Contents
Note: these rules are borrowed from Pathfinder, so if you’re familiar with how illumination levels work in PF, this is almost exactly the same thing (except for the spells section, obviously; we have some spells in Beyond Ragnarok that don’t exist in Pathfinder).
Illumination Rules
These rules describe how light and vision work in the Beyond Ragnarok campaign setting.
Levels of illumination
There are five possible levels of illumination that can prevail in an area: bright light, normal light, dim light, darkness, and supernatural darkness.
In an area of bright light, all characters can see clearly. Some creatures, such as those with light sensitivity or light blindness, take penalties while in areas of bright light. Areas of bright light include the outdoors in direct sunshine and inside the area of a daylight spell.
Normal light functions just like bright light, but characters with light sensitivity or light blindness do not take penalties. Areas of normal light include underneath a forest canopy during the day, within 20 feet of a torch, and inside the area of a light spell.
In an area of dim light, a character can see somewhat. Creatures within this area have concealment (20% miss chance in combat) from those without low-light vision, darkvision, or the ability to see in darkness. Areas of dim light include outside at night with a moon in the sky, bright starlight, and the area between 20 and 40 feet from a torch.
In areas of darkness, creatures without darkvision are effectively blinded. In addition to the obvious effects, a blinded creature has a 50% miss chance in combat (all opponents have total concealment), loses any Dexterity bonus to AC, takes a −2 penalty to AC, and takes a −4 penalty on Spot checks and most Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks. Areas of darkness include an unlit dungeon chamber, most caverns, and outside on a cloudy, moonless night.
In areas of supernatural darkness, even creatures with darkvision are effectively blinded. Some spells allow characters to see within such extra-dark areas, and some creatures (such as devils) possess the ability to see in even supernatural darkness. Areas of supernatural darkness include certain locations in the Shadow Realm?, as well as inside the area of an utterdark spell.
Superior vision
Creatures with low-light vision ignore the effects of concealment in dimly lit areas within their normal range of vision; they can see in dim light as well as in normal light. A creature with low-light vision retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under conditions of dim light. Low-light vision has no effect in areas of darkness.
Creatures with darkvision can see lit areas normally as well as dark areas within 60 feet. A creature can’t hide within 60 feet of a character with darkvision unless it is invisible or has cover.
Light sources
| Table: Light Sources | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Object | Normal | Increased | Duration |
| Candle | n/a1 | 5 ft. | 1 hr. |
| Everburning torch | 20 ft. | 40 ft. | Permanent |
| Sunrod | 30 ft. | 60 ft. | 6 hr. |
| Torch | 20 ft. | 40 ft. | 1 hr. |
| Spell | Normal | Increased | Duration |
| Continual flame | 20 ft. | 40 ft. | Permanent |
| Dancing lights | 20 ft. (each) | 40 ft. (each) | 1 min. |
| Daylight | 60 ft. | 120 ft. | 10 min./level |
| Faerie fire | n/a1 | 5 ft. (each) | 1 min./level |
| Flaming sphere | 20 ft. | 40 ft. | 1 round/level |
| Light | 20 ft. | 40 ft. | 10 min./level |
| Light crystal | 30 ft. | 60 ft. | 10 min./level |
| Light crystal (spotlight mode) | 60 ft. | 120 ft. | 10 min./level |
| Produce flame | 20 ft. | 40 ft. | 1 min./level |
See Table: Light Sources for the radius that a light source illuminates and how long it lasts. The increased entry indicates an area outside the lit radius in which the light level is increased by one step (from darkness to dim light, for example).
Seeing distant light
In a dark environment, a light source can be spotted from much farther away than its radius of illumination, and creatures outside a light source’s radius can see into the light even if they can’t be seen by those within it.
Complete Darkness: In general, a light source can be spotted (Spot DC 20) at a distance equal to 20 times its radius of illumination, if the area is otherwise in complete darkness. For example, a sunrod can be seen from 600 feet away, provided that nothing obstructs the line of sight. An observer who fails this Spot check automatically spots the light source at half that distance.
Dim Light: In conditions equal to starlight or moonlight, a light source can be spotted (Spot DC 20) at a distance equal to 10 times its radius of illumination. For instance, a sunrod can be seen from 300 feet away in these conditions. An observer who fails this Spot check automatically spots the light source at half that distance.
Using Distant Illumination: Creatures outside the illumination of a light source can see into it just fine. An observer who is close enough to spot the light source automatically (10 times the radius of illumination in complete darkness, or half that in dim light) can make Spot checks as normal to discern creatures or objects in the illuminated area.
