D&D 5E Rules clarification query: Darkness (2nd lvl Spell) vs. Mantle of Flame (1st lvl Phoenix Sorcerer feature)

[WhosAChaoticGoodBoy]

Hi folks,

I'm wondering how you guys would rule the following scenario. Imagine a PC is a lvl 1 Phoenix Sorcerer with the Mantle of Flame feature active and occupies a space impacted by the darkness spell. Is the overlapping area lit via MoF or dark via the spell? Feature and spell description below.

MANTLE OF FLAME:
Starting at 1st level, you can unleash the phoenix fire that blazes within you.
As a bonus action, you magically wreathe yourself in swirling fire, as your eyes glow like hot coals. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:
• You shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet.
• Any creature takes fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier if it hits you with a melee attack from within 5 feet of you or if it touches
you.
• Whenever you roll fire damage on your turn,
the roll gains a bonus to equal to your Charisma modifier.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.


DARKNESS
2nd-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, M (bat fur and a drop of pitch or
piece of coal)
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
Magical darkness spreads from a point you choose within range to fill a 15-foot-radius sphere for the duration. The darkness spreads around corners. A creature with darkvision can’t see through this darkness, and nonmagical light can’t illuminate it.
If the point you choose is on an object you are holding or one that isn’t being worn or carried, the darkness emanates from the object and moves with it. Completely covering the source of the darkness with an opaque object, such as a bowl or a helm, blocks the darkness.
If any of this spell’s area overlaps with an area of light created by a spell of 2nd level or lower, the spell that created the light is dispelled.

 

[WhosAChaoticGoodBoy]

See also: Radiant Consumption, 3rd LVL Scourge Aasimar feature

Radiant Consumption:
Requirement: (Lv3)
You can use an action to unleash divine energy from within yourself, causing searing light to radiant from your mouth and eyes and threaten to char you. Your transformation lasts for 1-minute, or until you end it as a Bonus Action.

During it, you shed Bright Light in a 10-ft radius and Dim Light for 10-ft beyond that. When you end each of your turns, you and each creature within 10-ft of you takes radiant damage equal to 1/2 your level(rounded up).

In addition, once on each of your turns, you can deal extra radiant damage to one target when you deal damage with an attack or spell. The damage is equal to your level. You must complete a long rest to regain this feature.

 

[jaelis]

Mantle of flame and radiant consumption are not spells, so how they interact with darkness is undefined. I would play that the illumination from mantle of flame is blocked but the fire effects continue. Not so sure about radiant consumption. Probably block the illumination but not the damage.

 

[MiraMels]

Well, looking at the description for darkness, there's one relevant point. Is the light source non-magical? I can see a case for either, but at my table I'd probably let both the assimar racial trait and the phoenix sorcerer class feature light up the darkness.


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[MarkVIIIMarc]

We need a ruling on if the abilities are magic.

I think of them as magic. Light doesn't emanate from non-magical me ever. Unless the book says light abilities are not magic I will assume they are.

"...and nonmagical light can’t illuminate it."

I read this to say magical light can illuminate it.

The more complex part I think is what if you cast darkness after a magical light is activated....what do the magical light spells say?

 

[MiraMels]

The darkness spell contains all of the relevant rules text. Non-magical light can't illuminate the darkness. Magical light that comes from a cantrip, 1st level spell, or 2nd level spell is dispelled by the darkness. Magical light from all other sources illuminates the darkness. If it comes from a racial trait or a class feature, I guess it's your call as a DM, but the Phoenix Sorcerer's Mantle of Flame, or the Assimar's Radiance, or something like the Devotion Paladin's Sacred Weapon, I'd say those are all pretty magical. I'd allow it.

 

[jaelis]

Magical light from all other sources illuminates the darkness.

A reasonable ruling, but not in fact in the text of the spell

 

[MiraMels]

A reasonable ruling, but not in fact in the text of the spell

"A creature with darkvision can’t see through this darkness, and nonmagical light can’t illuminate it...if any of this spell’s area overlaps with an area of light created by a spell of 2nd level or lower, the spell that created the light is dispelled."

What am I missing?

 

[jaelis]

"Non-magical light can't illuminate" does not equal "All magical light can illuminate." Just like "Non-living things do not breathe" does not imply "All living things breathe."

And in fact here they are explicitly unequal, since it goes on to list sources of magical light that fail to illuminate. You might (reasonably) assume that list is complete, but the spell doesn't say that.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

I'd probably say that the area of the Darkness spell overlapping either effect will block the dim light component and reduce the bright light component to dim light.
Neither effect is a spell, so the Darkness would not dispell them.