D&D 5E Use for Darkness

[thom_likes_gaming]

Howdie,

In a campaign I'm playing in, we found a "Box of Darkness", that emanates a Darkness spell when open (centered on the box). It's theoretically awesome, but, as none of us seem to be able to see in / through magical darkness, we've never actually used it.

What would be ways to see in magical darkness? Can anyone think of other uses for such an item?

 

[Savage Wombat]

Or open it when you're fighting an invisible foe. Levels the playing field - neither of you have advantage or disadvantage any more.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

A few years ago there was some discussion on the forum that suggested an alternate interpretation for how darkness works. Rather than making an opaque area, it actually just created a dark region of illumination that worked like natural darkness (other than that darkvision doesn't work on it). Ie, if you are inside it you could see things outside of it that aren't in darkness, and if you are outside it you can see well-lit things on the other side. Kind of like super-shade, or the area between widely spaced street lamps.

That makes it useful to hide in and attack outside of, and might potentially better explain why drow have it. It also makes sense of it in relationship to other spells. For example, there is a 3rd level warlock spell (I forgot it's name) that specifically makes an area of inky blackness and is more direct about its nature. Also, 2nd level darkness is mostly inferior to 1st level fog cloud. The alternate interpretation gives it a niche as kind of an area of invisibility with the downside being that its presence is obvious unless it's at a distance and/or already dark in the environment.

I'm strongly considering using that interpretation myself.

 

[Flamestrike]

Darkness shuts down opportunity attacks, and literally around half the spells and abilities in the PHB and elsewhere.

It's a solid debuff, particularly if opening and shutting the box is the 'use an object' action.

 

[TheSword]

A few years ago there was some discussion on the forum that suggested an alternate interpretation for how darkness works. Rather than making an opaque area, it actually just created a dark region of illumination that worked like natural darkness (other than that darkvision doesn't work on it). Ie, if you are inside it you could see things outside of it that aren't in darkness, and if you are outside it you can see well-lit things on the other side. Kind of like super-shade, or the area between widely spaced street lamps.

That makes it useful to hide in and attack outside of, and might potentially better explain why drow have it. It also makes sense of it in relationship to other spells. For example, there is a 3rd level warlock spell (I forgot it's name) that specifically makes an area of inky blackness and is more direct about its nature. Also, 2nd level darkness is mostly inferior to 1st level fog cloud. The alternate interpretation gives it a niche as kind of an area of invisibility with the downside being that its presence is obvious unless it's at a distance and/or already dark in the environment.

I'm strongly considering using that interpretation myself.

In the Salvatore books, Drow used the globes to drop on an enemy during ambush to disorientate them and stop them coordinating a defense. Or to facilitate an escape. Also the more experienced Drow were trained in blind fighting, or they just shot into the globe with enemies unable to shoot back.

 

[clearstream]

In the Salvatore books, Drow used the globes to drop on an enemy during ambush to disorientate them and stop them coordinating a defense. Or to facilitate an escape. Also the more experienced Drow were trained in blind fighting, or they just shot into the globe with enemies unable to shoot back.

Why unable to shoot back?

 

[TheSword]

Because as it was an ambush presumably the victims never knew where the Drow were in the first place to even respond.

 

[clearstream]

Because as it was an ambush presumably the victims never knew where the Drow were in the first place to even respond.

I was thinking, from the POV of mechanics they stop being hidden when they fire so can be attacked back at disadvantage.

 

[Guest 6801328]

As others have said, Devil's Sight will do it; note that you can now pick up that invocation via a feat in Tasha's, so you don't need a warlock in the party any more.

The other option is blindsight. The easiest way to get blindsight is to turn into a snake. Giant constrictor snakes have 10-foot blindsight; a moon druid can turn into one at level 6, and any full caster with access to polymorph can become one (or turn another PC into one) at level 7.

The other way to get blindsight is to take the new feat in Tasha's that grants you a fighting style. That plus a box of darkness is pure win.