot duplicate intelligible speech unless the spell description specifically says it can. If intelligible speech is possible, it must be in a language you can speak. If you try to duplicate a language you cannot speak, the figment produces gibberish. Likewise, you cannot make a visual copy of something unless you know what it looks like (or copy another sense exactly unless you have experienced it).

Because figments and glamers are unreal, they cannot produce real effects the way that other types of illusions can. Figments and glamers cannot cause damage to objects or creatures, support weight, provide nutrition, or provide protection from the elements. Consequently, these spells are useful for confounding foes, but useless for attacking them directly.

A figment's AC is equal to 10 + its size modifier.

Figments do not create real effects and thus do not produce anything that can block line of effect, so light would not be blocked and shadows would not be cast. You could include within the illusion a shadow, however, which would only really be functional if the light source in the room was static or you were actively concentrating on the effect to move the shadow along with the light source.