A Torch and Darkvision Question

[Stiletto]

OK, here is the scenario, a dwarf stands in the center of an underground cave surrounded by darkness.

As per RAW, dwarves have darkvision 60' and do not have low-light vision.

As per RAW, if there is no light source, the dwarf, using darkvision, can see 60' in every directions, but only in black and white. Enemies with stealth need cover to hide from the dwarf.

As per RAW, torches put out 20' of light plus another 20' of dim light. Those with low-light vision it is really 40' light and another 40' of dim light. Enemies with stealth can hide in dim-light (I think).

Here's the question:
If the dwarf, who does not have low-light vision, is standing next to an ally and that ally lights a torch, does the dwarf see 20' of light + 20' of dim light + 20' of darkvision (a total of 60') or does the dwarf see 20' of light + 40' of darkvision (also a total of 60')?

I'm DMing a party with all members, except for 1 having darkvision. Also, I want to know if the dim light spoils the darkvision so that stealth can be used by their enemies. Stealth can only be used to spoil darkvision if the stealthy guy has cover, but dim light usually works as cover too, doesn't it?

[Stiletto]

I think I may have found the answer in the Core Rulebook under the Darkness spell which says:

Creatures with darkvision can see in an area of dim light or darkness without penalty.

The answer being, the dwarf sees 20' of light and 40' of darkvision.

Thanks anyways!

[digitalpacman]

The vision you are given is how far you can see, and you can see that far within that range. It is not additive.

A torch gives 20 ft light, then 20 feet dim (in darkness)

So a dwarf could see 60 ft. 20 ft of light then dim then darkness. They cannot see behind that 60 ft.

A human can see 30 ft in dim light. So they can see the full 40 ft from a torch, nothing behind. If the torch is 20 ft away from him, he could not see into the dim light that the torch is giving off, on the far side from him. So he would see 20 ft of dim behind him, 20 ft normal infront, and that's it.

[Satchmo]

Also low light vision does not change the sight range of a torch. The torch in a dark setting provides light to 20' low light out to 40' beyond that is darkness. Low light comes into use when you are in a setting with dim lighting conditions such as dusk, dawn,in the forest during the day while affected by a darkness spell, or in a crypt with strange glowing fungus in such cases a character with low light vision would be able to see twice as far as a human but would still suffer the 20% miss chance.

[Wolf Munroe]

Short answer:

Neither of them spoils the other, but they don't stack.

The dwarf has 60 ft. darkvision. So has it out to 60 ft. Darkvision is black and white-only.

The dwarf also sees in color in the light radius of the torch if it's beneficial (out to the two distances).

These overlap. Basically the character gets the benefit of darkvision or the light source, whichever is most beneficial to the character at the time, since both can function simultaneously.

Core Rulebook/PRD wrote:

Darkvision is the extraordinary ability to see with no light source at all, out to a range specified for the creature. Darkvision is black-and-white only (colors cannot be discerned). It does not allow characters to see anything that they could not see otherwise—invisible objects are still invisible, and illusions are still visible as what they seem to be. Likewise, darkvision subjects a creature to gaze attacks normally. The presence of light does not spoil darkvision.

Some races, such as fetchlings, have darkvision and low-light vision.

[Robert A Matthews]

I feel I should point out that torches do not shed dim light outside of the normal light radius. They increase the light level by one step. If the light level outside of the normal light generated by the torch is darkness, then it will raise it one step to dim light. If, however, you are in an area that is dimly lit (by phosforescent plants or something), then the torch will emit normal light and increase the dim light to normal light. Effectively the torch will give you normal light radius of 40' in an area of dim light.

Satchmo wrote:

Also low light vision does not change the sight range of a torch.

This is incorrect

Vision and Light wrote:

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.