D&D 5E Light Spell on a stick and then breaking it into two limbs?

[Dannyalcatraz]

It does not matter what is in the bag because you cast the spell on the bag, not what is inside it, and only the bag would continue to glow after you dumped it out.

In the context of the question, I am targeting the bag's contents. If that was not clear to you, let me be precise:

You have a pile of marbles, beans, sand, etc., upon which you cast the light spell, and then bag it. (Which is what you'd want to do anyway, in order to control when the light can be shone.)

 

[jaelis]

If the situation in the game were such that this was actually significant for some reason (ie they need two light sources, and only one person can cast light) then I would probably say each piece keeps glowing but the illuminated radius is cut in half. It's a clever solution, I'd let it work.

If its just an academic question, "would this work?" I'd say no, one piece keeps glowing and the other does not.

 

[77IM]

I would let the caster answer this question for me, but only if they succeed at an Intelligence check, DC 10.

 

[Oofta]

This begs the question - how does the light spell work on larger objects? Let's say I cast the light spell on a 10X10 boulder (the max size of the object IIRC). Is the entire boulder shedding light? Just a point?

Is the radius larger or is the radius determined by the center of mass of the boulder?

If you rule that the radius is larger, then I'd say breaking the stick gives you two glowing sticks. Determined by the center of mass of the boulder? The magic will be on 1/2 the stick.

A related question is continual flame. There is no limit on the size of the object, so in theory you could cast the spell on a giant redwood and the entire tree would be one giant torch. Allow people to have individual pieces that still glow like a torch and you could go into the continual flame torch business. For 50 GP you'd have a healthy business (we underestimate the value of light in our electricity driven world).

I don't think there's a right or wrong answers, just considerations of possibilities.

 

[jaelis]

This begs the question - how does the light spell work on larger objects? Let's say I cast the light spell on a 10X10 boulder (the max size of the object IIRC). Is the entire boulder shedding light? Just a point?

Is the radius larger or is the radius determined by the center of mass of the boulder?

If you rule that the radius is larger, then I'd say breaking the stick gives you two glowing sticks. Determined by the center of mass of the boulder? The magic will be on 1/2 the stick.

A related question is continual flame. There is no limit on the size of the object, so in theory you could cast the spell on a giant redwood and the entire tree would be one giant torch. Allow people to have individual pieces that still glow like a torch and you could go into the continual flame torch business. For 50 GP you'd have a healthy business (we underestimate the value of light in our electricity driven world).

I don't think there's a right or wrong answers, just considerations of possibilities.

I'd say the spell suggests the entire object sheds light. That is literally what it says ("the object sheds bright light"), the spell explicitly allows for large objects (up to 10x10x10), and in order to block the light, you need to "completely" cover the object.

I don't know that it follows though that breaking the object means all parts keep glowing.

 

[Oofta]

I'd say the spell suggests the entire object sheds light. That is literally what it says ("the object sheds bright light"), the spell explicitly allows for large objects (up to 10x10x10), and in order to block the light, you need to "completely" cover the object.

I don't know that it follows though that breaking the object means all parts keep glowing.

I guess that would be a third option. The whole thing glows, but break off any piece and the whole thing stops glowing.

So if the glow is from the entire object, how do you rule for the rope? Or let's say you had a large piece of cloth? Could you cast light on a packed tent and then set up the tent to get a really large area of light? What happens when the area exceeds the 10X10X10?

 

[Mad_Jack]

If the situation in the game were such that this was actually significant for some reason (ie they need two light sources, and only one person can cast light) then I would probably say each piece keeps glowing but the illuminated radius is cut in half. It's a clever solution, I'd let it work.

If its just an academic question, "would this work?" I'd say no, one piece keeps glowing and the other does not.

That seems like the most reasonable solution, if the DM doesn't just decide to either end the spell or only make the larger piece the new focus of the spell.
Even with the bag of marbles trick, sure you could light up two dozen marbles and toss them across a huge area... But then you have a room filled with marbles - each of which is only illuminating about one square foot of space around itself...

Which, come to think of it, would make for a great fight in an otherwise dark area, particularly if the marble are still rolling around or the DM decides that entering into the same space as a marble means the marble gets kicked at least one space in the direction of movement.

 

[Oofta]

Hmmm...this does get me thinking "what is an object"?

Take a rope for example. A rope is really a combination of hundreds, if not thousands of tiny strings braided together. If you cut a single thread off the rope is the spell broken? If you extend the rope by braiding in new strings, are the new strings considered part of the rope, and do they suddenly glow?

I think continual flame is more problematic than the light cantrip because it lasts until dispelled. I could see entire houses (or even cities) that are lit with a series of ropes. Yes, 50GP is a lot of gold for most commoners but not for even moderately wealthy people if it lights an entire house. Even commoners could afford it if the cost were shared by multiple families.

 

[jaelis]

So if the glow is from the entire object, how do you rule for the rope?

I wouldn't let you cast it on a rope that was more than 10 ft long, coiled or not. It says the object can't be larger than 10 ft in any dimension, not that it has to fit in a 10 ft cube. I'd say a 50 ft rope is 50 ft long, regardless of how it is currently arranged

 

[jaelis]

For continual flame, it reads to me like a small, torch-sized flame springs from a localized point on the object you touch. It doesn't make the object glow as a whole like light does.