Cloud of Darkness vs Light: which wins?

[helium3]

I wonder if this is a case of former D&D methods of handling light/darkness effects are causing this to come up so much, or would it come up as much without prior precedent.

Yeah, I think this is the case. People are just used to Light being able to do something to darkness and vice versa. With the RAW, it looks like the only way to get rid of the zone of darkness is to dispel it, end the encounter or kill the dragon.

Unless you house rule in something - whatever you house rule will _probably_ severely weaken the effect.

Yep. Light is easy for a party come by, what with the wizard cantrip and the other higher level class utilities (not just Wizard) that create zones of light. If it comes up in the next level or two, I'll let them do it but tell them that by level 4 it's a house rule that will be going away. Right now, they need all the help they can get just to survive.

 

[Starfox]

My call: if the light power does not specify its effective against darkness powers, it only affects mundane darkness.

 

[Andur]

The darkness wins. The level of ilumination has no bearing on the Cloud of Darkness's Blocking of line of sight or blinding.

Also the CoD wins over sunlight, so I'd definitly say it will take much more potent light than a cantrip.

Winner.

Darkness the word is simply "fluff" the mechanics are one way blocking of line of sight and blindness, neither of which Light has any effect on.

 

[ozziewolf]

I agree with the sentiment that the light cantrip has no effect on the Darkness spell.

Flavor wise I do like the idea of a battle of wills between the person casting light and the other casting Darkness to see who wins.

However the only way I could justify something like that would be to make the light spell part of a will attack that used up a standard action.

If I was going to do something like that I'd also rule that the light spell had to be at least equal to or greater than the size of the darkness spell.

Dispelling darkness as a minor action at level 1 is just to powerful an ability for me to really justify with out at least making it a standard action.