Easy ways to get around Sunlight Sensitivity

[sflame56]

Are there any easy ways to get around Sunlight Sensitivity. Like what magic items would there be to help stop it and what spells would also help? Any interesting ways you could also stop this negative?

[Steel Mirror]

I've seen some people argue that the "direct sunlight" part of sunlight sensitivity means that you don't suffer the ill effects if you are standing in the shade. I don't tend to much like that interpretation, but it does open up the possibility of playing a drow warlock or something and going around the surface world with an umbrella at all times, which is just so ridiculous that I think it would be amazing.

Darkness is obviously a possibility. If you are a warlock you can grab the Devil's Sight invocation to see through your own darkness spells, which not only gets you out of the penalty but also gives you advantage because your targets can't see you. That option doesn't play particularly well with other party members, but you can also use the darkness spell to create the sphere of darkness overhead in midair, between yourself and the sun. That casts a shadow with a 15 foot radius that doesn't stop anyone from seeing through it, but at least gets rid of your sensitivity if you are using the RAW "direct sunlight" interpretation, so it's a neat trick to have in your pocket.

Likewise, any illusion spells that can create walls or large objects that block line of sight can be used to create big ol' shades. Another variation on the same theme, but it can work.

You can always use abilities that don't require attack rolls or ability checks. Any spell or ability that requires a save to resist or (even better) doesn't let your opponent save at all can be used without penalty even when you are suffering from sensitivity.

Finally anything that gives you advantage will at least cancel out your disadvantage, letting you attack and whatnot without wasting the round. Stealth can help with this. Attacking prone enemies gives you advantage, so if you have a fighter or barbarian on your team that likes to knock people over, you can hang around with them. Casting invisibility on yourself will also negate your penalty. And so on.

I'm sure there are more ways to do it, but off the top of my head those would be my strategies (obviously the umbrella option is the main takeaway here).

[MrStabby]

Sacred flame gets round it.

Fog cloud will keep you out of direct sunlight in a broad area.

[Cespenar]

I had a player with a drow warlock who was moving around in a full heavy robe + veil combination. She was mostly sticking to building shades and so forth.

[RickAllison]

The key things to remember for getting around Sunlight Sensitivity:

1) You should not be in direct sunlight. This is easy. Carry a parasol, stand in the shade, wear heavy clothing, lots of things so long as you don't have lots of shiny surfaces around. This is in your control.

2) The target cannot be in direct sunlight. This is why I am fine with the parasol and such, because this means that the kobold or drow is restricted to attacking enemies who are also in the shade. Often it shouldn't be that he PC can't get around the trait, but that doing so requires choosing targets more carefully. The kobold may not be great at hitting that Mage causing so much trouble on the open field of battle, but he can take out those archers trying to hide themselves in the forest.

[sflame56]

Well it does look like its a bit easier to get around it then I thought. I am just wondering is there like any magic sunglasses or something like that being able to more effectively get rid of sunlight sensitivity? Also if your a druid and you transform into an animal do you still have sunlight sensitivity or no?

[RickAllison]

Well it does look like its a bit easier to get around it then I thought. I am just wondering is there like any magic sunglasses or something like that being able to more effectively get rid of sunlight sensitivity? Also if your a druid and you transform into an animal do you still have sunlight sensitivity or no?

The DM can create a magic item for it, but none exist within the official items. The DM would have to decide for a druid as it isn't really clear whether that counts as a racial trait that would be carried over, or whether it would be a sense that would not.

[JellyPooga]

How about this here homebrew Cantrip I just invented?

Shade
Illusion Cantrip
Casting Time: 1 Action
Components: V, S, M (a cocktail umbrella)
Range: Self (5ft radius)
Duration: 1 hour

This cantrip, originally invented by a creative albino Kobold Sorcerer who was fed up with getting scale-burn while exploring the surface world, provides the caster and anyone close by with a gentle, cool shade; perfect protection from the suns glare.

This spell creates a 5ft radius of Dim Light around the caster. This spell can only be cast in direct sunlight or similarly bright conditions and its effects are suppressed while outside of those conditions.

[Specter]

If you're playing a weapon user, grab a cantrip like Sacred Flame, Frostbite or Poison Spray for when the sun is blinding you. If you're a magic-user, you shouldn't be making many attack rolls anyway.

[Addaran]

How about this here homebrew Cantrip I just invented?

