Nyctophobia (help)

[Etrivar]

Hello Playgrounders!

I'm about to start a campaign in which I will be playing Arvahn, a human sorcerer. But Arvahn has an interesting roleplaying quirk that I am determined to try, but might need some help on. He's nyctophobic. He's afraid of the dark.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to make playing a nyctophobe feasible? Lots of [light] spells, obviously, and I'll be taking the sunlight eyes reserve feat once I get access to second level spells, but can anyone think of anything else?

[Croverus]

Even with your anti dark measures, heshould still be terrified of darkness. Spending money on lanterns, torches, etc are good starts, and he should refuse to put out his lights. He should never use his light spells needlessly, and scoff at any mention of him going first into an area beyond the edges of a light source.

[Vladislav]

Always sleep with a Sunrod on. Wake up every hour to light a new sunrod.

[Claudius Maximus]

Invest in a Gruebane weapon.

[IthroZada]

There is no other option except to cast magic missile at the darkness. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHdXG2gV01k

[Alchemistmerlin]

Candles cost very little and have no weight in their description.

Buy 500 of them.

[Amiria]

Everburning Torch is 110 gp.

Also, slightly contradicting information from the DMG:

Light generation, DMG p. 221, right column at the very bottom: 30% of all magic weapons emit light as a torch. Meanwhile, on p. 216, left column under 3) it says it is only 20% of all melee weapons.

[Etrivar]

Ok, following the idea of equipment, are there any wonderous items that provide illumination?

[Eldan]

If he's good enough, there's a feat in the BoED that gives you a light aura.

Or, for equipment, the Everburning Torch that was already mentioned.

Also: X% of all magical weapons (don't have the books here) always glow. Says so in the DMG.

[Jack Zander]

This seems like one of the worst phobias an adventurer could ever have. How does someone with nyctophobia decide to go adventuring into dark unexplored dungeons anyway?

[person29]

This seems like one of the worst phobias an adventurer could ever have. How does someone with nyctophobia decide to go adventuring into dark unexplored dungeons anyway?

they use the light of pelor to illuminate the darkness and bring foul denizens to pelor's light?

EDIT: fear of blood, adventuring, etc would probably be worse

[Etrivar]

Nimbus of Light {BoED} would be a great option, but I am (unfortunately) restricted to Core + Complete Mage :smallfrown:

EDIT: The fact that it is such a horrible trait for an adventurer to have is the reason I want to try and play it. If it doesn't occur at all, or doesn't restrict your character in any way, the trait is boring, in my experience.

[Jack Zander]

they use the light of pelor to illuminate the darkness and bring foul denizens to pelor's light?

EDIT: fear of blood, adventuring, etc would probably be worse

I have a hard time believing that someone who is afraid of darkness is going to muster up the courage to fight said foul denizens.

And yes, there are even worse phobias (is fear of adventuring a phobia?) but this still ranks as one of the worst.

[ILM]

Does anyone have any ideas on how to make playing a nyctophobe feasible? Lots of [light] spells, obviously, and I'll be taking the sunlight eyes reserve feat once I get access to second level spells, but can anyone think of anything else?
I don't mean to make this any harder for you, but Sunlit Eyes only lets you see in the dark. It doesn't make the darkness any less dark (as opposed to a [light] spell). Are you sure your DM will let you get away with that?

[Grendus]

Fear of pain, fear of blood, and fear of enclosed spaces would probably be the worst. Though a spellcaster type with a fear of pain could probably get by, assuming he had a good reason to be an adventurer.

A Nyctophobic adventurer would probably carry half a dozen light sources with him, including (but not limited to):

Everburning Torch
Mundane Torches (five should do it)
Candles (100 or so)
Light Spells
Glowing magic items (at least two)
Sunrods
Tindertwigs

He should always be on the lookout for items that allow him to spread the light further, and should be the type to keep a light handy at night (if you're trying to be sneaky, you're SoL with this dude). Items or spells that grant darkvision would be a secondary choice, since being able to see in the dark is preferable to being blind, but having light should always be his priority. Doubly so if he can find a way to see in magical darkness.

