Prying Eyes as a Darkness domain spell?

[Yora]

The Darkness domain in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting and the SRD has prying eyes as the 6th level domain spell.

However, the spell description specifically says that the prying eyes only have normal vision and are affected normally by darkness.

Obscuring mist and blindness as the 1st and 2nd level spells are useful to make your enemies not see.
Blacklight and armor of darkness as the 3rd and 4th level spells make it difficult for enemies to see you, while you can see them perfectly fine.
And of course, with the Darkness domain you also get Blind Fight for free, so you're at an advantage in situations where nobody can see anything.

A spell that lets you see at a distance, but only when there's light, really makes no sense for the Darkness domain.

I could see the spell being useful for clerics of Darkness deities, if it would allow you to see with the prying eyes in the dark. Has there ever been any kind of mention that the domain spell version of it should be able to see in the dark? Seems to me like there was supposed to be an * at the bottom of the Darkness domain spell list.

[Beni-Kujaku]

The Darkness domain as you know it only appears in FRCS and in player's guide to Faerun. In neither of these is Prying Eyes redefined to see in darkness. If you feel like it is too out of subject for the Darkness domain‚ you may use the BoVD version‚ which does not have the same spells‚ including at level 6 a black opaque version of Wall of Force‚ or a combination of the two.

[Tzardok]

The Darkness domain as you know it only appears in FRCS and in player's guide to Faerun. In neither of these is Prying Eyes redefined to see in darkness.

It also appears in Deities and Demigods and in the Spell Companion. Also doesn't mention any changes to the spell.


If you feel like it is too out of subject for the Darkness domain‚ you may use the BoVD version‚ which does not have the same spells‚ including at level 6 a black opaque version of Wall of Force‚ or a combination of the two.

The BoVD version of the domain was renamed into Vile Darkness domain in Lords of Madness, to resolve the accidental naming clash. Theoretically a deity could grant both domains.

[ShurikVch]

If it's the spell's thematic which worrying you - then look at it this way: it allow creatures with Light Sensitivity(/Light Blindness) to look into brightly lit places (if spell don't transfers caster's existing LLV/Darkvision - then why should it transfer Light Sensitivity/Light Blindness?)

In addition, Prying Eyes spell is necessary for construction of Eyes of the Spider magic item (City of the Spider Queen)