Vision & Light
Vision and light determine what creatures can actually perceive. Bright Light, Dim Light, Darkness, and obscurity are not flavor-only conditions; they directly change how observation, targeting, stealth, and travel work.
Normal clear visibility. Most creatures function here without special penalties or uncertainty.
A lightly obscured state where detail is reduced and uncertainty starts to creep in around sight-based tasks.
A heavily obscured state for creatures without the right senses or magical support.
Stealth and detection live here. Light and obscurity determine what can reasonably be noticed without guesswork or perfect player memory.
Darkvision helps, but it is not the same as daylight. Special senses often reduce one problem without eliminating every visibility concern.
Travel and exploration depend on it. Torches, lanterns, magical light, and natural darkness all change whether the party moves cautiously, quickly, or blindly.
Combat reads differently in bad visibility. Positioning, perception, and target selection become much more fragile once sight is compromised.
Who can see whom? Check light, line of sight, cover, invisibility, and special senses before resolving targeting or stealth.
Who is carrying light? A torch or spell may reveal the party as much as it reveals the environment.
What is merely hidden by darkness? Darkness can conceal doors, drops, creatures, clues, traps, and exits without changing their actual positions.