Beyond that, it'll probably be mostly roleplaying. Just be generally afraid of darkness, always carry light, and have your character be very reluctant to do things like adventure at night or explore the dungeons.

[Etrivar]

I don't mean to make this any harder for you, but Sunlit Eyes only lets you see in the dark. It doesn't make the darkness any less dark (as opposed to a [light] spell). Are you sure your DM will let you get away with that?

Yes. I've already talked to him about it and he says its fine.


I have a hard time believing that someone who is afraid of darkness is going to muster up the courage to fight said foul denizens.

A phobia is an unreasonable, compulsive fear. It doesn't mean that the person is a coward in general, just that they have trouble with that, specific area, say...darkness.

[Sr.medusa]

Continual flame on everything. Oh, and make sure you get darkvision (or blindsight, even better), just in case. This can exile the grimlocks of his nightmares :smallbiggrin:

[Claudius Maximus]

Remember that the Darkness spell technically can't penetrate the light of Continual Flame!

[Etrivar]

(if you're trying to be sneaky, you're SoL with this dude)

Not necessarily; there is a spell, Ghost Lantern, that creates a light that only the caster and any caster-designees can see.

[Grendus]

Not necessarily; there is a spell, Ghost Lantern, that creates a light that only the caster and any caster-designees can see.

It's a third level spell, the OP mentioned his character doesn't have 2nd level spells yet. But you're right, at higher levels you can get items that give light that only the player and party can see. Doesn't last long enough to be a nightlight though, 10min/level.

[Amnestic]

There's some weapon crystals in MIC too. Cheapest is 5' bright light for 100gp, most expensive is 60' bright light at 1000gp.

[Etrivar]

I could probably work it out with my DM to be able to use permanency on it, then buy a scroll of perm, then voila: permanent night light:smallsmile:!

[Tyndmyr]

Candles cost very little and have no weight in their description.

Buy 500 of them.

The sorcerer that insists he has to sleep in a pentagram, surrounded by candles?

Yes, awesome. Do this.

[CTrees]

Everburning Torch is 110 gp.

Also, slightly contradicting information from the DMG:

Light generation, DMG p. 221, right column at the very bottom: 30% of all magic weapons emit light as a torch. Meanwhile, on p. 216, left column under 3) it says it is only 20% of all melee weapons.

Obviously, ranged weapons have a much higher chance of emitting light. One would need to go through the random loot tables to figure out exactly how much higher, though...

[Jack Zander]

A phobia is an unreasonable, compulsive fear. It doesn't mean that the person is a coward in general, just that they have trouble with that, specific area, say...darkness.

Exactly. Do you have a phobia, or do you know anyone with a phobia? It's a completely unreasonable compulsion that will absolutely hinder a person's functioning. It has nothing to do with cowardice, and everything to do with not willing ever putting themselves in a situation where their phobia would crop up. People with nyctophobia have trouble around campfires, surrounded by darkness on all sides. It's simply not enough for them to be near a light source. The mere sight of a darkened area in their general vicinity is enough to leave them paralyzed with fear. It takes an insane amount of willpower and the right circumstances for someone with nyctophobia to even try to enter a basement with nothing but a flashlight or a lantern. Now imagine that person who decides its going to be his job to do that everyday, except his irrational fears of boogy men are completely real.

[Slipperychicken]

Just get a vial of Liquid Sunlight (Complete Scoundrel 110).
"Shining with the light of a torch", only stops shining when you 'asplode it. I think it's some absurdly low price like 20gp. Get several in case one breaks.

[person29]

Exactly. Do you have a phobia, or do you know anyone with a phobia? It's a completely unreasonable compulsion that will absolutely hinder a person's functioning. It has nothing to do with cowardice, and everything to do with not willing ever putting themselves in a situation where their phobia would crop up. People with nyctophobia have trouble around campfires, surrounded by darkness on all sides. It's simply not enough for them to be near a light source. The mere sight of a darkened area in their general vicinity is enough to leave them paralyzed with fear. It takes an insane amount of willpower and the right circumstances for someone with nyctophobia to even try to enter a basement with nothing but a flashlight or a lantern. Now imagine that person who decides its going to be his job to do that everyday, except his irrational fears of boogy men are completely real.


and nobody, especially in a fantasy world full of magic and monsters etc, would ever try to face their fears

[Jack Zander]

and nobody, especially in a fantasy world full of magic and monsters etc, would ever try to face their fears

Phobias are beyond fears. They are mental disorders that doctors often treat with medications which must be taken for the rest of the patient's lifetime. Mental disorders cannot simply be "faced."