Shade
Illusion Cantrip
Casting Time: 1 Action
Components: V, S, M (a cocktail umbrella)
Range: Self (5ft radius)
Duration: 1 hour

This cantrip, originally invented by a creative albino Kobold Sorcerer who was fed up with getting scale-burn while exploring the surface world, provides the caster and anyone close by with a gentle, cool shade; perfect protection from the suns glare.

This spell creates a 5ft radius of Dim Light around the caster. This spell can only be cast in direct sunlight or similarly bright conditions and its effects are suppressed while outside of those conditions.

I've been thinking about something like that since we heard of kobold being playable. Wasn't sure exactly how to make it, was thinking of a kind of reverse Light, we it gives dim light for 10 or 20 fts. So like a human in a dark situation, the cantrip would only help for very close range.

[Talamare]

There are 2 ways to play this

1 - the weak way! A hood or just standing in shade counters it. Maybe a pair of sunglasses?

2 - THE RIGHT WAY! If the sun is out, and you're outside. You're getting the penalty!

[Zene]

I've spent some time thinking about this, since I really wanted to abuse Kobold Pack tactics on a ranged character :)

Assuming you want to use attack rolls (if not it's a non-issue):

Since both you and the target can't be in direct sunlight, it's pretty tough to get around. You basically need to create shade that covers both you and the target. It's easier if you're melee, in that shade will often cover both of you.

So, if you're ranged and want to block the sun for both you and the target, you need something up in the sky throwing a lot of shade. At low levels, the only spell I found that can consistently do this is Fog Cloud, but it's susceptible to wind. Depending on the DM, illusion spells may or may not be allowed (there is a school of thought that an illusion can't throw shade, which I personally feel is correct). Same with Darkness spell - a few DMs may allow it to prevent light from passing through it, but I wouldn't count on it.

If you've got team help, and some source of shade nearby, one great way of getting around it is having team members move the target into the shade. A grappler friend would provide (I think) the most versatile forced movement.

[Vogonjeltz]

Are there any easy ways to get around Sunlight Sensitivity. Like what magic items would there be to help stop it and what spells would also help? Any interesting ways you could also stop this negative?

Only operate at night.


Likewise, any illusion spells that can create walls or large objects that block line of sight can be used to create big ol' shades. Another variation on the same theme, but it can work.

Illusions can't stop things from passing through them.

At best it would conceal the source of the light, but it wouldn't stop the light. Sunlight sensitivity would remain in effect.

[Steel Mirror]

At best it would conceal the source of the light, but it wouldn't stop the light. Sunlight sensitivity would remain in effect.
Is there a source for that ruling? Methinks that if you create an illusory dome which blocks all light, you should reasonably conclude that you are no longer "in direct sunlight". Likewise, if no illusions you create ever cast a shadow, that would be a heck of a tipoff that it's not real. I can see some mentions in spell descriptions that "things can pass through" many illusions, but I'm not sure it's explicit that "light" counts as a "thing", especially when illusions explicitly can block line of sight.

I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just curious if you have anything you can quote to support that interpretation.

Alternatively, assuming you are correct, I have a new test for whether something is an illusion. If I stand in its shadow during the day and yet still have disadvantage to my attack rolls, I know something's fishy. :smallwink:

[comk59]

Please... don't ask if illusions cast shadows... I can't take another one of those threads...

[Steel Mirror]

Please... don't ask if illusions cast shadows... I can't take another one of those threads...
I wasn't aware it was a thing. :smallbiggrin: If it's not likely to lead anywhere productive I'll gladly retract the question; it's not something that's relevant to any game I'm playing at the moment anyway.

[comk59]

I wasn't aware it was a thing. :smallbiggrin: If it's not likely to lead anywhere productive I'll gladly retract the question; it's not something that's relevant to any game I'm playing at the moment anyway.

It's less the shadows specifically, ajd more that dicussing that aspect of illusions always seems to end badly.

On topic, however, it's not an easy question. This is sort of untested ground, as until recently player races didn't have disadvantages. I guess we need to figure out if circumventing said disadvantages screws up balance in some way.

[Vogonjeltz]

Is there a source for that ruling? Methinks that if you create an illusory dome which blocks all light, you should reasonably conclude that you are no longer "in direct sunlight". Likewise, if no illusions you create ever cast a shadow, that would be a heck of a tipoff that it's not real. I can see some mentions in spell descriptions that "things can pass through" many illusions, but I'm not sure it's explicit that "light" counts as a "thing", especially when illusions explicitly can block line of sight.

