Low level sources of illumination that don't require a free hand

[heavyfuel]

Besides a Light spell, which only lasts for 10 minutes, what are some alternate options?

Note this is for very low levels, so even something like Continual Flame might be out of reach price-wise

I remember seeing something that let you buckle a lantern to a belt, but can't seem to find it anywhere.

Also, pretty sure there was a shield that let you place a torch on the shield.

At any rate, any help is appreciated. Thanks!

[Quentinas]

Illumian sigils don't need a free hand but you need to be of that race
A least crystal of illumination from MIC page 64 costs not so much and you can put in the weapon
Dancing lights but these doesn't last so much
Use tape and an everburning torch to tape the torch to your body ?I don't think this can be so good each time

[RSGA]

If you have both retraining and Magic of Incarnum available, there's the Diadem of Purelight which you can get through Shape Soulmeld. I say retraining, because unless you have a very big need for its bound effect and a wand of Soul Boon, you'll want to trade it out for something else once you can start Continual Flame-ing stuff.

[Segev]

Is this PF or 3.5?

If it's PF, any cantrip is at-will, so light or dancing lights will do it, as will a mage hand to hold your lantern for you.
If it's 3.5, you can use unseen servant, which lasts an hour, to carry your lantern.
You could also just get a hireling to be your torchbearer. 1 sp/day for unskilled labor, maybe +2 sp hazard pay per day into a dungeon.
Heck, hire a small crew of hirelings to do camp things for you and carry stuff.
2 sp/day for skilled work like standard guards, and they won't even ask for hazard pay as long as you don't drag them into the dungeon with you.
They can watch your camp, and you can take one of the hirelings - guard or non-skilled - in as your torchbearer and pack mule as long as you pay him a little extra and make a real effort not to get him killed.
An actual pack mule could just have a lantern perched on top of it, tied down firmly to the saddle.
Tie a torch to the end of somebody's polearm.
If the DM says that's too bulky and will give an attack penalty of some sort, use a sunrod instead.

[Uncle Pine]

If you're using a buckler or a light shield, you can carry a torch in your shield hand. If that won't cut for you, secure a vial angel radiance (20 gp, BoED 37) to your belt as it sheds light like a torch.

[Troacctid]

Dragon #334 has a miner's hat for only 1 gp. Sheds bright light out to 10 feet and dim light out to 20. A flask of oil powers it for 8 hours. Also gives +1 AC against falling rocks.


If you have both retraining and Magic of Incarnum available, there's the Diadem of Purelight which you can get through Shape Soulmeld. I say retraining, because unless you have a very big need for its bound effect and a wand of Soul Boon, you'll want to trade it out for something else once you can start Continual Flame-ing stuff.
Soulspark Familiar is a lot more useful than Diadem of Purelight, IMO.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Stick a candle on your head/helmet like the WoW kobolds do.

Nail a torch to your shield.

Hold a torch with your teeth (drop it if combat starts, which is a free action).

Play a race that has darkvision.


Or do like a normal person, carry a torch in your hand, and drop it (free action) to draw your weapon if combat starts.

[Aracor]

Complete Scoundrel has liquid sunlight. It's 20 gold for a single pellet. Nominally it's to be used as a sling bullet for doing damage to vampires or other sunlight-vulnerable undead, but it's a little glass pellet that sheds light like a torch.

Thread it into a headband, and you've got a headlight for 20 gp and strap of leather.

[RSGA]

Dragon #334 has a miner's hat for only 1 gp. Sheds bright light out to 10 feet and dim light out to 20. A flask of oil powers it for 8 hours. Also gives +1 AC against falling rocks.


Soulspark Familiar is a lot more useful than Diadem of Purelight, IMO.

With the exception of Incarnate Avatar with no Essentia, I'd say that anything you can get out of that feat is better than Diadem of Purelight, so we're pretty in agreement there. But if you're going for light to start and then going to transfer your Incarnum stuff to something else, Diadem will get you better light for a little bit.

How little depends on how quickly you end up investing feats into being able to power and expand your Incarnum stuff.

[Troacctid]

With the exception of Incarnate Avatar with no Essentia, I'd say that anything you can get out of that feat is better than Diadem of Purelight, so we're pretty in agreement there. But if you're going for light to start and then going to transfer your Incarnum stuff to something else, Diadem will get you better light for a little bit.
What's better about it? I mean, I realize the soulspark can be attacked and all that, but it is up to 50% brighter than the diadem, and it also gives you the Alertness feat and it can attack your enemies.

[Khedrac]

An everburning torch (110gp) can be stuck in a belt because there's no real fire - therefore it doesn't require a free hand.

[Blackhawk748]

Pretty sure AEG had a tin lantern, just strap that onto your belt.

[RSGA]

What's better about it? I mean, I realize the soulspark can be attacked and all that, but it is up to 50% brighter than the diadem, and it also gives you the Alertness feat and it can attack your enemies.

At best, meaning that you put too much into light for the Diadem that you hopefully get to trade for things later, because if not you've spent way more than way too much on light of all things, you can get 10 feet more of bright light and probably wonder why you didn't go straight for the Vitality Belt or Wind Cloak since you have some source of Essentia in this theoretic and also improved capacity for it.

And there is also the small chance that the familiar will bite it and you're down a light until you can reshape the meld.

[Noxangelo]

Or do like a normal person, carry a torch in your hand, and drop it (free action) to draw your weapon if combat starts.

don't torches count as clubs that do extra fire damage?

[heavyfuel]

If that won't cut for you, secure a vial angel radiance (20 gp, BoED 37) to your belt as it sheds light like a torch.


Complete Scoundrel has liquid sunlight. It's 20 gold for a single pellet. Nominally it's to be used as a sling bullet for doing damage to vampires or other sunlight-vulnerable undead, but it's a little glass pellet that sheds light like a torch.

Thread it into a headband, and you've got a headlight for 20 gp and strap of leather.

These two are perfect for my needs! Cheap, permanent, can both be retrieved as free actions (one is a spell component, the other is ammunition). They literally couldn't be better. Thank you!