Spells
This is a list of all spells that affect vision and light in Beyond Ragnarok.
Light
The following spells improve illumination in an area:
- continual flame
(Clr 3, Sor/Wiz 2) - The flame that this spell creates sheds light as a torch.
- dancing lights *
(Brd 0, Sor/Wiz 0) - The light sources that this spell creates shed normal light (as torches); dancing lights cannot increase the illumination level beyond normal light.
- daylight *
(Brd 3, Clr 3, Drd 3, Sor/Wiz 3) - This spell sheds bright light within 60 feet, and increases the illumination level by one step within an additional 60 feet beyond that.
- faerie fire
(ChA 1, Drd 1) - Creatures outlined with faerie fire shed light as candles, increasing the illumination in a 5-foot radius by one step, up to normal light.
- flaming sphere
(Drd 2, Sor/Wiz 2) - The sphere sheds light as a torch.
- light *
(Brd 0, Clr 0, Drd 0, Hex 1, Sor/Wiz 0) - The light source that this spell creates sheds normal light (as a torch); light cannot increase the illumination level beyond normal light.
- light crystal R *
(Sor/Wiz 3) - The crystal orb conjured by the spell sheds bright light within 30 feet, and increases the illumination level by one step within an additional 30 feet beyond that. (In spotlight mode, these ranges are doubled.)
- produce flame
(ChA 1, Drd 1) - The flame produced by this spell sheds light as a torch.
Darkness
The following spells worsen illumination in an area:
- damning darkness R BoVD
(Clr 4, Darkness 4, Sor/Wiz 4) - This spell works exactly like darkness (and also deals damage to those within its area).
- darklight BoVD
(Asn 2, Sor/Wiz 1) - Creates 5-ft. radius where all can see without light. (This is an unusual spell, in that it doesn’t actually affect the ambient illumination level; it does its own, unique, thing.)
- darkness *
(Asn 2, Brd 2, Blk 2, Clr 2, Hex 2, Sor/Wiz 2) - This spell lowers the light level in a 20-foot-radius area by one step, but can’t create supernatural darkness—only normal darkness, the kind in which darkvision works.
- deeper darkness *
(Asn 3, Blk 3, Clr 3) - This spell lowers the light level a 60-foot-radius area by two steps, and can create supernatural darkness, in which darkvision does not function.
- no light R BoVD
(Brd 1, Clr 0, Sor/Wiz 0) - This spell creates normal darkness, regardless of any brighter prevailing illumination. It has no effect in an area of natural darkness. Any higher-level light spell counteracts its effects completely.
- pall of twilight R *
(Asn 3, Sor/Wiz 3) - This spell lowers the light level in its area by one step, and can create supernatural darkness.
- utterdark *
(Corrupt 9) - This spell creates supernatural darkness within its (very large) area, regardless of previously prevailing conditions of illumination.
Vision
The following spells grant some improved ability to see (darkvision, low-light vision, etc.):
- alter self
(Asn 2, Brd 2, Hex 2, Sor/Wiz 2)
polymorph
(Hex 4, Sor/Wiz 4) - These spells grant the vision capabilities of the assumed shape. Generally, transforming into an aberration, construct, dragon, elemental, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, outsider, undead, or vermin grants darkvision; transforming into an animal, construct, dragon, fey, giant, magical beast, or plant grants low-light vision. (These are general guidelines; remember that exceptions exist within each creature type.) Some creatures also have blindsense, blindsight, tremorsense, etc., which polymorph and related spells also grant.
- darkvision
(ChA 3, Rgr 3, Sor/Wiz 2) - This spell grants the ability to see in darkness (but not supernatural darkness) within 60 feet.
- devil’s eye R BoVD
(Blk 2, Clr 3, Dmn 1, Sor/Wiz 3) - This spell grants the ability to see in darkness, including supernatural darkness, within 30 feet.
- fiendish clarity R BoVD
(Clr 7, Sor/Wiz 7) - This spell grants the ability to see in darkness, including supernatural darkness, within 60 feet.
- true seeing
(Clr 5, Drd 7, Sor/Wiz 6) - This spell grants the ability to see in darkness, including supernatural darkness, within 120 feet.
- shapechange
(Animal 9, Drd 9, Sor/Wiz 9) - As polymorph, but shapechange also grants the supernatural abilities of the assume shape. This includes many devils’ ability to see in magical darkness, a dread wraith’s lifesense, the abilities of some Cold-subtype creatures to sense fire, and so on.