I wrote a couple of posts about them already: here and here.
But these are long. Here is the TL;DR version:
- Torches are conspicuous (like lanterns, candles, etc.). They can be seem from a mile away in the dark. Even in dim light, they'll probably be quickly noticed unless there are brighter lights around, Which means, basically, that you cannot sneak around while carrying your own sources of light, and you can NEVER surprise someone in these circumstances - unless you opposition is asleep, blind (blindsight), etc.
- Large groups are noisy. When making stealth checks, do not make it a "group ability check". Each PC rolls separately. If the thief succeeds and the paladin fails, the opposition only sees the paladin at first. Which might be a good opportunity for the thief.
- If no one is sneaking or carrying torches, encounter distance is defined by darkvision (usually 60 feet). If both parties have darkvision 60 feet, the encounter begins at a distance of 60 feet. If you randomly encounter a monster with better darkvision than you, it sees you first. It decides whether to approach or not... or to attack from a distance. With a good perception check, you might hear a noise, take cover, etc.
- Special circumstances may change this - if there is a door or other obstacle, for example, both parties could hear one another though the door.
- Inside narrow dungeons, encounters happen in corners. If one side is carrying a torch, you might still see the light before turning the corner, but it would make things less obvious.
- Unless you avoid this on purpose, if someone in your group has a torch, the whole group will be spotted easily in the dark.
- Intelligent monsters that have darkvision may use torches anyway, unless they are expecting an attack by enemies that do not have darkvision. This is a bit more complicated. Darkvision does not ignore the darkness, it makes it milder (like "dim light" - which causes disadvantage in perception checks). In addition, you cannot see colors in darkness, only shades of gray.
It seems creatures with darkvision would prefer live in dim light if possible - they keep their edge against diurnal creatures and can see well enough. However, most sources of light in the game create bright light in a small radius and dim light in a bigger radius - potentially forcing goblins, for example, to live partially in bright light.
However...
- Monsters with keen senses may have different rules. If you use the rules as strictly written, a goblin should fight a wolf in the dark if given a choice. However, wolves have keen hearing and smell, and goblins have bows. A goblin village threatened by wolves might prefer to surround itself with torches if the night is dark, to see the wolves approaching (without disadvantage) and take them down from a distance.
If the goblin village is threatened by giant bats (with blindsight), they would DEFINITELY use torches.
However, a goblin village surrounded by aggressive HUMANS would never use torches, for similar reasons - humans rely on sight MORE than goblins, and would have a hard time approaching without being noticed.
Most of this is common sense, but easy to forget when you're playing the game and looking for actual rules.
In addition, all this stuff might hinder your fun, specially if the entire group suffers because one single PC doesn't have darkvision. If that is the case, decide what is best for you. Many groups hand-wave the whole notion of light and darkness... but using it right can lead to awesome situations.
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I think you've neglected the sound factor for encounter distance. You say, "If both parties have darkvision 60 feet, the encounter begins at a distance of 60 feet."
ReplyDeleteI can say from experience - and I am far from a good tracker/outdoorsman - you can hear a large creature like a human, dog, moose, etc. from hundreds of yards away if you're silent, and hundreds of feet if you're walking and they're moving fast. Those distances may be conservative.
I suppose it may depend on what you mean by "encounter", though.
Interesting stuff! You're right, I haven't considered this. I was thinking of darkness, torches, etc. I have no experience hunting or tracking. But I wonder how much can you hear if you are in a group of four people, with burning torches... Also, I assume some animals are very silent, while others make noise on purpose. Food for thought!
Delete1. Lanterns and torches. Torches are better in a fight because they won't suddenly go out, plus you can burn siege engines (and clothing), but don't last long. A pint of oil can last about a day.
ReplyDelete2. Can you read by Dark/Infravision? I would rule not. Not all DM's would rule that way, but to my mind, "darkvision" is the ability to see in the dark the way humans do in dim light -- no real color or contrast, but the ability to see well enough to navigate. This keeps demi-human (who all seem to have darkvision) culture very similar to human culture -- elves and dwarves, etc. still have candles and lamps, and otherwise behave and appear like humans instead of looking like blind fish from Mariana Trench.
1. Interesting stuff to consider. Lanterns have some advantages too, IIRC.
Delete2. Well, it makes sense, but the rules do not make this distinction.
You can see color in dim light if you have darkvision, AFAICT: "the monster can see in dim light within the radius as if it were bright light, and in Darkness as if it were dim light. The monster can’t discern color in Darkness, only Shades of Gray".
If possible, their homes would be dimly lit - but not dark, I agree.