Darkness and wrathful smite LOS

[Rad.benchman]

Question, does the darkness spell block the effects of wrathful smite if both target and caster are in the area of affect ?
On one hand unless the target has magical means of vision in the darkness spell, it is blinded per the spell affect. On the other hand the caster is not technically out of “ line of sight”. Not to mention the fear affect of wrathful smite emanating from a source encased in darkness would almost amplify its affect. I guess this is a RAI vs RAW question.

[JackPhoenix]

If you can't see the target (or caster, in this case), it's literally "out of line of sight". If frightened condition was to be negated by a solid obstacle, it would called for a full cover instead of line of sight. And the darkness isn't the source of the effect, so it's got nothing to do with being frightened by magic.

[Tanarii]

AFB, but i checked two websites and it doesn't look like wrathful smite frightened effect ends for anything except the end of the duration. (Which includes loss of concentration.)

[JackPhoenix]

AFB, but i checked two websites and it doesn't look like wrathful smite frightened effect ends for anything except the end of the duration. (Which includes loss of concentration.)

Frightened condition itself gives you disadvantage only if the source of fear is in your LoS. It doesn't end, but it's got no effect if you can't see the caster.

[Tanarii]

Frightened condition itself gives you disadvantage only if the source of fear is in your LoS. It doesn't end, but it's got no effect if you can't see the caster.
Grumble grumble

Then scenario given is an example of the difference between Line of Sight, and the now defunct term Line of Effect. (LoE still exists its just not official called that.)

[Malifice]

Stolen from: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?543427-The-Wall-of-Fear-A-Complete-Guide-to-the-Oath-of-Conquest

Line of sight is not based upon actual sight in 5e, nor does it require a target to be facing you. So long as a mostly-unobstructed line can be drawn between the two of you, frightened can apply. See DMG pg. 251. Enemies who cannot literally see you, are not facing you, or have abilities like Blindsight will still be afraid of you.

Frightened
A frightened creature has disadvantage on Ability Checks and Attack rolls while the source of its fear is within line of sight.
The creature can’t willingly move closer to the source of its fear.

If you cant see the creature you're frightened of, you retain the condition, but no longer have disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls.

[JackPhoenix]

The post I was gonna reply to was deleted, but anyway: The guide is wrong, it even points out the DMG page that explicitly says it's wrong: "To precisely determine whether there is line of sight between two spaces, pick a corner of one space and trace an imaginary line from that corner to any part of another space. If at least one such line doesn't pass through or touch an object or effect that blocks vision such as a stone wall, a thick curtain, or a dense cloud of fog - then there is line of sight."

Darkness blocks vision, unless the target has Devil Sight or an equivalent.

[Tanarii]

Darkness blocks vision, unless the target has Devil Sight or an equivalent.
Unless it doesn't.

Should we not go there? Too late. :smallamused:

On topic, which guide are you referring to? (Edit: oh a deleted post.)

It's worth noting the DMG pg 251 is special rules for how to adjudicate LoS with miniatures.

The index of the PHB, for Line of Sight, says "see casting a spell, targeting" but the targeting section of casting spells says almost nothing about line of sight, it focuses on line of effect. (It does talk about sight in relation to lines of effect.)

[Belthien]

The post I was gonna reply to was deleted, but anyway: The guide is wrong, it even points out the DMG page that explicitly says it's wrong: "To precisely determine whether there is line of sight between two spaces, pick a corner of one space and trace an imaginary line from that corner to any part of another space. If at least one such line doesn't pass through or touch an object or effect that blocks vision such as a stone wall, a thick curtain, or a dense cloud of fog - then there is line of sight."

Darkness blocks vision, unless the target has Devil Sight or an equivalent.

Yeah, I hoped I'd deleted the post before anyone replied. I read the page in the DMG and I agree with you, darkness blocks vision.

[JackPhoenix]

Unless it doesn't.

Well, "X does Y, unless it doesn't" is pretty decent overall description of D&D ruleset. Specific beats general, and all that.