Pathfinder 1E Darkness spell question

[Empirate]

Hey guys, going to run a low-level PF game shortly with some Darkmantles prominently featured. That caused me to reread the Darkness spell. Which made me wonder: does magical Darkness completely shut off non-magical light sources?

[sblock=Spell description
This spell causes an object to radiate darkness out to a 20-foot radius. This darkness causes the illumination level in the area to drop one step, from bright light to normal light, from normal light to dim light, or from dim light to darkness. This spell has no effect in an area that is already dark. Creatures with light vulnerability or sensitivity take no penalties in normal light. All creatures gain concealment (20% miss chance) in dim light. All creatures gain total concealment (50% miss chance) in darkness. Creatures with darkvision can see in an area of dim light or darkness without penalty. Nonmagical sources of light, such as torches and lanterns, do not increase the light level in an area of darkness. Magical light sources only increase the light level in an area if they are of a higher spell level than darkness.
[/sblock]

The bolded part is what I'm referring to: if the PCs are in a cave and rely on a torch to see, and a Darkmantle casts Darkness, would the PCs' torch illuminate the area at all? After all, a torch normally provides normal illumination in a 20' radius, and dim illumination in a 40' radius. If Darkness causes this illumination to drop one step, the torch ought to provide at least dim illumination in a 20' radius.

But the bolded clause seems to say you ought to handle it differently:
1. determine natural illumination,
2. reduce illumination by one step (if possible) when Darkness is cast,
3. increase illumination again only ifmagical light sources of 3rd+ level are present

So for my PCs exploring a naturally lightless cave with a torch, a Darkness spell would turn the lights off completely! Even a Light spell wouldn't help! Is that as you guys read it, as well? Not such a bad spell, after all!

 

[GX.Sigma]

So for my PCs exploring a naturally lightless cave with a torch, a Darkness spell would turn the lights off completely! Even a Light spell wouldn't help! Is that as you guys read it, as well? Not such a bad spell, after all!

If that's the interpretation, then even if darkness was cast in broad daylight, it would make the area utterly black. The sun is a nonmagical source of light, after all.

 

[Empirate]

The sun is the sun... hence my emphasis on natural illumination.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

It's not a bad spell for a darkmantle. In game text, the specific trumps the general, so the text about torches (specific) trumps text about merely reducing the amount of light.

The PCs would be forced to stumble in the dark, effectively treating everything as invisible. I guess the darkmantle can see in darkness or has blindsight or something.

 

[Empirate]

Thanks for the specific>>>general reminder, that clears things up quite a bit. I'll go with that ruling then. And yeah, Darkmantles have Blindsight 90', and Stealth +10, and grab plus constrict. Nasty stuff for CR 1. I'm thinking three, against 10 1st level pseudo-PCs.

 

[Super Pony]

The Darkness spell simply drops the current level of light by one step, it doesn't create a super black oubliette of darkvisiony doooooooom. So Sunlight (bright light) becomes normal light (helping critters that struggle with light sensitivity). Characters within 20ft of a torch or light spell benefit from normal light, and the darkness drops that to dim light (20% concealment).

It's not a bad spell, seeing as it can only be countered by Daylight and higher level light effects/spells. And it can snuff out magical light of 2nd level and lower. It's a good scroll/wand spell, imo.