D&D 5E Light VS Dancing Lights

[DND_Reborn]

Just, like, cast tiny servant on a lantern, man.

Um.... 3rd level slot vs cantrips??? I'd rethink that suggestion. (j/k)

Or use mage hand to hold a hooded lantern. It can cast dim light for us Shadow Blade lovers or as bright light via oil, light cantrip, or continual flame when you are high enough level. You could also use unseen servant as a ritual spell, but that might interrupt your daily routine too much.

 

[Todd Roybark]

Dancing Lights is a distraction for other people so they (hopefully) don't notice you.

cough Minor Illusion cough

My wife and I were having this exact conversation a few days ago. The Concentration requirement on Dancing Lights kills the cantrip for her.

I loved the Dancing Lights spell in 1e, but the effect is just outclassed in 5e by other options.

 

[BlivetWidget]

Dancing Lights because of being able to illuminate multiple targets at a distance, is strictly better.

The question is, why would anyone pick Light?

as @billd91 answered, concentration makes it strictly worse. This seems on the surface like a valid question only at level 1. The second you gain access to Level 2 concentration spells like Levitate, effectively a save-or-die spell against a melee enemy of any level, you will never want to waste your concentration on a cantrip. This problem compounds exponentially as you go up in level. By the time you reach Level 4 spells, most spells worth taking are going to be competing for your concentration. You also have to re-cast Dancing Lights every minute. And have to move Dancing Lights with a bonus action on your turn, every turn (it's not Faerie Fire). If you're using them for illuminating enemies in dim light, presumably the enemies need to be illuminated in order to see them... in which case, as soon as they step outside of the piddly 10-foot-radius zone of dim light on their own turn, good luck being able to keep the lights on them.

Light, on the other hand, will be useful to you all the way up through archmage status.

 

[Oofta]

Dancing lights are useful now and then, but as others have said it only sheds dim light, takes concentration and only lasts a minute. In the rare case you want to flexibility to move lights around conjure up a unseen servant and give them a rock with light cast on it. Do the servant as a ritual and it doesn't cost a slot.

 

[Mistwell]

Why would someone pick dancing lights over light?

Because of this:

 

[Mistwell]

Dancing Lights is a distraction for other people so they (hopefully) don't notice you.

Ha! No, definitely not their primary purpose. Their purpose is to light your enemy but not you. So you can target your enemy but they cannot target you. It's best use by a party with darkvision exploring in a dungeon.

 

[Oofta]

Ha! No, definitely not their primary purpose. Their purpose is to light your enemy but not you. So you can target your enemy but they cannot target you. It's best use by a party with darkvision exploring in a dungeon.

But that just takes a bit of creativity with the light spell. Use the unseen servant to carry around a rock ( you can always put the rock in a box). Cast light on a sling bullet and then put the light in a fragile container.

But how often are PCs with darkvision going to encounter opponents without darkvision? Especially ones that have no light source already? Makes sense for a party of drow (and probably a couple others I'm not thinking of) that have longer range to their darkvision.

 

[Shiroiken]

In general, I've found Light to be better for most groups. I've had players take Dancing Lights to good effect, as it wasn't to be the primary light source for the party, but rather to illuminate areas at a distance (such as a large cavern/room, or down a long hallway). As more cantrips become available, however, the utility of Dancing Lights becomes much less worthwhile.

 

[Haldrik]

I agree concentration matters.

But as an at-will cantrip, outlasting almost every combat encounter, duration is virtually unlimited.

Also, at-will mitigates concentration to some degree since it is ok for concentration spells to interrupt it.

 

[Mistwell]

But that just takes a bit of creativity with the light spell. Use the unseen servant to carry around a rock ( you can always put the rock in a box). Cast light on a sling bullet and then put the light in a fragile container.

Well first you've involved a second spell, which is a high cost. And the spell uses a first level spell slot, which is worse. You could cast it as a ritual, but then you need 10 minutes to cast it, and you'd need that 10 minutes every hour to keep it going. Second, you now have only one light rather than three to re-locate your foes with. Third, you've cut the range in HALF (60' vs 120') which really defeats a lot of the purpose of this strategy as you're now well within the range of darkvision of your foes.

If you're carrying around fragile containers in a dungeon that should last what, your first combat before they all break? Naw, they probably broke on the way to the dungeon

But how often are PCs with darkvision going to encounter opponents without darkvision?

You misunderstand. Of course your foes have Darkvisionn also.

Darkvision has limited range so you can find your foes while still outside most foes darkvision range with dancing lights (there will be some with 120' range, but not most). But that won't last long as your foes will try and close with you to try and see you with their darkvision. But their perception will have disadvantage due to it being treated like dim light while you are in darkness. Meanwhile, they will be treated as in bright light, as they will be in your dim light which is treated as bright light with darkvision.

The video by Treatmonk is quite good and lays out the impacts. The point is you can see them when they cannot see you at farther range, and at closer range they will have disadvantage to see you while you will have normal vision to see them.