I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just curious if you have anything you can quote to support that interpretation.

Alternatively, assuming you are correct, I have a new test for whether something is an illusion. If I stand in its shadow during the day and yet still have disadvantage to my attack rolls, I know something's fishy. :smallwink:

The illusion spells themselves specify that things can pass through the illusion. Light is a thing.

[comk59]

The illusion spells themselves specify that things can pass through the illusion. Light is a thing.

C'mon, don't try to start this argument. It's been had a million times, and it's never been decided how to handle it. Illusions, like most magic, don't hold up to close examination. Let's leave it at that and try to stay on topic.

[Talamare]

The illusion spells themselves specify that things can pass through the illusion. Light is a thing.

If you can see an illusion, then light is reflecting off it. Not passing thru it.

[Steel Mirror]

If you can see an illusion, then light is reflecting off it. Not passing thru it.
I regret everything.

If you guys want to start a new thread, that might be a good place to discuss the shadow illusion stuff!

As for the OP, if you have a generous GM who allows you to use alchemy creatively, you could make smoke bombs. Toss enough of those around and nobody is in direct sunlight. Would piss off the archers on your team, but also make it harder for the archers on their team, too. And a drow running around like a ghost in the smoke, stabbing people in the kidneys sounds like a fun character concept to me.

EDIT: Or a kobold. A kobold doing that sounds even better!

[beargryllz]

Sleep during the day, like any other nocturnal creature

Even during summer, direct sunlight only affects you part of the time...

[Asmotherion]

The following are listed in order by how RAW appropriate they are, and do not include magical items:

A) A Warlock can take Devil Sight to see through magical darkness. Then, cast (or have it casted) Darkness on your clothes in combat.

B) You can try to get advantage by hideing (a rogue's cunning action is perfect for this), or by having your familiar use the Help action if you're a Blaster (Chain Warlocks, Wizards and Rangers get this easyer, but a Tome Warlock can get a familiar with Book of Ancient Secrets and any character can get a familiar via Magic Initiate). That said, you must still be carefull not to use any ranged AOEs with the second methode, and you'll mostly be focusing on a single target, making this a good option for Warlocks to Hex+Eldritch Blast.

C) If they exist in your campain, use sunglasses. Yes, simple as that. Especially in Eberon, and perhaps on the Forgotten Realms as well, the technology seems more than enough to produce sunglasses. It should balance out your Darkvision to that of a regular elf, and remove your sunlight sensitivity. Be carefull of effects that can blow them away from your face though. Even if they don't exist (I would rule that they do, as it's not that much of a revolution in technology), there is a number of alternatives. I quote wikipedia: "In prehistoric and historic time, Inuit peoples wore flattened walrus ivory "glasses", looking through narrow slits to block harmful reflected rays of the sun." and "Sunglasses made from flat panes of smoky quartz, which offered no corrective powers but did protect the eyes from glare, were used in China in the 12th century or possibly earlier." Also, nothing prevents you from inventing a make-shift pair of smoked grasses to wear, with apropriate tool proficiency.

D) If everything else fails, talk with your DM. Tell him that, wile you want to play a race with Sunlight Sencitivity, you feel it would interfear with your game experiance. They might offer a solution, or tell you that your campain will take place at night/indoors most of the time.

E) If you really want to play a specific race, but are more open about alternative classes, you may consider a class that does not rely on attack rolls so much. A Sorcerer, Bard, Wizard or Cleric can play most of the game without rolling a single attack roll for example. Pick cantrips like Create Bonefire, Vicious Mockery, Frostbite and Sacred Flame respectivelly as your default attack Cantrips, and leave the ones with Attack Rolls for when you are away of direct sunlight, or don't take them at all. Then, pick spells like Magic Missile that auto hit, and Save Or Suck spells, such as Flaming Hands, Fireball, Sleep, Lighting Bolt and Spirit Guardians. Or play a Moon Cyrcle Druid, so your sunlight sensitivity won't be enabled when you are in Beast Shape.

Overall, I think it's a rather anoying ability, especially if you have a specific character in mind, but there are always ways around it.

[furby076]

How about this here homebrew Cantrip I just invented?

