Lasers vs magical darkness

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This question is inspired by: Is future technology that is indistinguishable from magic considered a "Magical Effect"?.

Darkness spells and magical effects block all (non-magical) light. A laser is coherent light. What would happen to a laser beam entering an area of darkness? Would the effect depend on how much energy is pumped into the laser beam?

It seems likely to me that darkness wins out. But a laser can cut hard metals and hard minerals, so it has more energy within its beam than sunlight in an equivalent volume / beam cross-section.

dnd-5e spells magic vision-and-light

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edited 1 hour ago

Rubiksmoose

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asked 1 hour ago

Codes with Hammer

1347

add a comment | 

up vote
4
down vote

favorite

This question is inspired by: Is future technology that is indistinguishable from magic considered a "Magical Effect"?.

Darkness spells and magical effects block all (non-magical) light. A laser is coherent light. What would happen to a laser beam entering an area of darkness? Would the effect depend on how much energy is pumped into the laser beam?

It seems likely to me that darkness wins out. But a laser can cut hard metals and hard minerals, so it has more energy within its beam than sunlight in an equivalent volume / beam cross-section.

dnd-5e spells magic vision-and-light

share|improve this question

edited 1 hour ago

Rubiksmoose

40.7k5200308

asked 1 hour ago

Codes with Hammer

1347

add a comment | 

up vote
4
down vote

favorite

up vote
4
down vote

favorite

This question is inspired by: Is future technology that is indistinguishable from magic considered a "Magical Effect"?.

Darkness spells and magical effects block all (non-magical) light. A laser is coherent light. What would happen to a laser beam entering an area of darkness? Would the effect depend on how much energy is pumped into the laser beam?

It seems likely to me that darkness wins out. But a laser can cut hard metals and hard minerals, so it has more energy within its beam than sunlight in an equivalent volume / beam cross-section.

dnd-5e spells magic vision-and-light

share|improve this question

edited 1 hour ago

Rubiksmoose

40.7k5200308

asked 1 hour ago

Codes with Hammer

1347

This question is inspired by: Is future technology that is indistinguishable from magic considered a "Magical Effect"?.

Darkness spells and magical effects block all (non-magical) light. A laser is coherent light. What would happen to a laser beam entering an area of darkness? Would the effect depend on how much energy is pumped into the laser beam?

It seems likely to me that darkness wins out. But a laser can cut hard metals and hard minerals, so it has more energy within its beam than sunlight in an equivalent volume / beam cross-section.

dnd-5e spells magic vision-and-light

dnd-5e spells magic vision-and-light

share|improve this question

edited 1 hour ago

Rubiksmoose

40.7k5200308

asked 1 hour ago

Codes with Hammer

1347

share|improve this question

edited 1 hour ago

Rubiksmoose

40.7k5200308

asked 1 hour ago

Codes with Hammer

1347

share|improve this question

share|improve this question

edited 1 hour ago

Rubiksmoose

40.7k5200308

edited 1 hour ago

Rubiksmoose

40.7k5200308

edited 1 hour ago

Rubiksmoose

40.7k5200308

40.7k5200308

asked 1 hour ago

Codes with Hammer

1347

asked 1 hour ago

Codes with Hammer

1347

asked 1 hour ago

Codes with Hammer

1347

1347

add a comment | 

add a comment | 

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

up vote
7
down vote



accepted

It would disappear from sight when it enters the darkness but function exactly the same otherwise

Darkness says:

A creature with darkvision can't see through this darkness, and nonmagical light can't illuminate it.

Laser beams from a laser gun from the DMG are not a magical source. Thus the laser beam is also not magical. Since it is not magical it will be unable to illuminate the area covered by darkness.¹

However, the spell only says that it is unable to illuminate the darkness, not that the laser ceases to exist. So, the laser beam would function otherwise like normal in the darkened area (eg it would hit and damage targets) and if it didn't hit something would come out the other side of the area the same as it went in (eg bright and lasery). The same thing would apply to, for example, a flaming arrow.

The power level of the light source doesn't matter at all - only the power source. You could place something with the illumination power of the sun itself in the center of the darkness and it wouldn't shine at all unless it was a magical light source.

