A related factor to consider would be range. Just because you can see a light source at some distance, doesn't mean you know how far away the light source actually is. Trying to target anything at a range where the intervening distance is dark with a projectile weapon should probably attract the notional -2 penalty.
A Simple Light Question - That has our Group Divided
- Thread starter Herremann the Wise
- Start date
Aaron L
Hero
Torches are fairly big flames, really, really easily visible at 100 feet. 100 feet isnt very far. My yard is 100 feet across, and I could see a lit torch across it in broad daylight. I would think that you could probably see a lit torch in darkness from several thousand feet.
I mean, just stop and think. 100 feet is what, a 3rd of a city block?
I mean, just stop and think. 100 feet is what, a 3rd of a city block?
Last edited:
TheEvil
Explorer
Legildur said:
I would probably only give a penalty if there was some sort of obstruction they couldn't see. Otherwise, at 100 feet, you start getting into range increments anyway, no real reason to stack on the penalties.
On a related note, this is why underground races with 60' darkvision would use torches. Not at their guard posts, those would be in the dark, but you would certainly want to light up any choke points. Nothing like missile fire coming out of the darkness, at longer ranges then darkvision would allow.
Mavrik
First Post
Underdark Book Page 106 - Seeing Distant Light
Complete Dark -Spot DC20 at a distance equal to 20 times its radius
iExample - sunrod can be seen at 600ft
Dim Light 10 x radius
Creatures outside the illuminated area can make spot check to make discern creatures in the illuminated area at 10 x radius of the light
Mav
Complete Dark -Spot DC20 at a distance equal to 20 times its radius
iExample - sunrod can be seen at 600ft
Dim Light 10 x radius
Creatures outside the illuminated area can make spot check to make discern creatures in the illuminated area at 10 x radius of the light
Mav
Primitive Screwhead
First Post
Thanks Mavrik!
So by Underdark rules, A torch's illumination radii is 20'. Multiply by 20 to get being able to see the torch light from 400 feet away..
If within 200' characters may attempt to discern details of the scene using a Spot check.
Or, can you use the shadowy illumination radii of 40', changing that to 800 feet?
If within 400' characters may attempt to discern details of the scene using a Spot check.
For my purposed I would go with this option as it better fits my concept of how it should work.
Not to mention, if you use only the 'bright illumination' radii, a candle would not be able to be seen from any distance! Using 'Shadowy Illumination' radii would mean you could see a candle from 100 feet away.
Creatures with Low-light vision effectively double the radii of the illumination, which melds well with this rule. An Elf would have been able to see the torchlight from 800 feet away, and been able to *try* to dicern creatures within the light from 400 feet away.
{I say *try* as that would be a -40 to the Spot check......
Hmm..
I just re-read that section on the skill. This penalty is only listed under the "The Dungeon Master may call for Spot checks to determine the distance at which an encounter begins..." section. Does this apply to other uses of Spot?
How would the DC's for dicerning the details of the critters in the torchlight look like?
Easy: Determine basic size and shape .."Meduim Humanoid"
Average: Determine basic physical type .."Reptilian"
Tough: Determine basic carried equipment .."Wearing armor and carrying weapons and shields"
Challenging: Detemine basic actions .."Cooking something over the fire"
Formidable: Determine specific clothing/equipment .."wearing studded leather, breeches, and jack boots"
Heroic: Determine race .."Troglodyte"
Nearly Impossible: Determine affiliation insignia .."Wearing the sigil of the Black Hand"
Ooops, off I go on a tangent!
Back on track.. sort of..
}
Legildur..I think what you said is not what you think you said..
A "..notional -2 penalty.." would be a penalty that exists only in the mind...
Oh wait... this whole game only exists in the mind, so maybe it is right!
So by Underdark rules, A torch's illumination radii is 20'. Multiply by 20 to get being able to see the torch light from 400 feet away..
If within 200' characters may attempt to discern details of the scene using a Spot check.
Or, can you use the shadowy illumination radii of 40', changing that to 800 feet?
If within 400' characters may attempt to discern details of the scene using a Spot check.
For my purposed I would go with this option as it better fits my concept of how it should work.
Not to mention, if you use only the 'bright illumination' radii, a candle would not be able to be seen from any distance! Using 'Shadowy Illumination' radii would mean you could see a candle from 100 feet away.
Creatures with Low-light vision effectively double the radii of the illumination, which melds well with this rule. An Elf would have been able to see the torchlight from 800 feet away, and been able to *try* to dicern creatures within the light from 400 feet away.
{I say *try* as that would be a -40 to the Spot check......
Hmm..
I just re-read that section on the skill. This penalty is only listed under the "The Dungeon Master may call for Spot checks to determine the distance at which an encounter begins..." section. Does this apply to other uses of Spot?
How would the DC's for dicerning the details of the critters in the torchlight look like?
Easy: Determine basic size and shape .."Meduim Humanoid"
Average: Determine basic physical type .."Reptilian"
Tough: Determine basic carried equipment .."Wearing armor and carrying weapons and shields"
Challenging: Detemine basic actions .."Cooking something over the fire"
Formidable: Determine specific clothing/equipment .."wearing studded leather, breeches, and jack boots"
Heroic: Determine race .."Troglodyte"
Nearly Impossible: Determine affiliation insignia .."Wearing the sigil of the Black Hand"
Ooops, off I go on a tangent!
Back on track.. sort of..
}
Legildur..I think what you said is not what you think you said..
A "..notional -2 penalty.." would be a penalty that exists only in the mind...
Oh wait... this whole game only exists in the mind, so maybe it is right!
Similar Threads
