Rules for Darkness

Do you dare to implement . . .

ProfBumblefingers' RULES FOR DARKNESS

"Make Darkness Scary Again!"

OBJECTIVES

• Make darkness scarier and more dangerous

• Make monsters that can see in the dark more threatening

• Make your supplies of candles, torches and lamp oil important

• Make gusts of wind, rain, falling in water, etc., more threatening (can extinguish light sources)

• Make “light magic” more important / awesome, and only available at higher-level

RULE MODIFICATIONS

• In darkness, without magic, PC’s cannot “see” at all, can only “reach out” and “feel” things within 5 ft radius

• No race-based Darkvision, Infravision, etc.

• Increase the level of Darkvision, Infravision, Ultravision, etc., spells to, say, 5th level (wizards gain access at 9th level)

• Increase the level of “Continual Light” and “Continual Flame” spells to, say, 5th level (wizards gain access at 9th level), or have them drain hp per time period

• In darkness, all martial attacks made at disadvantage (for PC’s and any creature that cannot see in the dark)

• In darkness, in combat, a natural roll of 2-3 is a “darkness fumble,” and you *attack another party members by accident* (with disadvantage)

• In darkness, skill checks are made with disadvantage

In darkness, when something potentially bad/scary happens, each PC (except elves!) must make a DC 12 Wis save vs Fear or roll on the “Dark Panic Table”:

“Dark Panic Table” (d8)
1-2 Run Away (away from scary noise, or random direction if no noise)
3-5 Freeze in Place
6 Call out “Where is everybody!?!?!” (give away location)
7-8 Make an “Panic Reflex” Attack (with disadvantage, in direction of scary noise, or random direction if no noise)

Obviously, running in darkness is risky. Make a DC 12 Dex save or roll on the “Running in Darkness Table”:

“Running in Darkness Table” (d8)
1-2 You Trip and Fall Prone
3 You Drop a Random Item
4-5 You Run into a Fellow Party Member (smaller size is knocked prone, or random if same size)
6 If there is an obstacle (wall/door/table/etc.) to run into, you run into it and take 1 hp damage
7-8 You become separated from the party by 30 feet and must call out (reveal location) to find them