D&D General How do you really handle illumination in your games?

[bloodtide]

I keep the world dark.

It's only bright and sunny sometimes. Mostly it is gray cloudy skies, or dark rain clouds. Or, of course, at night.

When playing most games, like D&D 2-3E or Old School games, I use the old 'light' rules. So some public places are lit by fires, but not all that many. It's a lot like any place 'off the grid'. Even darker in dungeons.

For any long term 5E D&D game I edit out all the dark vision and other easy button vision. Often with the agreement of the players. For the players that don't agree, they will simply find the world full of deep, dark magical shadow darkness that 100% blocks their whatever.

I love having action and adventure in partial or near total darkness. The fun of not being able to see things. I look for this type of player.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

It's only bright and sunny sometimes. Mostly it is gray cloudy skies, or dark rain clouds. Or, of course, at night.

Seattle? Or Scotland?

 

[Peter BOSCO'S]

I am running an all Human party right now (because a second Origin Feat (usually Lucky or Tough), Heroic Inspiration every morning, and an extra skill (Perception unless they already had it), make human a great choice) and we normally have three sets of light going, the Wizard's 'Light', the Cleric's 'Light', and the 15' light from one of the Fighters Moon-Touched Glaive. So far, so good but they have been careful about marching order and not scouting too far ahead.

My only real surprise is that I have not been able to get them to bother to use Lanterns. I thought that 30' of bright and +30' of dim were so obviously superior to the 20' of bright and +20' of dim from a Light spell that they would have one going all the time, but they don't seem to care.