Shade
Illusion Cantrip
Casting Time: 1 Action
Components: V, S, M (a cocktail umbrella)
Range: Self (5ft radius)
Duration: 1 hour

This cantrip, originally invented by a creative albino Kobold Sorcerer who was fed up with getting scale-burn while exploring the surface world, provides the caster and anyone close by with a gentle, cool shade; perfect protection from the suns glare.

This spell creates a 5ft radius of Dim Light around the caster. This spell can only be cast in direct sunlight or similarly bright conditions and its effects are suppressed while outside of those conditions.

I'd make it a level 1 spell. And you would have to remove the suppression portion. This spell is pretty powerful for removing a game balancing racial trait

@illusion fighters: if you are saying the illusion cant block a thing, and light is a thing....fine by me. Then all illusions are not visible, because all light (including that reflected off walls, ground, etc) would pass through it...killing it. Its a game. Move along

[Addaran]

I'd make it a level 1 spell. And you would have to remove the suppression portion. This spell is pretty powerful for removing a game balancing racial trait


The thing is, lack of darkvision is also a game balancing racial trait. But they can (semi) by-pass it with equipment or a cantrip (actualy, they have 3 different ones). Considering the disadvantage in bright light is the same as being in total darkness for humans (dim light doesnt impose disadvantage on attacks, just perception checks), it's weird that one would need higher resources.

Fluff-wise, it also doesn't make sense. If Humans can come up with magical solutions for darkness, kobolds/drows should be able to find magical solutions for super bright light. You can say that they don't go out during the day....but the same could be said about humans during the night. Both races need to be able to function, defend themselves and possibly attack even when the time isn't right.

[Regitnui]

C) If they exist in your campain, use sunglasses. Yes, simple as that. Especially in Eberron,

Well, there's not any reason (mechanically) for Kobold or drow sunglasses in Eberron. Kobolds have a massive racial superiority complex ("I do not need your help. My eyes are fine. It is the sun that is too bright") and the Vulkoori drow live under the thick canopy of Xen'drik jungle. Not to say that some enterprising Cannith magewright may come up with the idea of tinted goggles, or even that glasses (and tinted sunglasses) don't exist for the use of the Khorvairain middle-upper classes, but more along the lines that the races in question have their own methods of dealing with their Sensitivity. It wouldn't be freely available or a starting item in my game.

[Epoch]

In regards to sunglasses...

It depends on which interpretation of Drow vision you're going with. I know that in the early editions Drow see via Infrared (aka Predator-vision), so sunglasses would have zero effect apart from turning an indistinguishable blur into a darker shade of indistinguishable blur. Imagine putting on a pair of night-vision goggles and walking outside in bright daylight: You'll have a really hard time distinguishing one object from another because everything will just blur together from the infrared light. Then imagine putting sunglasses on over the goggles. Your inability to distinguish objects would not change.

Personally this is how I do it at my table. If you're playing a Drow you need to accept the fact that there are downsides to doing so (and before you bring up other subterranean races, remember that Drow are actually cursed). Plus, it is really hard for me to buy the fact that the Drow would have stayed in the Underdark all these centuries if they could have just slapped on a pair of Ray-Ban's.

That being said, different strokes for different folks. Some DMs have completely different interpretations from mine, and that is A-Okay.

[JellyPooga]

I'd make it a level 1 spell. And you would have to remove the suppression portion. This spell is pretty powerful for removing a game balancing racial trait

To paraphrase Addaran; it's a (really) crappy version of Light.

If you think Light should be a 1st lvl spell too, then yeah I agree, but bear in mind that by taking this spell as a spell known or prepared, you forgo the option to take another cantrip in its place. When you also consider that mundane foils to that "game balancing trait" also exist, the cantrip is merely a convenience, much as Light merely saves you having to lug torches around.

[JackPhoenix]

Speaking of RAW,


C) If they exist in your campain, use sunglasses. Yes, simple as that. Especially in Eberon, and perhaps on the Forgotten Realms as well, the technology seems more than enough to produce sunglasses. It should balance out your Darkvision to that of a regular elf, and remove your sunlight sensitivity. Be carefull of effects that can blow them away from your face though. Even if they don't exist (I would rule that they do, as it's not that much of a revolution in technology), there is a number of alternatives. I quote wikipedia: "In prehistoric and historic time, Inuit peoples wore flattened walrus ivory "glasses", looking through narrow slits to block harmful reflected rays of the sun." and "Sunglasses made from flat panes of smoky quartz, which offered no corrective powers but did protect the eyes from glare, were used in China in the 12th century or possibly earlier." Also, nothing prevents you from inventing a make-shift pair of smoked grasses to wear, with apropriate tool proficiency.

doesn't work. You get Sunlight Sensitivity penalty if you or the target are in direct sunlight. While this could help with the "you" part, it won't remove the target from direct sunlight.