[MammonAzrael]

and nobody, especially in a fantasy world full of magic and monsters etc, would ever try to face their fears

The problem is there is a distinct difference. In the real world, chances are there really isn't anything in your basement, and you can logically work that out, and force yourself to face your fear.

In D&D, there are dozens of hungry, slavering monsters just waiting to eat your face off in the darkness, so facing your fear is a good deal more suicidal. Especially since you won't be nearly as capable of defending yourself, given that you're already struggling with just being in the dark.

I think it's an interesting angle to take with a character...but I think you need to have some mechanical penalties, shaken and such, in the dark. Of course...your DM may give you some upsides in trade for it...like a boosted CL on [Light] spells, perhaps?

[Shpadoinkle]

As was mentioned, take continual flame when you reach level 4 and cast it on everything. Your cloak, your gloves, your boots, your hat, your staff, a bunch of pebbles so you can throw them into dark areas to illuminate them without having to go in yourself... Tie lengths of twine around a few pebbles and drop them down holes or throw them down dark corridors so you can see down them without having to go there yourself. They also make a handy (if incredibly conspicuous) way of marking where you've been- drop one every 30 or 40 feet to illuminate where you've been.

[McSmack]

Slingstone on a string. Cast light on it then launch it out into the dark. Reel it in slowly then move forward.

You could keep a good portion of your loot set aside for material components for Continual Flame. Then cast it on random stuff in dungeons. big heavy immobile things. Maybe you have some sort of mission to banish darkness where you find it.

You could also have a very good backstory for it. Like you were lost in the woods when you were a kid and worgs ate your brother or something.

[Etrivar]

So Jack, do you have any actual advice on how to play it?

[ILM]

Alternatively, set yourself on fire and you'll have bright light for the rest of your life! :smallbiggrin:

[Etrivar]

I like that thought! I could probably get my DM to agree to give me a bonus to intimidate checks for being alight with arcane flames :smallcool:

[Jack Zander]

So Jack, do you have any actual advice on how to play it?

As MammonAzrael put it, I would talk to your DM and see if you could get some mechanical benefits and penalties. +1 CL to [light] spells is good. I would probably force a will save against fear each round you are surrounded by more than 1 side by darkness. Example: Being in the center of a corridor with darkness on either end of your light source would trigger the save, but being in a doorway which leads into a dark room would not. If you ever reached the panicked state, you are not allowed to flee through darkness and instead will flee to the center of the nearest light source and cower until all the dark sources have been lit.

Additionally, if you ever which to move into a darkened area, even if you are carrying a light source, your character will want to light it up from as far away as possible first. He may throw light stones around corners and other such quirks before advancing in a dungeon. When he sleeps at night, he will never sleep under the stars. Make sure you always have a shelter of some type that is at least dimly lit all night.

If you are ever blinded or in total darkness, you are immediately panicked, no save.


You could keep a good portion of your loot set aside for material components for Continual Flame. Then cast it on random stuff in dungeons. big heavy immobile things. Maybe you have some sort of mission to banish darkness where you find it.

This is good too. You'll probably have a compulsion to permanently light up all areas you encounter, if possible.

[KillianHawkeye]

Since nobody's mentioned it, you may (emphasis on may) want to pick up the Widen Spell feat so you can double the radius of an area spell (like most light spells).

[Zaq]

I have a character bouncing around in my head (basically as an NPC, because he just doesn't have enough oomph to be a PC . . . he's a curiosity more than a character) that I call "The Searchlight." Unfortunately, he needs a lot of books that you don't have.

