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Is 5e Darkvision A Good Design?
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<blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 8001665" data-attributes="member: 1210"><p>Not trying to be pedantic; it's just that it is not only the obvious solution, but the traditional one. Adventurers bring torches and lanterns (and magic) into the dark, and the darkness encroaches all around the tiny island of light they create.</p><p></p><p>It seems to me that pushing for an unlimited range, same-as-if-its-lit, everyone gets it solution to darkness is the same as just never having darkness in the first place. I think that darkness is a key element in establishing the mysterious and dangerous atmosphere that dungeon delving ought to (?) come with. Ignoring it, while fine if a group wants it, seems like dispensing with traps, or with environmental hazards- you're dropping an elements of game play that has a lot to offer. (In the case of darkness, for example, outside of the sheer flavor of it, there's the case of a monster staying just out of sight, pursuing the pcs by means of the light they're giving off, waiting for the right moment to strike; there's the instance of a trap that is based on colors, which darkvision can't discern; there's the case of opening a door only to have a sudden wind extinguish your torches, like in the example of play in the 1e DMG; etc.)</p><p></p><p>And yes, light is a solution- and in fact, the very best solution- to the party's woes when it comes to darkness. I think that's a feature, not a bug. </p><p></p><p>Obviously, not everyone agrees, and that's fine. But to me, darkness is a primordial, basic, instinctively frightful element of play. Taking it away, or diminishing it by making it trivial to overcome- and that's what it seems like you're looking for- really isn't to my taste, and seems to detract from play, at least in my style of gaming.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="the Jester, post: 8001665, member: 1210"] Not trying to be pedantic; it's just that it is not only the obvious solution, but the traditional one. Adventurers bring torches and lanterns (and magic) into the dark, and the darkness encroaches all around the tiny island of light they create. It seems to me that pushing for an unlimited range, same-as-if-its-lit, everyone gets it solution to darkness is the same as just never having darkness in the first place. I think that darkness is a key element in establishing the mysterious and dangerous atmosphere that dungeon delving ought to (?) come with. Ignoring it, while fine if a group wants it, seems like dispensing with traps, or with environmental hazards- you're dropping an elements of game play that has a lot to offer. (In the case of darkness, for example, outside of the sheer flavor of it, there's the case of a monster staying just out of sight, pursuing the pcs by means of the light they're giving off, waiting for the right moment to strike; there's the instance of a trap that is based on colors, which darkvision can't discern; there's the case of opening a door only to have a sudden wind extinguish your torches, like in the example of play in the 1e DMG; etc.) And yes, light is a solution- and in fact, the very best solution- to the party's woes when it comes to darkness. I think that's a feature, not a bug. Obviously, not everyone agrees, and that's fine. But to me, darkness is a primordial, basic, instinctively frightful element of play. Taking it away, or diminishing it by making it trivial to overcome- and that's what it seems like you're looking for- really isn't to my taste, and seems to detract from play, at least in my style of gaming. [/QUOTE]
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