How many light spells cancel overlapping darkness spells?

[Thanee]

Yes, I'd also handle it so, that the darkness is negated in the area of the daylight spell. Their effects cancel each other. The spells still run normally, tho, and when you back off out of the darkness, both return to normal.

Read the description of the 2nd level PHB spells darkness and daylight, they quite clearly say how it is done.

Another question is, should it be possible to negate the darkness with a plethora of light spells? From the rules, it seems that one higher level spell can negate any number of lower level spells this way, which seems just wrong to me.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Identical spells do not have stacking effects. A daylight spell will trump any number of pre-existing deeper darkness spells, and vice versa.

This is how I would run it as well.

 

[DrSpunj]

I'm with the majority. I posted a question like this about a year ago now and never got a clear answer IIRC. The Sage didn't deign to answer when I asked him about it.

I don't believe multiple Light or Darkness spells of the same level "stack" so having multiple overlapping castings is only useful in those situations described above: duration and vs Dispel Magic (probably some others I haven't thought about).

All Light & Darkness spells can be cast, according to their descriptions, in one of three ways: for effect, to dispel and to counter.

Because all of these spells are Touch range, IMO it is very impractical to use them to Dispel as you would need to touch the exact same object that is the source/center of the opposite effect you are trying to Dispel.

I'm not sure if that's the same with Countering or not. Both Haste and Slow have ranges, IIRC, and therefore this issue doesn't arise. With Touch spells do you have to be standing right next to (ie. within Touch range) the opposing casting spellcaster to counter their spell? Silly if that's the case.

When cast for effect they have no ability to Counter or to Dispel but do have the ability to negate all effects of lesser level and temporarily negate any effects of equal level, at least in the areas of overlap.

So, with all that, if I've got this correct (which I probably don't, so please point out any errors in my thinking) what would happen in the following scenario?

Rnd 0: Cleric is in a dark underground cavern
Rnd 1: Cleric casts Light, cavern lights up and Yuan-ti is seen
Rnd 2: Yuan-ti casts Deeper Darkness which overpowers the Light orison and cavern becomes dark again
Rnd 3: Cleric casts Daylight temporarily negating the Deeper Darkness leaving "otherwise prevailing light conditions exist in the overlapping areas of effect".

Now, my question is "Does the Light orison count as an otherwise prevailing light condition so the cavern is lit up? or is the Light orison still overpowered by the Deeper Darkness spell and therefore the cavern is dark?"

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

DrSpunj

 

[Hypersmurf]

I don't believe multiple Light or Darkness spells of the same level "stack" so having multiple overlapping castings is only useful in those situations described above: duration and vs Dispel Magic (probably some others I haven't thought about).

Now, my question is "Does the Light orison count as an otherwise prevailing light condition so the cavern is lit up? or is the Light orison still overpowered by the Deeper Darkness spell and therefore the cavern is dark?"

I would say the Light spell is still suppressed, especially given that you don't want effects to stack.

Otherwise prevailing light conditions would include sunlight, moonlight, torchlight, bio-luminescence, sunrods, and Faerie Fire (it's an Evocation, not an Evocation [Light]).

As a DM, I would entertain the idea of glowing weapons still providing light in a Darkness/Daylight suppression zone.

I would also consider allowing Continual Flame and Dancing Lights to work, since at the time the Darkness/Daylight interaction was written, CF and DanL were Illusion spells... even though they were later errata'd to Evocation [Light]. ... but that's definitely an area I'm happy to be overruled on.

Could make for an interesting twist - have an entire encounter area blanketed with permanent Daylight and Deeper Darkness, so that no magical light or darkness effects can function...

Would a Heightened Daylight count as a "Light spell of a higher level" than Deeper Darkness and be able to suppress a DD without itself being suppressed?

-Hyp.

 

[Dinkeldog]

I would go against the majority. Once the daylight counters the effects of one, the darkness from the other three spells rushes in to fill the void. Then again, if my players brought two continual flames into the same area, I'd have the overlapping area of effect be brighter than the non-overlapping area.