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Message: <blockquote data-quote="howandwhy99" data-source="post: 5844078" data-attributes="member: 3192">Start easy and "cheat" to keep it that way.Mobile light sources can be marked like tokens under minis, if you really want. Then let the players know those are 20' (4 squares) or 30' or whatever they are. When they move that's all the farther you're going to be drawing out on a battlemat anyways.Relatively static light sources are set up to illuminate everywhere so creatures can see. Noting shadowy spaces can be done on the DM map behind the screen. These are gonna to be behind cover anyways, right? So until the shadows comes into line of sight, just leave them unmarked like whatever else is behind cover. Then dash mark it if a battle breaks out, and  use a distinguishing color if possible. Just telling the players is usually enough otherwise."Cheating" means not having to draw this stuff in the first place. Your player's lamps and eternal flames are going to give off quite a glare anyways, so it may not be such a big deal to build all this stuff. However, if you really do want to help sneaky types, then build in some areas where shadowy illumination is hard to avoid (like lots of columns in a room, half walls, curtains, a single corner brazier, etc.) Players should be taking initiative anyways to putting out lights and creating their own shadows whenever desired anyways. It's in their best interest. Note this stuff for affecting the difficulty of the challenge too though. Shadows make places easier to sneak into. This is why guards use lights (while not always standing in them).</blockquote>

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