[Talamare]

D) If everything else fails, talk with your DM. Tell him that, wile you want to play a race with Sunlight Sencitivity, you feel it would interfear with your game experiance. They might offer a solution, or tell you that your campain will take place at night/indoors most of the time.

E) If you really want to play a specific race, but are more open about alternative classes, you may consider a class that does not rely on attack rolls so much. A Sorcerer, Bard, Wizard or Cleric can play most of the game without rolling a single attack roll for example. Pick cantrips like Create Bonefire, Vicious Mockery, Frostbite and Sacred Flame respectivelly as your default attack Cantrips, and leave the ones with Attack Rolls for when you are away of direct sunlight, or don't take them at all. Then, pick spells like Magic Missile that auto hit, and Save Or Suck spells, such as Flaming Hands, Fireball, Sleep, Lighting Bolt and Spirit Guardians. Or play a Moon Cyrcle Druid, so your sunlight sensitivity won't be enabled when you are in Beast Shape.

Overall, I think it's a rather anoying ability, especially if you have a specific character in mind, but there are always ways around it.

F) Toughen up and just take the penalty

G) Ask your DM if you can completely lose your Darkvision and Sunlight Sensitivity. Say it's because your family of Drow's have lived on the surface for 100s of years.

[Asmotherion]

Speaking of RAW,



doesn't work. You get Sunlight Sensitivity penalty if you or the target are in direct sunlight. While this could help with the "you" part, it won't remove the target from direct sunlight.

The idea is not that you're not in direct sunlight, but rather that the sunglasses filter out the "too much light" that makes your eyes hurt, either from being directly under the sun, or by looking at something that is. So, relativelly to your perseption of the world, nothing would be in Direct Sunlight.

As someone who has had a lesser opperation for myopia, I had photophobia for some months after the opperation. Wile being or even looking at something in bright light would hurt my eyes like needles poking my eyelobes, and I was seeing arcs of light in my vision. Sunglasses offered a comfort to that pain, and I could walk around with no ill effect from sunlight.

I know it's not 100% RAW accurate, but it's a good solution if a DM wants to allow a Drow PC without punishing him for his choice, and at the same time not altering core material directly. I've taken this aproach everytime a PC wants to RP as a Drow, and had no balance issues.

[Laurefindel]

this is homebrew (and therefore somewhat off-topic) but in a "daylight adaptation" feat, would nullifying sunlight sensitivity be enough to be worth a feat in itself or would you make it a half-feat/add more features?

[Regitnui]

this is homebrew (and therefore somewhat off-topic) but in a "daylight adaptation" feat, would nullifying sunlight sensitivity be enough to be worth a feat in itself or would you make it a half-feat/add more features?

There was a Daylight Adaption feat in 3.5, essentially buying off the disadvantage with a feat cost. Not unlike the Level Adjustment system, where you bought out the advantage of stronger racial features with the "handicap" of a lower class level.

[GhorrinRedblade]

Well, there's not any reason (mechanically) for Kobold or drow sunglasses in Eberron. <snip>

I kinda-sorta remember a piece of Eberron gear along these lines, not from either of the sources you mention, but actually from the Shadow Marches, so that orcs could venture out in the sun with their dual-blooded cousins.

[Sariel Vailo]

asna drow rouge and paladin i run around with my hood up and cloak on at all times save for night cloak hood is down at night

[furby076]

The thing is, lack of darkvision is also a game balancing racial trait. But they can (semi) by-pass it with equipment or a cantrip (actualy, they have 3 different ones). Considering the disadvantage in bright light is the same as being in total darkness for humans (dim light doesnt impose disadvantage on attacks, just perception checks), it's weird that one would need higher resources.

Fluff-wise, it also doesn't make sense. If Humans can come up with magical solutions for darkness, kobolds/drows should be able to find magical solutions for super bright light. You can say that they don't go out during the day....but the same could be said about humans during the night. Both races need to be able to function, defend themselves and possibly attack even when the time isn't right.

