darkvision in dim light? [Archive] - Wizards Community

darkvision in dim light? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Golden Zealot
09-25-06, 05:49 PM So low light vision lets you see dim light like daylight.
Darkvision lets you see pitch blackness like daylight, minus the colour.
What does darkvision let you see in dim light? The same as low light vision? how much color?
Androlphas
09-25-06, 06:05 PM Low-light vision allows you to see twice as far as someone without it. For example, if a human with a torch can see up to 20' (bright) and 40 ft. (shadowy), then an elf with low-light vision can see 40' (bright) and 80 ft. (shadowy). Low-light vision still needs some light to work and it does not negate concealment due to shadowy illumination.

Darkvision, on the other hand, allows you to see in total darkness for the distance listed, but you can't distinguish colors. Darkvision effectively negates any concealment due to shadowy illumination.
Mitchell
09-26-06, 12:08 AM Darkvision in dim (or even full) light works just like it does in total darkness... You could see clearly up to the range of your darkvision in black and white.
If you have a light source providing 20' of clear illumination and another 20' of shadowy illumination, you would, with 30' darkvision, be able to see clearly and in color out to 20', clearly in black and white out to 30', and then in shadowy illumination out to 40'.
Myree
09-26-06, 02:15 AM When I think in IRL terms on this, I think of my Sony Handicam with "Night vision". If I flip that switch (light or dark), everything turns into shades of green. BUT, I also see into dark and dim areas better! So, I would say that "darkvision in dim light" works at least as well as low-light -- but with the same "no color" drawback (so could be considered "worse" than low-light vision that way, but nothings perfect and when the sun goes down......).
Slapstick
09-26-06, 05:20 AM I've always ruled that darkvision needs total darkness to work, so a torch will effectivly blind your darkvision. You still see as normal though, just no darkvision.
Neutronium_Dragon
09-26-06, 07:22 AM I would think that in the 20' to 30' range of the example a few posts up, you'd see clearly in black and white but with dim colors washed into it.
Tzor
09-26-06, 12:37 PM I've always ruled that darkvision needs total darkness to work, so a torch will effectivly blind your darkvision. You still see as normal though, just no darkvision.

That was 1E/2E infravision, which in turn led to endless arguments between elves and humans and lots of other problems. 3E was supposed to hand wave all of that away. All your visions overlap and are active at the same time allowing you to get the best advantage of all your feats.
metalmorphosis
09-26-06, 01:44 PM Darkvision in dim (or even full) light works just like it does in total darkness... You could see clearly up to the range of your darkvision in black and white.
If you have a light source providing 20' of clear illumination and another 20' of shadowy illumination, you would, with 30' darkvision, be able to see clearly and in color out to 20', clearly in black and white out to 30', and then in shadowy illumination out to 40'.

Exactly.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Golden Zealot 09-25-06, 05:49 PM	So low light vision lets you see dim light like daylight. Darkvision lets you see pitch blackness like daylight, minus the colour. What does darkvision let you see in dim light? The same as low light vision? how much color?
Androlphas 09-25-06, 06:05 PM	Low-light vision allows you to see twice as far as someone without it. For example, if a human with a torch can see up to 20' (bright) and 40 ft. (shadowy), then an elf with low-light vision can see 40' (bright) and 80 ft. (shadowy). Low-light vision still needs some light to work and it does not negate concealment due to shadowy illumination. Darkvision, on the other hand, allows you to see in total darkness for the distance listed, but you can't distinguish colors. Darkvision effectively negates any concealment due to shadowy illumination.
Mitchell 09-26-06, 12:08 AM	Darkvision in dim (or even full) light works just like it does in total darkness... You could see clearly up to the range of your darkvision in black and white. If you have a light source providing 20' of clear illumination and another 20' of shadowy illumination, you would, with 30' darkvision, be able to see clearly and in color out to 20', clearly in black and white out to 30', and then in shadowy illumination out to 40'.
Myree 09-26-06, 02:15 AM	When I think in IRL terms on this, I think of my Sony Handicam with "Night vision". If I flip that switch (light or dark), everything turns into shades of green. BUT, I also see into dark and dim areas better! So, I would say that "darkvision in dim light" works at least as well as low-light -- but with the same "no color" drawback (so could be considered "worse" than low-light vision that way, but nothings perfect and when the sun goes down......).
Slapstick 09-26-06, 05:20 AM	I've always ruled that darkvision needs total darkness to work, so a torch will effectivly blind your darkvision. You still see as normal though, just no darkvision.
Neutronium_Dragon 09-26-06, 07:22 AM	I would think that in the 20' to 30' range of the example a few posts up, you'd see clearly in black and white but with dim colors washed into it.
Tzor 09-26-06, 12:37 PM	I've always ruled that darkvision needs total darkness to work, so a torch will effectivly blind your darkvision. You still see as normal though, just no darkvision. That was 1E/2E infravision, which in turn led to endless arguments between elves and humans and lots of other problems. 3E was supposed to hand wave all of that away. All your visions overlap and are active at the same time allowing you to get the best advantage of all your feats.
metalmorphosis 09-26-06, 01:44 PM	Darkvision in dim (or even full) light works just like it does in total darkness... You could see clearly up to the range of your darkvision in black and white. If you have a light source providing 20' of clear illumination and another 20' of shadowy illumination, you would, with 30' darkvision, be able to see clearly and in color out to 20', clearly in black and white out to 30', and then in shadowy illumination out to 40'. Exactly.