Start as an asherati, from Sandstorm. They can glow pretty brightly (60' bright, 120' shadowy) at will.
Go Incarnate (Magic of Incarnum) and shape/bind the Diadem of Purelight. It's a Crown bind, so you can shape it at level 1 and bind it at level 2. It provides a good source of light (and even negates concealment when you bind it).
Since you've got Magic of Incarnum open, take a few levels in Incandescent Champion. Yup, they glow too.
You have to be capital-G Good to take Incandescent Champion, so crack open Book of Exalted Deeds and take the feat Nimbus of Light. I'm pretty sure you can guess what it does.

These are all innate, character-based things that don't rely on you casting a spell or buying an item. They're just there. Sure, you can unshape the Diadem, but that's not the point.

The hell of it, of course, is that by RAW, these light sources don't actually glow any brighter. There are no rules for overlapping light sources. Go figure, huh?

[slaydemons]

following equipment there are the bracers of I think dawn or dwarven forge let me go get my
COMPLETE WARRIOR
bracers of dawn has a dial turned to the left its normal, middle is a bulls eye lantern and, four times a day right turns it into searing light.

that oughta help and I never thought this book would be useful

[manyslayer]

Burned out grey ioun stone with continual light. Continual miner's helmet.

Lots of sunrods. If you have doubts about a dark area, light one and throw it in. Maybe even tie some twine to it to be able to haul it back and make sure the path is clear.

Eventually go into Elemental Savant PrC (miniatures handbook) and get a fire elemental familiar so you always have a light source with you. Or get a lantern archon.

[ILM]

Or get a lantern archon.
I could have sworn there was a way to get a Will o Wisp, but for the life of me I can't remember.

[MightyIgoo]

they use the light of pelor to illuminate the darkness and bring foul denizens to pelor's light?

EDIT: fear of blood, adventuring, etc would probably be worse

As I've learned from experience, the absolute WORST trait a character can have in D&D is pacifism. Nothing bugs my teammates like a party-member that won't kill a dragon. Or attacking orc. Or even a BBEG. "Because killing is wrong!"

[Threeshades]

Such a character would probably hauling around a steady supply of sunrods and everburning torches when going adventuring.

The main challenge in making such a character is coming up with a plausible backstory. Why would anyone with actual nyctophobia even consider such a profession, that constantly sends them down into unlit dungeons.

[Jack Zander]

The main challenge in making such a character is coming up with a plausible backstory. Why would anyone with actual nyctophobia even consider such a profession, that constantly sends them down into unlit dungeons.

That's what I was having trouble understanding. It's a little far-fetched, along the lines of a pacifist adventurer, or one who fears blood.

[Kylarra]

Alternatively, set yourself on fire and you'll have bright light for the rest of your life! :smallbiggrin:Take the Controlled immolation feat. :smallamused:

[Tiki Snakes]

A distinction that occurs to me;

This guy is an adventurer. He kills horribly, mind warping gribblies for fun and profit, or at least we can assume that.

It isn't what's IN the darkness that scares him. It's the Darkness itself!
I think that could be an interesting direction, really.

[mootoall]

Flooding is a legitimate treatment for phobias. Not the most ... sensitive one, but a legitimate one nonetheless.

[Veyr]

Phobias are beyond fears. They are mental disorders that doctors often treat with medications which must be taken for the rest of the patient's lifetime. Mental disorders cannot simply be "faced."
Generally speaking, phobias respond well to therapy in which the patient is gradually introduced to the subject of the fear in controlled ways to try to counter-act the irrational response. If someone spends enough time with the subject of their fear without anything bad happening, they'll usually start to undo their phobia. This requires being able to be near the subject of the phobia (or a representation of it) without complete fear-paralysis though, which is why the emphasis must be on gradual and controlled introduction of the phobia in a clinical setting.

Medication may help, but it's not usually the best answer to a phobia. Only very extreme cases where a patient is absolutely incapable of being anywhere near the source of their fear would help.

(for the record, I have studied some of this in college but I am not a psychologist; my girlfriend, on the other hand, is, with a focus in CBT that is often very effective with phobias, but dealing with phobic patients is again not her forte.)


