Color of the light / dancing lights spells?

[deuxhero]

Quote:

This spell causes a touched object to glow like a torch, shedding normal light in a 20-foot radius from the point touched, and increasing the light level for an additional 20 feet by one step, up to normal light (darkness becomes dim light, and dim light becomes normal light). In an area of normal or bright light, this spell has no effect. The effect is immobile, but it can be cast on a movable object.

Quote:

Depending on the version selected, you create up to four lights that resemble lanterns or torches (and cast that amount of light), or up to four glowing spheres of light (which look like will-o’-wisps), or one faintly glowing, vaguely humanoid shape

What color is it? Torch light can vary quite a bit in color depending on the materials.

All the D&D video games I know of that included the spell made it plain white, even Dungeons and Dragons Tactics, where it looks the same as a torch since there's only one light effect in the game. NWN/NWN2 had magic items with any possible color light generation, though most were white.

There's no standard among light spells. Sunlight has even less to go on, since it doesn't reference torches or earlier light spells, though I'm sure there's nobody that would object to it having the color of sunlight. Silverlight says as daylight but silver. Wall of Light explicitly says "white light". Judgment Light allows any color of the rainbow. "The faerie fire can be blue, green, or violet, according to your choice at the time of casting".

[pocsaclypse]

I can't think of a single reason why it couldnt be whatever color the caster wanted it to be each time they cast it. Plain white seems like the easiest to default to unless something else is specified.

[deuxhero]

I'd limit it to white and ROYGBIV, but that's how I'd do it. Wondering if there's any RAW or precedent in modules (maybe even the books/comics) though.

[The Sideromancer]

pocsaclypse wrote:

I can't think of a single reason why it couldnt be whatever color the caster wanted it to be each time they cast it.

I read this, and immediately thought of using a cantrip as a gamma ray source. Unfortunately I'm not currently up to the task of calculating whether that would actually produce enough to have an offensive use.

[Claxon]

I'm pretty sure it's limited to visible light only.

[Azothath]

the color isn't defined by the spell - thus it's just part of the details of the casting left up to the player with approval by the GM.
The color should remain within the normal visible spectrum. I'd allow multicolors if the caster maintains concentration (time to get the mirrored globe out and give it a spin).
Advice: Relying on a scientific explanation for low light or darkvision will lead to some handwaiving, so just leave it generally unexplained other than enhanced and can see in normal darkness. The theme of explaining it comes and goes with time and it's a detail that not really needed by the game.