The rules say torches throw light to a "Near" distance, which is 30 ft.

But is that 30 ft. from the torchbearer (30' radius, 60' diameter?) 30 ft. centered on them (15' radius, 60' diameter)?

The majority says it's 60' diameter ... but a vocal minor argue for 30'. Which way is right? We use a combination of physical torchlight tools and a virtual tabletop to illuminate the issue ... and draw on Ken's experience accidentally doing it both ways in his games.

Chapters

00:00 Exploring Light Sources in ShadowDark03:20 The Mechanics of Illumination07:56 Strategic Use of Light in Gameplay11:30 Environmental Effects on Visibility

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Watch The Great Shadowdark Torch Debate on YouTube.

Show Notes

The Shadowdark Torch Debate

When it comes to the core rules, the explanation of how torches work is straight forward: 

Torch. Sheds light to a near distance (see Light Sources, pg. 84). Burns for one hour of real time.

A near distance is up to 30 feet, so clearly, the torch illuminates to a 30 foot radius, meaning you have 30 feet of light behind and a head of you. A fellow party member could advance to the edge of the light in a single move.

What about other sources of illumination? The wording is the same for the light spell works the same way:

Light. One object you touch glows with bright, heatless light, illuminating out to a near distance for 1 hour of real time.

Lanterns sheds light to a larger distance:

Lantern. Casts light up to a double near distance

And yet ... people disagree. In comments on our previous torch light videos, people said that's too liberal. They say a torch sheds light to a 30 foot diameter ... centered on the torch itself. This approach causes the torch to shed light 15 feet in all directions from the torch bearer.

Ken inadvertently did it both ways: 

30' radius using real-world torch rings on a battle map

15' radius using Roll20's default illumination setting.

Which one is better? It depends.

Brighter Torches: Light as Radius

Based on our entirely unscientific survey of online opinions, the majority think torches shed light in a 30' radius. This has several advantages:

A brighter torch illuminates a larger portion of the map

Avoids the issue of adventurers inadvertently running off into the darkness

Helps prevent adventurers from falling behind (and into the darkness) when the torchbearer moves forward.

Adventurers can cover more ground each round, which speeds up game play.

This approach greatly enhances the utility of lanterns, as they illuminate a total of 120 feet worth of dungeon (60 feet in all directions from the caster). Lanterns allow non-torchbearers to make a double move (double "near") in one round, which enabling even faster passage through the dungeon. Faster movement through the dungeon means they have a better chance to escape threats, which increases survivability (you can decide for yourself if that's a pro or con).

The downside?

There are fewer places for the monsters to hide

Monsters can't sneak up on the adventurers as easily.

Faster movement accelerates the pace of the game, which may not fit with the sense of dread you were hoping to build.

Dimmer Torches: Light as Diameter

Historically, D&D spell descriptions tended to bounce between "diameter" and "radius", causing some confusion, but at least giving you a rules reference to check. Shadowdark's core rules don't offer that clarification, and a minority has gone with the more limiting definition.

At only 30 feet across -- 15 feet on either side of the torchbearer -- the weaker torches offer several advantages (mostly to the game master).

Adventurers can only move 15 feet before plunging into darkness. This forces the party to either light more torches, or stay close together.

A closer-packed party enhances the claustrophobic feel of the dungeon

Using more torches to increase light means the adventurers consume a key resource at a faster rate.

The downside is it slows down exploration, which in turn slows down the game. It also enhances the mobility of the monsters relative to the players, since the night-adapted horrors can move at full-speed without any drawbacks.

In Ken’s campaign, this nearly earned him a Total Party Kill as a ravenous gelatinous cube chased the adventurers. The gelatinous cube moves at Near, same as the player characters. But because they were trying to conserve torches, they only had one light source. That meant they needed to either flee the cube at half speed or run headlong into the darkness. It made for some dramatic moments, at least until they ignited several more torches ... and let their erstwhile allies, the Rat King's cultists deal with the cube while they ran.

Conclusion

We searched the FAQs and didn't find a definitive answer to the question of "radius" vs. "diameter" for light sources. That said, even if there were a rules-as-written answer, we think the right answer is the one that works best for your campaign. 

Even if you go with the majority "bright light" torches, having a doom-filled dungeon that suppresses light output could make for a more challenging and horrific crawl.

What do you think? Leave a comment on YouTube or email us at [email protected]

Featured Image Meta

Cover artwork from the Shadowdark RPG game master screen. Credit: Arcane Library.