Even in cases where the subject of a phobia is deserving of a certain degree of rational fear (for instance, a phobia of snakes may be irrational, but if you're walking around the brush and trip over a rattlesnake and it's hissing and rattling, fear is most definitely an appropriate response), a phobia can still be overcome if the patient begins to understand the dangers and how to control the situation.

So not only is it hard to believe that someone who is nyctophobic would become an adventurer in the first place, it's also hard to believe that he'd remain nyctophobic over an extended period of time spent successfully adventuring. If he comes to be any good at adventuring, that's going to cut down on his phobia a lot.

[Tokuhara]

I cured my friend of Nyctophobia by locking him in an unlit storage closet until he stopped panicking. Granted, he was livid afterwords, he thanked me.

[Jack Zander]

I cured my friend of Nyctophobia by locking him in an unlit storage closet until he stopped panicking. Granted, he was livid afterwords, he thanked me.

Haha, while this is funny, I'm pretty sure its the exact thing doctors don't recommend you doing to patients.

[Veyr]

That's the kind of thing that causes nyctophobia, from what I understand. I question whether that was real nyctophobia, if that worked.

That would be like the last step in a long series of gradual acclimization to the dark. Actually, if it was a small enclosed space, they probably wouldn't ever go there. That kind of thing would terrify anyone.

[Tokuhara]

That's the kind of thing that causes nyctophobia, from what I understand. I question whether that was real nyctophobia, if that worked.

That would be like the last step in a long series of gradual acclimization to the dark. Actually, if it was a small enclosed space, they probably wouldn't ever go there. That kind of thing would terrify anyone.

Okay, he was 22 and still had a Winney the Pooh nightlight... So while he was asleep, we put him in the closet and left him there.

[mootoall]

Haha, while this is funny, I'm pretty sure its the exact thing doctors don't recommend you doing to patients. Wrong. Flooding is, in fact, a perfectly valid treatment. Not generally a first choice, but valid nonetheless.

[Jack Zander]

Wrong. Flooding is, in fact, a perfectly valid treatment. Not generally a first choice, but valid nonetheless.

Wrong, Forceful flooding is never recommended by any doctors and can in fact be more harmful to a patient if it is done against their will.

[Etrivar]

A distinction that occurs to me;

This guy is an adventurer. He kills horribly, mind warping gribblies for fun and profit, or at least we can assume that.

It isn't what's IN the darkness that scares him. It's the Darkness itself!
I think that could be an interesting direction, really.

THANK YOU, Tiki Snakes!!1 May your characters be blessed with an enchantment of surpassing excellence for the next three years!

Arvahn doesn't have bogeyphobia (which, hilariously, is a real word, meaning fear of goblins) he has nyctaphobia; he is afraid of the darkness itself.

[Slipperychicken]

You can do what adventurers do when they're afraid of stuff they have no fear: kill it and take its stuff.

IRON HEART SURGE!


End the darkness, or even just the concealment, as that's a "favorable or unfavorable condition" quoth the SRD.

Your character could even do something as simple as getting an alternate means of perception (darkvision, tremorsense, lifesense, etc.), and rely on *that* in the dark instead of his puny hominid eyes.

Btw, how did your character get through childhood with Nyctophobia in the first place? And, further, why did he decide to expose himself to his greatest revulsion through adventure?

[Etrivar]

Ok, a couple of people have asked for back-story, so here it is:

Arvahn grew up in the royal court of the kingdom of Thistal. He spent his days learning history and politics, and spent his nights being entertained by other young nobles. He seemed to everyone to be the perfect prince: a little weak of body, perhaps, but intelligent, charming, dedicated, and always willing to give help to those who came to him seeking it. And he was all of these things, but he was something else as well; he was a sorcerer.

Nobody knew but him. Several years before his powers manifested, a series of events led the court, especially his father, to become extremely suspicious, and intolerant, of magic. Anyone known to be able to use magic was executed without exception or delay.

About a year after his powers began to develop, when Arvahn was 15, Thistal went to war with a nearby country, and he was captured. Taken to the enemy's stronghold, he was put in the deepest dungeon, where it was completely devoid of light. He was tortured there, under the assumption that he would know of his father's plans. He spent days in that pit, constantly tortured without ever seeing the light. He knew that he would immediately be killed if he revealed that he was a mage, and he wasn't powerful enough to escape, so he just endured as best he could.

