Light
A burst of pure radiance suffuses the area, banishing shadows. Creatures that depend on darkness or low-light conditions find themselves exposed and disoriented.
Light conjures brilliant radiance that pierces even dim or gloomy conditions. It can operate in two distinct modes:
Area Illumination (Default)
- You create one or more zones of bright light (up to the number of areas listed under Number of Areas in the table).
- Each zone can be placed anywhere within Medium range (100 ft. + 10 ft./level, or the equivalent your system uses).
- These zones overlap normal or dim light, canceling out typical darkness-based advantages. Creatures reliant on darkness or sensitive to bright light may suffer penalties (e.g., dazzled, miss chances, attack roll penalties) at the GM’s discretion.
Alternate Usage: Enchanting an Object or Person
- Instead of designating an area within range, you can touch a willing creature or an unattended (or willing) object.
- The target itself emits bright light out to the radius indicated by the spell level (see the Size Categories table).
- This glow moves with the target, effectively acting like a portable source of brilliant illumination.
- If cast on a creature, a Will save can negate the effect if the creature is unwilling.
Fighting in Bright Light
- Creatures accustomed to darkness or with light sensitivity (e.g., certain subterranean races, undead, etc.) may be dazzled, disoriented, or otherwise penalized by Light.
- The exact penalties (to attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, etc.) are determined by the GM based on the nature of the creature and the situation.
Countering Light
Dispel Magic
- A suitable Abjuration (e.g., Dispel Magic) can extinguish Light on a successful dispel check.
Darkness Spell
- A sufficiently powerful Darkness spell can snuff out Light. If the Darkness is targeted on one Lighted area (or directly on an illuminated creature/object), it dispels all connected areas (or the source) of Light as well.
- Where two effects overlap, the Darkness spell may require a caster-level check (with a +10% bonus to Light) to overcome the Light spell.
Daylight Vision / Other Special Vision
- Creatures with specialized vision (e.g., “Daylight Vision”) see normally within Light, negating the typical dazzled effect.
- However, if a creature’s vision explicitly states it is harmed by bright light, it may still suffer penalties even if it has a special mode of sight.
Scaling
The Light spell is available at multiple levels. As you cast it at higher levels, both the area of effect (or emitted radius) and duration increase, mirroring its Darkness counterpart.
| Spell Level | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area Size | Medium | Large | Huge | Gargantuan | Colossal | Colossal+ |
| Number of Areas | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 32 |
| Duration | minutes/level | hours/level | days/level | weeks/level | Permanent | Permanent (planet-scale) |
Note: At Level 10, Light can permanently illuminate an entire planet or a similarly vast region.
Size Categories
Use the table below to gauge approximate radii (for both the default Area Illumination and the Alternate Usage when cast on an object/creature).
| Size Category | Spell Level | Approx. Radius | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium | 1 | 20 ft | Brightly illuminates a small room |
| Large | 3 | 40 ft | Floods an area the size of a large chamber with radiance |
| Huge | 5 | 60 ft | Enlightens an area comparable to a small building |
| Gargantuan | 7 | 80 ft | Illuminates an area about the size of a city block |
| Colossal | 9 | 160 ft | Bathes a small town district in brilliant light |
| Colossal+ | 10 | 640 ft | Floods a large portion of a town (or comparable region) in radiant glow |