---

^{1 - Obviously if this is using some sort of custom setting/item created by a DM which they do define laser shooting technology as magical, then the laser bolt would illuminate the darkness. However, by default the rules do not indicate that laser guns are considered to be magical at all.}

share|improve this answer

edited 1 hour ago

answered 1 hour ago

Rubiksmoose

40.7k5200308

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Would the laser beam reappear on the other side, or would it terminate when it hits the darkness spell?
  – Ryan Thompson
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @RyanThompson: Added a part that addresses that.
  – Rubiksmoose
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  So would this mean that if lantern light were shined through magical darkness it would still appear on the other side?
  – Newbie12345
  57 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @Newbie12345: Assuming the radius of the light was big enough, I would say yes.
  – Rubiksmoose
  56 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @RyanThompson: After I posted my question, I thought of the same issue.
  – Codes with Hammer
  47 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 3 more comments

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1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

up vote
7
down vote



accepted

It would disappear from sight when it enters the darkness but function exactly the same otherwise

Darkness says:

A creature with darkvision can't see through this darkness, and nonmagical light can't illuminate it.

Laser beams from a laser gun from the DMG are not a magical source. Thus the laser beam is also not magical. Since it is not magical it will be unable to illuminate the area covered by darkness.¹

However, the spell only says that it is unable to illuminate the darkness, not that the laser ceases to exist. So, the laser beam would function otherwise like normal in the darkened area (eg it would hit and damage targets) and if it didn't hit something would come out the other side of the area the same as it went in (eg bright and lasery). The same thing would apply to, for example, a flaming arrow.

The power level of the light source doesn't matter at all - only the power source. You could place something with the illumination power of the sun itself in the center of the darkness and it wouldn't shine at all unless it was a magical light source.

---

^{1 - Obviously if this is using some sort of custom setting/item created by a DM which they do define laser shooting technology as magical, then the laser bolt would illuminate the darkness. However, by default the rules do not indicate that laser guns are considered to be magical at all.}

share|improve this answer

edited 1 hour ago

answered 1 hour ago

Rubiksmoose

40.7k5200308

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Would the laser beam reappear on the other side, or would it terminate when it hits the darkness spell?
  – Ryan Thompson
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @RyanThompson: Added a part that addresses that.
  – Rubiksmoose
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  So would this mean that if lantern light were shined through magical darkness it would still appear on the other side?
  – Newbie12345
  57 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @Newbie12345: Assuming the radius of the light was big enough, I would say yes.
  – Rubiksmoose
  56 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @RyanThompson: After I posted my question, I thought of the same issue.
  – Codes with Hammer
  47 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 3 more comments

up vote
7
down vote



accepted

It would disappear from sight when it enters the darkness but function exactly the same otherwise

Darkness says:

A creature with darkvision can't see through this darkness, and nonmagical light can't illuminate it.

Laser beams from a laser gun from the DMG are not a magical source. Thus the laser beam is also not magical. Since it is not magical it will be unable to illuminate the area covered by darkness.¹

However, the spell only says that it is unable to illuminate the darkness, not that the laser ceases to exist. So, the laser beam would function otherwise like normal in the darkened area (eg it would hit and damage targets) and if it didn't hit something would come out the other side of the area the same as it went in (eg bright and lasery). The same thing would apply to, for example, a flaming arrow.

The power level of the light source doesn't matter at all - only the power source. You could place something with the illumination power of the sun itself in the center of the darkness and it wouldn't shine at all unless it was a magical light source.

---

^{1 - Obviously if this is using some sort of custom setting/item created by a DM which they do define laser shooting technology as magical, then the laser bolt would illuminate the darkness. However, by default the rules do not indicate that laser guns are considered to be magical at all.}

share|improve this answer

edited 1 hour ago

answered 1 hour ago

Rubiksmoose

40.7k5200308

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Would the laser beam reappear on the other side, or would it terminate when it hits the darkness spell?
  – Ryan Thompson
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @RyanThompson: Added a part that addresses that.
  – Rubiksmoose
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  So would this mean that if lantern light were shined through magical darkness it would still appear on the other side?
  – Newbie12345
  57 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @Newbie12345: Assuming the radius of the light was big enough, I would say yes.
  – Rubiksmoose
  56 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @RyanThompson: After I posted my question, I thought of the same issue.
  – Codes with Hammer
  47 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 3 more comments

up vote
7
down vote



accepted

up vote
7
down vote



accepted

It would disappear from sight when it enters the darkness but function exactly the same otherwise

Darkness says:

A creature with darkvision can't see through this darkness, and nonmagical light can't illuminate it.