He spent a fortnight in the dungeon, and when he emerged, he couldn't stand the presence of darkness.

Two years later, Arvahn was attending a banquet with his family, and they were watching tumblers perform. He noticed one of the performers pull out a dagger and, acting on instinct, he stood up and attacked the man using his magic. The man threw right as he was struck, so the dagger flew wide of the king thanks to the sorcerer prince. But the damage was done, every one had seen him cast his spell, and everyone knew what he was. Seeing the looks of fear and disgust on the faces of his family and friends, he hastened himself with magic, and fled.

After narrowly escaping the castle, he left the country, and knowing it would be to painful to remain near to his kingdom, he boarded a ship, and left for an entirely new continent, and an entirely new life.

(It doesn't yet address why he chose to take up adventuring, but this is a WIP)

[slaydemons]

I assume this is a realm that hates sorcerers

[Etrivar]

Indeed this is so.

[slaydemons]

I like the story so far thought might I ask why they hate sorcs?

[Thurbane]

Have a swarm of burnt out Ioun Stones orbiting his head, each with Continual Flame...

[Shpadoinkle]

Have a swarm of burnt out Ioun Stones orbiting his head, each with Continual Flame...

Another excellent idea. Dull grey ioun stones only cost 25 GP each.

[Etrivar]

I like the story so far thought might I ask why they hate sorcs?

Oooohhhhh... let's see... *quickly pulls something out of rear end*;

The king kept two arcanists as advisers, but he found out they had been using their magic to aid and abet the criminal who was ritually sacrificing nobles to Vecna. Thereafter, mages (and, by extension, magic) were seen as untrustworthy, and therefore unacceptable.

FYI: the reason he sails to a new continent at the end is so that this won't be particularly important. I didn't want to task the DM with incorporating a mage-hater kingdom into a world that he has already built and planned out. By saying that my character comes from a different land, it gets us around needing to integrate it, and adds another role-playing quirk :smalleek:

[big teej]

I am reminded of one of the dnd novels...

there was a druid (vadania?) was a major claustraphobic.... which, if one thinks about it.

makes sense.

a druid spends almost all of their times out in the open around their grove.

.... I am intrigued now.

and may have to play a character with a paralyzing fear of something myself.

perhaps a spellcaster with a fear of blood and is determined to slay enemies without breaking the skin. or a certain type of foe.

[Zaq]

Another excellent idea. Dull grey ioun stones only cost 25 GP each.

I keep hearing this, and I can never find the source for it. Unless I'm totally blind, I can't find it in the DMG. Where is this from? I see them mentioned in the XPH, but without a price attached.

[Sydonai]

I keep hearing this, and I can never find the source for it. Unless I'm totally blind, I can't find it in the DMG. Where is this from? I see them mentioned in the XPH, but without a price attached.

DMG 3.0, they don't mention it in the 3.5 version beyond saying that the absorbing stones "turn a dull grey, forever useless" when they run out of charges.

[faceroll]

Two psionic powers:
My Light, which lets you shoot light out of your eyes, and Control Light, which lets you raise the brightness of a room by 100%.

An item of at will uses of either item should be relatively cheap and not particularly game breaking. Control Light requires concentration, for instance. And in either case, being in a small bubble of light in a world full of shadow dwelling flesh starved cannibals makes you a delicious target.

[Etrivar]

I just had a thought: what happens if get sent to the plane of shadow (via magical accident, or the like)?:smalleek:

[ILM]

Well according to the description in the SRD, the Plane of Shadow isn't one of total darkness. It's a "dimly lit" world of black and white where spells with the [light] descriptor are tough to pull off. However, it doesn't say that light itself has trouble existing on the Plane so non-magical sources of light would work just fine. In fact, depending on how your DM interprets it, "dimly lit" doesn't even need to equate with shadowy illumination everywhere, much less darkness.

Keep some non-magical source of light (storm lantern and flint?) and you should be ok.