D&D 3E/3.5 How 3.5e Darkness works?

[Shin Okada]

I am little bit confused. How 3.5e version of Darkness (and Deeper Darkness) works?Would someone please check if I am understanding it correctly?

1: It says "radiate shadowy illumination". The area of this spell become an area of "shadowy illumination" regardless of the former (natural) light condition of that area. So, if you cast this spell in total darkness, you actually make the area brighter for people without darkvision.

2: It says that light sources (except for light spells of equal of higher level) cannot brighten the area. But just that. So, if a sunrod (30 ft. of bright illumination and 60 ft. of shadowy illumination) is in the center of Darkness spell,
0-20 ft. ...... (magical) shadowy illumination for everyone
21-30 ft. ...... bright illumination
31-60 ft. ...... shadowy illumination (and bright illumination for someone with low-light)
61-120 ft. ...... darkness (and shadowy illumination for someone with low-light)
121+ ft. ...... total darkness

Right?

 

[Nail]

So, if you cast this spell in total darkness, you actually make the area brighter for people without darkvision.

Yup.

Ain't it neat!?

2: So, if a sunrod (30 ft. of bright illumination and 60 ft. of shadowy illumination) is in the center of Darkness spell,
0-20 ft. ...... (magical) shadowy illumination for everyone
21-30 ft. ...... bright illumination
31-60 ft. ...... shadowy illumination (and bright illumination for someone with low-light)
61-120 ft. ...... darkness (and shadowy illumination for someone with low-light)
121+ ft. ...... total darkness

Right?

Right.

G_d, do I hate this spell.

 

[kmdietri]

I remember a very long post on this matter, however I stopped reading it all.

Unless some kind of official word came out, I'm sure your going to get people dissagreeing with what Nail said.

As for me I liked the old version of darkness much better.

 

[DreamChaser]

The darkness spell cannot make something brighter. In order to do that, it would need to have the "Light" descriptor which it does not. The spell is poorly worded, but the essence of the spell is that it creates an area in which "shadowy" is as bright as it can get. In addition, the magical nature of the darkness makes it able to affect even those with extraordinary senses.

If cast in a area darker than the shadows created by the spell, it would not seem to have any effect, except for those creatures that are normally able to see in such conditions. For example, a dwarf deep in the underdark would be able to see for 60 feet normally but if someone cast a darkness spell in his area, his vision would be limited as described by the spell. A human, stumbling through without any ability to see, would not notice any change.

DC

ps. this entire debate only exists because there isn't a verb (or verb derivative, like illumination) for what darkness and shadows do. In the real world, shadow is merely the absence of light, not a thing at all, so it cannot do anything. In a magical world, this is not the case. I suppose we could say that the spell "causes an object to radiate shadowy umbration out to a 20-foot radius."

 

[DreamChaser]

2: It says that light sources (except for light spells of equal of higher level) cannot brighten the area. But just that. So, if a sunrod (30 ft. of bright illumination and 60 ft. of shadowy illumination) is in the center of Darkness spell,
0-20 ft. ...... (magical) shadowy illumination for everyone
21-30 ft. ...... bright illumination
31-60 ft. ...... shadowy illumination (and bright illumination for someone with low-light)
61-120 ft. ...... darkness (and shadowy illumination for someone with low-light)
121+ ft. ...... total darkness

Right?

I suppose technically that would be the case but the part of me that requires some internal consistancy would rule that because the sunrod cannot emanate light within the dark area, its light could not extend outside that area.

Also, note that the 31-60 feet should be "dim illumination" not "shadowy illumination"

DC

 

[Elephant]

3.5e "Darkness" is horribly worded. It should be "Shadows"

Anyway, I house-rule it so that it cannot INCREASE the illumination in any given area.

 

[Ferret]

That looks right. Silly really.

 

[Shin Okada]

Also, note that the 31-60 feet should be "dim illumination" not "shadowy illumination"

DC

Why? According to PHB P.128, a sunrod clearlly illuminates a 30-foot radius and provides "shadowy illumination" in a 60-foot radius.

But anyway, It seems that "dim illumination" and "shadowy illumination" are use for the same concept in 3.5e. Words such as "dim light", "shadowy light", "shadw area" are also used in the core rule. It seems that designers were not so careful about wording on this issue.

 

[DreamChaser]

Why? According to PHB P.128, a sunrod clearlly illuminates a 30-foot radius and provides "shadowy illumination" in a 60-foot radius.

Sorry, I was going on the SRD wording of the Daylight spell. You're right.

Anyway, I house-rule it so that it cannot INCREASE the illumination in any given area.

As I said above, this is not a house rule. It is the proper interpretation of ALL the information given in the spell description rather than the over interpretation of a single poorly worded sentence.

DC

 

[Nail]

The darkness spell cannot make something brighter.

Unfortunately, you are not correct. Sorry!

(BTW, I'm not arguing the spell is reasonable. I'm arguing that the spell text is clear, and that a darkness spell cast into a dark area can actually increase the level of illumination. Blech....the Taste of Truth(tm) is often bitter.)