Laser beams from a laser gun from the DMG are not a magical source. Thus the laser beam is also not magical. Since it is not magical it will be unable to illuminate the area covered by darkness.¹

However, the spell only says that it is unable to illuminate the darkness, not that the laser ceases to exist. So, the laser beam would function otherwise like normal in the darkened area (eg it would hit and damage targets) and if it didn't hit something would come out the other side of the area the same as it went in (eg bright and lasery). The same thing would apply to, for example, a flaming arrow.

The power level of the light source doesn't matter at all - only the power source. You could place something with the illumination power of the sun itself in the center of the darkness and it wouldn't shine at all unless it was a magical light source.

---

^{1 - Obviously if this is using some sort of custom setting/item created by a DM which they do define laser shooting technology as magical, then the laser bolt would illuminate the darkness. However, by default the rules do not indicate that laser guns are considered to be magical at all.}

share|improve this answer

edited 1 hour ago

answered 1 hour ago

Rubiksmoose

40.7k5200308

It would disappear from sight when it enters the darkness but function exactly the same otherwise

Darkness says:

A creature with darkvision can't see through this darkness, and nonmagical light can't illuminate it.

Laser beams from a laser gun from the DMG are not a magical source. Thus the laser beam is also not magical. Since it is not magical it will be unable to illuminate the area covered by darkness.¹

However, the spell only says that it is unable to illuminate the darkness, not that the laser ceases to exist. So, the laser beam would function otherwise like normal in the darkened area (eg it would hit and damage targets) and if it didn't hit something would come out the other side of the area the same as it went in (eg bright and lasery). The same thing would apply to, for example, a flaming arrow.

The power level of the light source doesn't matter at all - only the power source. You could place something with the illumination power of the sun itself in the center of the darkness and it wouldn't shine at all unless it was a magical light source.

---

^{1 - Obviously if this is using some sort of custom setting/item created by a DM which they do define laser shooting technology as magical, then the laser bolt would illuminate the darkness. However, by default the rules do not indicate that laser guns are considered to be magical at all.}

share|improve this answer

edited 1 hour ago

answered 1 hour ago

Rubiksmoose

40.7k5200308

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

edited 1 hour ago

edited 1 hour ago

edited 1 hour ago

answered 1 hour ago

Rubiksmoose

40.7k5200308

answered 1 hour ago

Rubiksmoose

40.7k5200308

answered 1 hour ago

Rubiksmoose

40.7k5200308

40.7k5200308

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Would the laser beam reappear on the other side, or would it terminate when it hits the darkness spell?
  – Ryan Thompson
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @RyanThompson: Added a part that addresses that.
  – Rubiksmoose
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  So would this mean that if lantern light were shined through magical darkness it would still appear on the other side?
  – Newbie12345
  57 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @Newbie12345: Assuming the radius of the light was big enough, I would say yes.
  – Rubiksmoose
  56 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @RyanThompson: After I posted my question, I thought of the same issue.
  – Codes with Hammer
  47 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 3 more comments

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Would the laser beam reappear on the other side, or would it terminate when it hits the darkness spell?
  – Ryan Thompson
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @RyanThompson: Added a part that addresses that.
  – Rubiksmoose
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  So would this mean that if lantern light were shined through magical darkness it would still appear on the other side?
  – Newbie12345
  57 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @Newbie12345: Assuming the radius of the light was big enough, I would say yes.
  – Rubiksmoose
  56 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @RyanThompson: After I posted my question, I thought of the same issue.
  – Codes with Hammer
  47 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

1

1

Would the laser beam reappear on the other side, or would it terminate when it hits the darkness spell?
– Ryan Thompson
1 hour ago

Would the laser beam reappear on the other side, or would it terminate when it hits the darkness spell?
– Ryan Thompson
1 hour ago

@RyanThompson: Added a part that addresses that.
– Rubiksmoose
1 hour ago

@RyanThompson: Added a part that addresses that.
– Rubiksmoose
1 hour ago

So would this mean that if lantern light were shined through magical darkness it would still appear on the other side?
– Newbie12345
57 mins ago

So would this mean that if lantern light were shined through magical darkness it would still appear on the other side?
– Newbie12345
57 mins ago

@Newbie12345: Assuming the radius of the light was big enough, I would say yes.
– Rubiksmoose
56 mins ago

@Newbie12345: Assuming the radius of the light was big enough, I would say yes.
– Rubiksmoose
56 mins ago

@RyanThompson: After I posted my question, I thought of the same issue.
– Codes with Hammer
47 mins ago

@RyanThompson: After I posted my question, I thought of the same issue.
– Codes with Hammer
47 mins ago

 | 
show 3 more comments

 

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