I dont agree with your premise: darkness for humans vs bright light for drow. Darkness is a standard penalty for races without dark vision. Non darkvision is the base of race (if you a are creating a race). There is no balancing required. The drow penalty is a very rare penalty and a balance to their good abilities. So, when a player comes up with a work around to a racial or class penalty, awesome, but its not gonna be cheap.

Fluffwise: humans are more likely to be in darkness (at least 8 hours for every 24), than drow/kobold whose entire existance could be totally devoid of any sunlight. So the need for humans come up with solutions to deal with darkness (magical or non) would be more appropriate. They are totally helpless in pitch black

Do as you will, but as a DM i wouldnt allow it to be that easy. Cantrip, 1 hour per casting? And it suppresses itself to be convenient. Might as well just get rid of the drow racial penalty all together and save the need to reapply hourly.

[furby076]

F) Toughen up and just take the penalty

G) Ask your DM if you can completely lose your Darkvision and Sunlight Sensitivity. Say it's because your family of Drow's have lived on the surface for 100s of years.

Similar to what they had in previous editikns (forget which). You lose your innate spell casting abilities. Gotta balance it

[sflame56]

Another option I found out recently is wild shaping does make it so you lose sunlight sensitivity. So say a kobold does it the Kobold will keep pack tactics and lose sunlight sensitivity.

[comk59]

A shade cantrip might be an interesting idea, but I'm not certain. If I implemented it, I'd have it cost concentration for sure.


asna drow rouge and paladin i run around with my hood up and cloak on at all times save for night cloak hood is down at night

Uh... if I parsed this correctly, you avoid sunlight sensitivity by having a hood? That almost certainly would not work at all.

[Regitnui]

I kinda-sorta remember a piece of Eberron gear along these lines, not from either of the sources you mention, but actually from the Shadow Marches, so that orcs could venture out in the sun with their dual-blooded cousins.

True, but orcs don't have Sunlight Sensitivity in this edition. That would be unnecessary this time around, but it might make a decent little trinket for characters from the Shadow Marches. It'd also be something that the drow player may use to handwave their Sunlight Sensitivity outside of combat.

[RickAllison]

A shade cantrip might be an interesting idea, but I'm not certain. If I implemented it, I'd have it cost concentration for sure.



Uh... if I parsed this correctly, you avoid sunlight sensitivity by having a hood? That almost certainly would not work at all.

It should work IF the target is in the shade. The two requirements of Sunlight Sensitivity reflect the direct beams on the user (which can be blocked with a hood), but also the brightness from the light upon the target. A hood won't do anything for that.

[comk59]

The brightness from the light upon the target. A hood won't do anything for that.

Yeah, that was mainly the part I was referring to. I mean, I suppose it could possibly happen, but it's not going to be often enough to be at all reliable.

[RickAllison]

Yeah, that was mainly the part I was referring to. I mean, I suppose it could possibly happen, but it's not going to be often enough to be at all reliable.

Maybe the drow/kobold can be a parasol salesperson!

[comk59]

Maybe the drow/kobold can be a parasol salesperson!

The perfect plan!

That being said, now all I can imagine is a drow noble-lady with a parasol. Just gonna tuck that away in the "weird setting ideas" folder.

[MeeposFire]

I dont agree with your premise: darkness for humans vs bright light for drow. Darkness is a standard penalty for races without dark vision. Non darkvision is the base of race (if you a are creating a race). There is no balancing required. The drow penalty is a very rare penalty and a balance to their good abilities. So, when a player comes up with a work around to a racial or class penalty, awesome, but its not gonna be cheap.

Fluffwise: humans are more likely to be in darkness (at least 8 hours for every 24), than drow/kobold whose entire existance could be totally devoid of any sunlight. So the need for humans come up with solutions to deal with darkness (magical or non) would be more appropriate. They are totally helpless in pitch black

Do as you will, but as a DM i wouldnt allow it to be that easy. Cantrip, 1 hour per casting? And it suppresses itself to be convenient. Might as well just get rid of the drow racial penalty all together and save the need to reapply hourly.

I would give you kobolds having abilities that would make me feel that a penalty could be warranted. Honestly drow not so much. Of course I still think they need that sensitivity just due to the old fluff but I think they could actually use a buff. Nobody in any of the games I play, DM or see have anybody playing drow and the most common reason is light sensitivity being so annoying and so not worth what you get.

[Regitnui]

The perfect plan!

