D&D 5E Philosophy: Devil's Sight

[merwins]

From the PHB! "Dim light, also called shadows, creates a lightly obscured area."

I found this pretty curious. You could interpret it to sabotage my entire argument or to support it, depending on whether you consider "also called" to mean "alternative name" or "shortcut".

Toe-may-toe, toe-mah-toe, poe-tay-toe, poe-tah-toe.
vs.
Just because you call them a shadow doesn't make them one. (neener neener)

Flashback to:
"How most people call them green onions but they're really scallions." LOL.

 

[clearstream]

From the PHB! "Dim light, also called shadows, creates a lightly obscured area."

I found this pretty curious. You could interpret it to sabotage my entire argument or to support it, depending on whether you consider "also called" to mean "alternative name" or "shortcut".

Toe-may-toe, toe-mah-toe, poe-tay-toe, poe-tah-toe.
vs.
Just because you call them a shadow doesn't make them one. (neener neener)

Flashback to:
"How most people call them green onions but they're really scallions." LOL.

Nice spot. Sabotage, clearly. Shadows are dim light, and dim light is not darkness.

My life's work is complete.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Applying logic, physics and other real-world concepts to a fantasy environment is completely natural.

But you sorta have to choose and set your boundaries. At some point, it's "Shut up: MAGIC!"

I personally could not reconcile a shadow being interpreted as a function of light within my campaign. There were too many impacts on the game I wasn't willing to adjudicate.

Say a creature of shadow moves from a lit area to a dark area. Does it become invisible?

For my purposes, no. If you have DV or DS, you'll see that shadow creature plain as you would in a lit area. Individual perception matters; the environmental doesn't grant the shadow any additional abilities.

Once I labeled shadow as "different" it got much simpler, and more internally consistent, which is generally important for players.

And I do agree, "conventional" shadows are created through an interplay of light and physicality of objects. But once they're created, as a GM, I allow the magical nature of the world to exert it's influence over that shadow to various degrees. In some situations, it may even have the ability to detach itself from it's source and move about on it's own or manifest physically.

Well, a "shadow" as some form of entity is very different IMO than shadows, which are created by light.

I remember the D&D cartoons, and when shadow demon moved into areas of bright light, sometimes he would vanish.

So, of course, doing it your way is total valid if that is the way you want to play it. Kudos!

 

[merwins]

I remember the D&D cartoons, and when shadow demon moved into areas of bright light, sometimes he would vanish.

Neat. There are several movie monsters that work the same way.

OMG.
That means even if a shadow exists as other creatures, with physicality, in three dimensions...

it can never cast a shadow?

 

[DND_Reborn]

Neat. There are several movie monsters that work the same way.

OMG.
That means even if a shadow exists as other creatures, with physicality, in three dimensions...

it can never cast a shadow?

Maybe that would be how they reproduce?