How dark is magical darkness?

[Palagast]

The spell Darkness:

Darkness
Evocation [Darkness]

Level: Brd 2, Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 2

Components: V, M/DF

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: Object touched

Duration: 10 min./level (D)

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: No
This spell causes an object to radiate shadowy illumination out to a 20-foot radius. All creatures in the area gain concealment (20% miss chance). Even creatures that can normally see in such conditions (such as with darkvision or low-light vision) have the miss chance in an area shrouded in magical darkness.

Normal lights (torches, candles, lanterns, and so forth) are incapable of brightening the area, as are light spells of lower level. Higher level light spells are not affected by darkness.

If darkness is cast on a small object that is then placed inside or under a lightproof covering, the spell’s effect is blocked until the covering is removed.

Darkness counters or dispels any light spell of equal or lower spell level.

Arcane Material Component: A bit of bat fur and either a drop of pitch or a piece of coal.

With this spell it might not be a big problem, but with spells like Deeper Darkness and Utterdark (source: Book of Vile Darkness), the radius of the darkness gets bigger and I can't find any reference to how dark it is exactly. The DMG isn't much help, it focuses on persons being treated like blind when in darkness.

My ultimate question: how far can one see into darkness like this? Assume one person is standing at the edge of the area of effect and is looking into the area. Also assume the darknes area is bigger than the range that perticular person van normally see.

 

[Hypersmurf]

My ultimate question: how far can one see into darkness like this? Assume one person is standing at the edge of the area of effect and is looking into the area. Also assume the darknes area is bigger than the range that perticular person van normally see.

Imagine a vast, vaulted chamber - like the one in Moria in the FotR movie.

Now imagine two columns of candles - ten feet apart, and spaced every ten feet, stretching off into the distance.

What you have is a twenty-foot-wide 'corridor' of shadowy illumination, stretching into the distance.

This is effectively the same as a twenty-foot-wide 'corridor' of magical darkness; it's dim, but you can see in it as far as it goes. Fine detail is harder to make out (20% miss chance, no sneak attack), but you'll be able to see someone moving hundreds of feet away.

-Hyp.

 

[werk]

I don't think it limits the viewing distance at all, just the quality.

Just ignore the people that will post saying that shadowy illumination should be utter darkness...they're crazy.

 

[Palagast]

Understood.
Thanks Hyp, your explanation is very clear and imaginative!

 

[frankthedm]

Just ignore the people that will post saying that shadowy illumination should be utter darkness...they're crazy.

You can attack the mental stability of those who have seen the game through the editions and disagree with the 3.5 oversimplification and neutering of darkness all you want. We know how it is supposed to be.

The 3.5 Darkness now is less useful for blocking sight than obscuring mist. :\

 

[Nail]

"How dark is magical darkness?"

Not dark enough, IMO!

 

[werk]

You can attack the mental stability of those who have seen the game through the editions

Why would I attack myself?

and disagree with the 3.5 oversimplification and neutering of darkness all you want. We know how it is supposed to be.

Oh...

The 3.5 Darkness now is less useful for blocking sight than obscuring mist. :\

Yep.

 

[starwed]

Note that if the BoVD spells say they create darkness, they probably mean full darkness. And even if they refer explicitly to the darkness spell, they're referring to the 3.0 version, since that particular book just barely predates 3.5.

I'll accept that it might be unbalanced for a 2nd level spell to cause complete darkness. But the high level effects should definately be capable of it.

 

[werk]

I'll accept that it might be unbalanced for a 2nd level spell to cause complete darkness. But the high level effects should definately be capable of it.

And the third level spell from the Forgotten Realms called Blacklight that creates complete darkess, and allows the caster to see through it normally. People tell me that one is definitely overpowered.

 

[frankthedm]

And the third level spell from the Forgotten Realms called Blacklight that creates complete darkess, and allows the caster to see through it normally. People tell me that one is definitely overpowered.

I'll agree that effect is overpowered.

I'm thinking a new darkness spell close to the obscuring mist spell might be interesting.

The spell creates 100% concealment darkness, however, light sources not strong enough to cancel it out, are partially suppressed, only able to fully illuminate their possessor & provide shadowy illumination out to 5’ if they are adjacent or within the Obscuring Darkness. Since there are some argument on how to measure light sources, there are two diagrams how this would work. On the left a light sourse is measured as any other area, on the right, the light source is measured as if the light exudes from every corner of the bearer’s base.

The fiendish fighter has used the Blackflame blade to create an Obscuring Darkness spell at the intersection with the red square. The Lantern bearer’s illumination has been greatly reduced, though he would still have shadowy illumination around him. He might be better off extinguishing that lantern for the moment however since it is also completely illuminating him. Another ally with light is just outside the darkness, suppressing a small portion of it, since he is right next to the effect..