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What happens to lasers enterin an area of magical darkness?
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP
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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
edited 13 mins ago
V2Blast
17.5k246110
asked 4 hours ago
Codes with Hammer
1397
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
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
edited 13 mins ago
V2Blast
17.5k246110
asked 4 hours ago
Codes with Hammer
1397
3
I feel like there's an "I attack the darkness" joke somewhere in here....
– Kobold_Warlord
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
favorite
up vote
5
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
edited 13 mins ago
V2Blast
17.5k246110
asked 4 hours ago
Codes with Hammer
1397
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
edited 13 mins ago
V2Blast
17.5k246110
asked 4 hours ago
Codes with Hammer
1397
edited 13 mins ago
V2Blast
17.5k246110
asked 4 hours ago
Codes with Hammer
1397
edited 13 mins ago
V2Blast
17.5k246110
edited 13 mins ago
V2Blast
17.5k246110
edited 13 mins ago
V2Blast
17.5k246110
17.5k246110
asked 4 hours ago
Codes with Hammer
1397
asked 4 hours ago
Codes with Hammer
1397
asked 4 hours ago
Codes with Hammer
1397
1397
3
I feel like there's an "I attack the darkness" joke somewhere in here....
– Kobold_Warlord
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
3
I feel like there's an "I attack the darkness" joke somewhere in here....
– Kobold_Warlord
2 hours ago
3
3
I feel like there's an "I attack the darkness" joke somewhere in here....
– Kobold_Warlord
2 hours ago
I feel like there's an "I attack the darkness" joke somewhere in here....
– Kobold_Warlord
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
1
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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.
answered 4 hours ago
Rubiksmoose
40.7k5201309
2
Would the laser beam reappear on the other side, or would it terminate when it hits the darkness spell?
– Ryan Thompson
3 hours ago
@RyanThompson: Added a part that addresses that.
– Rubiksmoose
3 hours ago
So would this mean that if lantern light were shined through magical darkness it would still appear on the other side?
– Newbie12345
3 hours ago
@Newbie12345: Assuming the radius of the light was big enough, I would say yes.
– Rubiksmoose
3 hours ago
3
@Newbie12345 related: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/55748/…
– Phlarx
2 hours ago
 |Â
show 7 more comments
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
12
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.
answered 4 hours ago
Rubiksmoose
40.7k5201309
2
Would the laser beam reappear on the other side, or would it terminate when it hits the darkness spell?
– Ryan Thompson
3 hours ago
@RyanThompson: Added a part that addresses that.
– Rubiksmoose
3 hours ago
So would this mean that if lantern light were shined through magical darkness it would still appear on the other side?
– Newbie12345
3 hours ago
@Newbie12345: Assuming the radius of the light was big enough, I would say yes.
– Rubiksmoose
3 hours ago
3
@Newbie12345 related: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/55748/…
– Phlarx
2 hours ago
 |Â
show 7 more comments
up vote
12
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.
answered 4 hours ago
Rubiksmoose
40.7k5201309
2
Would the laser beam reappear on the other side, or would it terminate when it hits the darkness spell?
– Ryan Thompson
3 hours ago
@RyanThompson: Added a part that addresses that.
– Rubiksmoose
3 hours ago
So would this mean that if lantern light were shined through magical darkness it would still appear on the other side?
– Newbie12345
3 hours ago
@Newbie12345: Assuming the radius of the light was big enough, I would say yes.
– Rubiksmoose
3 hours ago
3
@Newbie12345 related: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/55748/…
– Phlarx
2 hours ago
 |Â
show 7 more comments
up vote
12
down vote
accepted
up vote
12
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.
answered 4 hours ago
Rubiksmoose
40.7k5201309
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.
answered 4 hours ago
Rubiksmoose
40.7k5201309
edited 3 hours ago
answered 4 hours ago
Rubiksmoose
40.7k5201309
answered 4 hours ago
Rubiksmoose
40.7k5201309
answered 4 hours ago
Rubiksmoose
40.7k5201309
40.7k5201309
2
Would the laser beam reappear on the other side, or would it terminate when it hits the darkness spell?
– Ryan Thompson
3 hours ago
@RyanThompson: Added a part that addresses that.
– Rubiksmoose
3 hours ago
So would this mean that if lantern light were shined through magical darkness it would still appear on the other side?
– Newbie12345
3 hours ago
@Newbie12345: Assuming the radius of the light was big enough, I would say yes.
– Rubiksmoose
3 hours ago
3
@Newbie12345 related: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/55748/…
– Phlarx
2 hours ago
 |Â
show 7 more comments
2
Would the laser beam reappear on the other side, or would it terminate when it hits the darkness spell?
– Ryan Thompson
3 hours ago
@RyanThompson: Added a part that addresses that.
– Rubiksmoose
3 hours ago
So would this mean that if lantern light were shined through magical darkness it would still appear on the other side?
– Newbie12345
3 hours ago
@Newbie12345: Assuming the radius of the light was big enough, I would say yes.
– Rubiksmoose
3 hours ago
3
@Newbie12345 related: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/55748/…
– Phlarx
2 hours ago
2
2
Would the laser beam reappear on the other side, or would it terminate when it hits the darkness spell?
– Ryan Thompson
3 hours ago
Would the laser beam reappear on the other side, or would it terminate when it hits the darkness spell?
– Ryan Thompson
3 hours ago
@RyanThompson: Added a part that addresses that.
– Rubiksmoose
3 hours ago
@RyanThompson: Added a part that addresses that.
– Rubiksmoose
3 hours ago
So would this mean that if lantern light were shined through magical darkness it would still appear on the other side?
– Newbie12345
3 hours ago
So would this mean that if lantern light were shined through magical darkness it would still appear on the other side?
– Newbie12345
3 hours ago
@Newbie12345: Assuming the radius of the light was big enough, I would say yes.
– Rubiksmoose
3 hours ago
@Newbie12345: Assuming the radius of the light was big enough, I would say yes.
– Rubiksmoose
3 hours ago
3
3
@Newbie12345 related: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/55748/…
– Phlarx
2 hours ago
@Newbie12345 related: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/55748/…
– Phlarx
2 hours ago
 |Â
show 7 more comments
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3
I feel like there's an "I attack the darkness" joke somewhere in here....
– Kobold_Warlord
2 hours ago