"Target Obscured"

[RhodosGuard]

Why are Enemies sometimes obscured when I am directly infront of them?
Do i need to have someone constantly cast light on everything in the underdark?
Especially noticable on Bullette/Minotaurs and for some Reason the Phase Spider Matriarch.
I even lit the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Spider on Fire and still rolled attacks with disadvantage because "hurr durr, target obscured.

[Gilli-chan]

If you're not playing an Elf, Half-Elf, or anyone else who has Darkvision, then yes, you have to cast Light in the Underdark and other dark places.
A Fire spell does not count as a Light spell.
You need an actual Light spell, or one that says it illuminates the area.

[Dis Lexic]

You want to put the light spell on a close ranged character for combat. So long as the target is in the light, characters without darkvision can see and hit them.

[Grymspeak]

I know the mechanics of the game, but I have to agree with the OP on this one. It doesn't pass the common sense test. A torch is a light source in the game. A torch is lit on fire to be useful. Why then can a giant spider that is lit on fire not be considered a light source? Or any flame for that matter? A character that does not possess dark vision is at a considerable disadvantage already, why pile on by relegating light sources to spells only?

[RhodosGuard]

I vividly remember someone/something saying that a surface can be light source, so I went back to where I first get the tooltip about Darkvision, and it does actually say "Torch or Spell" not surface.
Which is really sad. I'd imagine a spetter to be really well lit when everything around it is burning.

Anyways. Time to use a torch. because who doesnt like using a 1d4 bludgeoning weapon.

[brendan_in_china]

When the game was last patched to be darker, it was clearer which places were too dark. Now it's just all too grey and undefined.

I liked it when it was really dark and torches, light spells and dancing lights made a huge difference. Yes, I'd have SH or Gale spend an action to illuminate in combat.

I'm a bit on the fence about surface illumination.

Part of the deal with torches is you can move them to illuminate better. On a Lindy Beige Youtube he demonstrated that you held the torch behind you to see ahead, or held it up high, to avoid direct light ruining your night sight.

A surface flame would be all directions, flickering and could misdirect.

A creature aflame however should be obvious to all.

It seems to me that Larian is having a bit of work nailing down light/shadow/dark in such a way that balances ease-of-play, area predictability and still being atmospheric.

[RhodosGuard]

Originally posted by brendan_in_china:

When the game was last patched to be darker, it was clearer which places were too dark. Now it's just all too grey and undefined.

I liked it when it was really dark and torches, light spells and dancing lights made a huge difference. Yes, I'd have SH or Gale spend an action to illuminate in combat.

I'm a bit on the fence about surface illumination.

Part of the deal with torches is you can move them to illuminate better. On a Lindy Beige Youtube he demonstrated that you held the torch behind you to see ahead, or held it up high, to avoid direct light ruining your night sight.

A surface flame would be all directions, flickering and could misdirect.

A creature aflame however should be obvious to all.

It seems to me that Larian is having a bit of work nailing down light/shadow/dark in such a way that balances ease-of-play, area predictability and still being atmospheric.

It's a fantasy Game with magic.
Making it so a torch makes you see things, but a burning enemy or burning surface doesnt is just needless in-depth realism.

If I wanted to play a turn-based combat survival game, I dont think I'd think twice about stuff like this, but in DnD, having my chance to hit reduced by half because I am not using one of the 3 specific things that make light is a bit stupid.

[brendan_in_china]

Thing is, stuff like alchemist fire is already super-useful.

The other night I twice killed a githyanki patrol member on 2 hps by throwing it in the general area.

Do we really wants surface attack even more useful?

[RhodosGuard]

Originally posted by brendan_in_china:

Thing is, stuff like alchemist fire is already super-useful.

The other night I twice killed a githyanki patrol member on 2 hps by throwing it in the general area.

Do we really wants surface attack even more useful?

It takes an action to use, needs an attack roll and deals 1d4. for x turns in a small area that you can always walk out of with your base movement.
I use Chromatic Orb for Surfaces way more often because 2d8 + Surface on a 1st level.

It just feels rather stupid. Especially in close quarters. I feel like I shouldnt even need light if the Target is right infront of me, no matter how dark it is, especially if the Darkness isn't even accurately portrayed in the world.

For you to not see anything in close range it would need to be pitch black darkness. And in the Phase Spiders area there even are green luminescent things everywhere.

And at the least I feel like Light should also be castable on creatures, so I can illuminate the enemy I want to focus, especially because there is not always an illuminable object around, so I may have to waste another action on throwing down an item, at which point I could also just, as you say, "throw an alchemists fire in the general area"

[brendan_in_china]

I once set the bulette alight and this huge flaming creature was still obscured. Yep, that kind of jarred, I mean I the player could clearly see it yet my character could not.

I guess alchemist fire is okay. I mean it burns out quite quickly and even if it cast illumination, it wouldn't be a great radius.

5E rules do allow equally blind combatants to attack each other as normal. The advantage of attacking a foe who can't see you is cancelled out by the disadvantage of attacking blind.

Light is castable on an object which can be thrown. Players typically do that with a coin but BG3 defaults to weapon in hand. It'd be nice if javelins could be equipped in the ranged slot.

I'll try loading a save and and test throwing SH's dagger with light on it - see how the game handles it.

[tfinlay756]

Thought I'd just add this as its a few months later and we're not too far from launch.
Im in the Bernard fight and his electrostatic thing is lighting up the room light a christmas tree...... "disadvantage: obscured" (which we know isnt even a thing in DnD)
Really hoping this is either removed or fixed by launch cuz common sense isn't winning right now

[LevelSix_SYSTEM]

Sounds like yer trying to tag it on each mob?
Cast light on yerself, not the mob, so the light sticks around

You can also use stuff like Dancing lights, or plop down a Fairie Fire
Or >>>