Just started a new campaign that has two warlocks (genie and hexblade) as well as a Twilight cleric. The warlocks had planned to twin spam darkness/devil's sight, something our party has never done in all of our many 5th edition games. However, the twilight cleric's 2nd level channel divinity power Twilight Sanctuary states that it creates a "sphere centered on you, has a 30-foot radius, and is filled with dim light." It doesn't say how this sphere of dim light interacts with magical light or darkness. The DM said that he would "have to think about" which effect would be dominant. I hope there is an official ruling sometime soon, but until then what do you all think? Personally I would say that since you get TS at 2nd level, a level when the highest level spell anyone gets is first, it probably wouldn't overcome a 2nd level Darkness spell. But then I'm biased.
D&D 5E Twilight Sanctuary vs Magical Darkness?
tommybahama
Adventurer
The Channel Divinity is magical, but not a spell, so I would say that it can illuminate magical darkness.
As long as the warlocks stay 15 feet away from the Cleric then it shouldn't disrupt their tactics.
As long as the warlocks stay 15 feet away from the Cleric then it shouldn't disrupt their tactics.
Iry
Hero
I rule they overlap without being dispelled. Twilight Sanctuary is not "created by a spell of 2nd level or lower" so nothing is dispelled. Seeing things in twilight is not necessary for the Temp HP / Charmed / Frightened effect. So you end up with a sphere of magical darkness that cannot be seen through without Devil Sight, but still get the benefits of the Twilight Sanctuary. Both areas of effect can be moved away, and both would persist for their regular durations.
Flamestrike
Legend
The twilight effect is not created by a spell of 2nd level or higher, so the Darkness overrides the dim light of the Twilight effect.
tommybahama
Adventurer
Looking at the first highlight, since Channel Divinity is magical then it should be able to illuminate the darkness. Since it is not a spell (see Crawford's tweet above), the second highlight should not apply.
UngeheuerLich
Legend
I really like the darkness interaction with flaming sphere for example. It dispells the sphere, because the spere explicitely creates an area of light.
Plaguescarred
D&D Playtester for WoTC since 2012
The dim light created by a shpere of Twillight Sanctuary should illuminate a Darkness spell, because it is not a nonmagical light nor a light created by a spell of 2nd level or lower.
I think it depends on the setting.
For instance in Godsfall it explicitly states that divine magic overpowers normal arcane magic. But with a warlock I think you need to take into account the source of their power. I would think that Fey or Elemental warlocks would lose out to divine magic.
Would eldritch horror trump divine magic?
For instance in Godsfall it explicitly states that divine magic overpowers normal arcane magic. But with a warlock I think you need to take into account the source of their power. I would think that Fey or Elemental warlocks would lose out to divine magic.
Would eldritch horror trump divine magic?
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