Darkness / Light sources

[awp832]

Maybe I am over thinking this. I had just responded to another thread when I realized that maybe I didn't know what I was talking about.

Darkness (spell) says that nonmagical light sources don't increase the light level in an area of darkness. Except they kind of do, because Darkness is based off the current light level.

Lets say the party enters a cave. Once they're beyond the mouth, the cave is an area of total darkness. Fighter-1 lights a Torch. The area around fighter-1 has a 20-foot radius of normal light, and a further 20 feet of dim light. They move further into the cave.

Tiefling-1 casts Darkness, centered say, on a point just next to Fighter-1. What happens?

1. Light levels are lowered by 1 step. Since the area was normal light before, it is now Dim Light. Fighter-1 can see, Tiefling-1 can see with no penalty in dim light because of his darkvision.

2. The torch is suppressed completely, and ALSO light levels are lowered by 1. The light level in the cave goes from dark to supernaturally dark. Fighter-1 can not see. Tiefling-1 can not see, even with darkvsion.

Suppose Tiefling-1 is a rogue and wants to sneak attack. Is there any way he can make things "normally" dark in this area?

[Thanis Kartaleon]

Quote:

This spell has no effect in an area that is already dark.

Quote:

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.

So, Tiefling-1 casts darkness, and Fighter-1's torch no longer provides light. It is dark, but not supernaturally dark. Fighter-1 cannot see, Tiefling-1 can see just fine.

Of note, darkness requires an object to target and is subject to cover rules - if Fighter-1 has a Dwarf-1 buddy, he can potentially help by grabbing the targeted object and tossing it in his backpack.

[Kazaan]

According to the FAQ, neither artificial lights already affecting the area nor those brought into the area, will function. So if you have a room lit by torches, but would be dark otherwise, the Darkness spell will "deactivate" the torches and the area of the spell drops to natural dark, since it can't drop any further. Now, "natural light", on the other hand, can change the ambiance. So if it were in natural normal light (ie. indirect sunlight), darkness would drop it to dim. If it were natural dim light (ie. moon-lit night), it would drop it to Dark, even if there were a torch bringing the light level up to Normal because the torch ceases to be a factor under the area of the Darkness spell.