That being said, now all I can imagine is a drow noble-lady with a parasol. Just gonna tuck that away in the "weird setting ideas" folder.

A retainer of House Thuranni/Phiarlan who has a Pocahontas-esque backstory and a certain amount of suppressed menace about her. She still has her tribal scars as well.

Man I love Eberron.

[JellyPooga]

Do as you will, but as a DM i wouldnt allow it to be that easy. Cantrip, 1 hour per casting? And it suppresses itself to be convenient. Might as well just get rid of the drow racial penalty all together and save the need to reapply hourly.

I actually chucked the suppression in to avoid abuse, not for convenience. Note that by a strict reading of the spell, without the suppression, you could use it to create dim light in darkness...excellent for a stealth character. That's not the intention.

I'm not sure how much of an impact Sunlight Sunsitivity is really supposed to have; you clearly think it's suppsosed to be some incredibly significant game changing feature. I think it's more along the lines of a flavour feature; a quirky penalty that rarely comes into play...heck, even a bit of cloudy weather will let you avoid its penalties. The conditions for getting that penalty are pretty severe; outside, broad daylight, clear skies, open terrain...unless you're in a desert that's not a common circumstance.

A Cantrip taking up a spell known/prepared to avoid a highly situational penalty? Yeah, more than fair price to pay.

[Kurt Kurageous]

(IAC, I've been away from D&D for 4 months, two groups folded, life...)

I'm gonna say that sunlight and natural darkness are opposites with identical mechanics.

We banish darkness with mechanicals (torch/lantern) and spells.
So let us banish light with mechanicals (parasol, cloak, veil, whatever) and spells (cantrip Darkness, same specs as Light, only creating darkness.)

mechanically, I have Kobolds and Urds under the sway of a couple of good dragons (who btw are much better masters than black dragons!). The Urds do patrol in daytime in the desert, dropping water to folks in distress (Ski Patrol!), but wear scales with finely drilled holes or slots. They still are disadvantaged on rolls, but it allows them to operate in much greater comfort (snow goggles https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_goggles).

BTW, the problem for good dragons befriending Kobolds is overpopulation, as they can't just slaughter them as adults. A gold dragon in my world is the first breeder of Kobolds for specific traits. Using breeding pairs, careful egg selection, and hatching euthanasia, she hopes to create a slightly more hardy and strong Kobold with similar mining abilities. This secures the gems she needs to eat!

[GhorrinRedblade]

True, but orcs don't have Sunlight Sensitivity in this edition. That would be unnecessary this time around...

Huh. I didn't know that about 5e orcs (I'm book-light this time around). Thanks.

Ghorrin Redblade

[DireSickFish]

Go live in the Underdark. Then you never have to worry about Sunlight sensitivity.

[Dren Nas]

tinted glasses (sun glasses) and get an alchemist to make sun block.

[Vogonjeltz]

C'mon, don't try to start this argument. It's been had a million times, and it's never been decided how to handle it. Illusions, like most magic, don't hold up to close examination. Let's leave it at that and try to stay on topic.

I respectfully disagree with your statement. I was correcting the mistake in which it was suggested that illusions were a viable option for negating sunlight sensitivity; they are not.


If you can see an illusion, then light is reflecting off it. Not passing thru it.

Not so, per PHB 203, Illusions are just deceptions of the mind. The image isn't really there which is exactly why nothing interacts with it. The characters only think that something is there.

[Talamare]

Not so, per PHB 203, Illusions are just deceptions of the mind. The image isn't really there which is exactly why nothing interacts with it. The characters only think that something is there.

In the same paragraph it states that those are rare, illusions are phantoms that manifest into the real world.

Otherwise, every Illusion would have an instant save and would require targeting.

Take Disguise Self, Everyone looking at you passively sees the illusion is real. Regardless if you know they are looking at you or not. Only stuff like Weird specify that the Illusion is ONLY in their Mind.

When they say "Things" can move thru an illusion. It means that the illusion isn't a Solid. Best way to describe it, is that Illusion is very colorful well controlled Gases. So, a rock would be able to move thru it, but Light wouldn't.

However, my description isn't really perfect either... because of the Dark Vision dilemma. If an area is truly 100% dark, then nothing should be visible. However, a person with Dark Vision would be able to see fine. Which brings up the conundrum, would you be able to see an Illusion in true darkness if you had Dark Vision?