D&D 5E (2014) does Daylight make daylight?

[evilbob]

It sounds like a dumb question but the spell's description doesn't say that it's actual daylight. Just a "sphere of light." This is of some concern if fighting a vampire.

 

[steeldragons]

This is point of some contention for many (I, personally, would duck and cover from the exploding can of worms that has just been unleashed).

For me, the answer is very simple.

I say, "Yes, it is."

Ultimately, the decision is up to your DM to simply declare it, one way or the other, and stick to it.

 

[Kobold Stew]

(double post)

 

[Kobold Stew]

Your question is "does daylight make sunlight"; it should do so, but (since it wouldn't be an ENWorld thread without some healthy disagreement) I'll say it doesn't:

"sunlight": appears to be a technical term, for vamps, drow, light clerics, and spells with sun in their name, etc.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Vampires only have issues with sunlight, not just bright light. Daylight doesn't produce actual sunlight.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Clearly no, it doesn't, or else (2) the 6th level Sunbeam spell and the Sun Blade magical weapon wouldn't need to explicitly note that "this light [produced] is sunlight", (2) the 20th level Paladin of Devotion capstone would be mostly pointless, and (3) you'd be able to light fires with Daylight and a magnifying glass:

Lighting a fire with a magnifying glass requires light as bright as sunlight to focus, tinder to ignite, and about 5 minutes for the fire to ignite.

Furthermore, I'll argue that the bulk of the evidence (especially the magnifying glass) indicates that daylight on an overcast day in Seattle does not count as "sunlight" for game purposes either. Doesn't disadvantage drow, doesn't let you start fires with magnifying glasses, etc.

Note that there exist creatures such as Shadows and Shadow Dragons which are disadvantaged not just by sunlight but by any bright (i.e. not dim) light. Against these creatures, Daylight is great.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Slow forum, double post.

 

[GX.Sigma]

It sounds like a dumb question but the spell's description doesn't say that it's actual daylight. Just a "sphere of light." This is of some concern if fighting a vampire.

Vampires are harmed by direct sunlight. Daylight creates bright light, but it does not conjure a sun.

 

[Sunseeker]

As a DM I would rule that it doesn't, but there isn't an appropriate higher-level spell that generates JUST true sunlight (Sunbeam and Sunburst deal damage in addition to generating True Sunlight(TM)). A spell that generates True Sunlight has highly limited uses beyond a spell that simply generates bright light. Also, allowing Daylight to generate True Sunlight with it only being a 3rd level spell would REALLY wreak havoc on the Ravenloft setting. I'd say a 5th or 6th level variant would be acceptable to keep it out of the hands of players too easily.

 

[ExploderWizard]

In my campaign I have ruled that Daylight effects cause vampires and similar creatures to be at disadvantage as long as they are in the primary radius of the light. This make daylight useful in the fight without being as powerful as the higher level sunlight.

My campaign currently features a pair of CR 23 vampires as the main villains. The spawn they create directly are in the CR 7-9 range so this has come up in actual play.