D&D 5E Darkness spell and magic light

[Bacon Bits]

I think that most people play that magical darkness obscures its area. Otherwise its hard to visualize why it would be dark.

I tend to play it like a charcoal-black fog or smoke, though it isn't physical so wind cannot drive it off and it doesn't affect breathing. A spell of high enough level "burns" it off like the sun on a foggy day, or appears to repel the smoke.

As far as whether or not light from a magic item would penetrate it, I'm not sure how we'd rule it. It does make drift globes interesting, however.

The wording of that last paragraph of darkness is interesting, however. "Light" and "Darkness" are no longer spell descriptors, so does darkness really dispel any spell that produces light? Create bonfire? Color spray? Fire bolt? Burning hands? Produce flame? Sacred flame? Silent image? Faerie fire? Does a wall of fire effectively suppress the effects of a darkness spell, or does the darkness spell block the light of the wall? What about the radiant heat from the wall? Isn't that also light? Does the spell have to say, "creates an area of light"? I know how I'd rule, but it's certainly ambiguous wording.

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

Can someone on one side of the darkness (or, for that matter, in the darkness) see something in the light on the other side of the darkness (or see a small magical light within the darkness)?

I played in a game system where magical darkness was imperceptible outside its area. Those outside could see through and see inside with no poenalty, in fact they didn't even know darkness was in effect. The darkness cast no shadow. It was quite hard to conceptualize what was actually going on.

Essentially, magical darkness was an area-effect blindness effect.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Fun fact:
Darkness dispells flaming sphere too as it is a spell of 2nd level that creates light.

And the spell was discussed here at length. It is a nice reminder though that light from magic items may be magical too.

I am not sure however if some spell call out that the light is magical while others do not.
If that is not the case I would rule that every spell that explicitely notes that it creates light penetrates darkness. So immolation actually has a use. Set the shadow sorcerer on fire.

 

[jaelis]

After pondering for a bit, I think that I will play that the light created by a magical flame is itself non-magical. So in order for a spell or item to interact with darkness in a special way, it has to either produce light without flame, or produce light tied to radiant energy.

In that interpretation, darkness would dispel light, dancing lights, faerie fire, and moonbeam. It would not dispel, but would block the illumination from, produce flame, flaming sphere, flame blade, or continual flame. It would also block the illumination from fire shield or a flame tongue sword. A frost brand sword or mace of disruption would illuminate the darkness however.