Spotting Someone with a lightsource

**Beelzebub1111** · 2010-09-04, 09:13 PM (ISO 8601)

I know that it says somewhere that if it's dark, and someone at a distance is carrying a light source that you aren't in the radius of, you can see them, but they can't see you. Where does it say that, SRD, Book, or otherwise?

**KillianHawkeye** · 2010-09-04, 09:52 PM (ISO 8601)

Perhaps you're thinking of this?

Originally Posted by Rules Compendium, page 79

In open spaces, a light source can be spotted from much farther away than its radius of illumination. An observer who succeeds at a DC 20 Spot check sees the light from a distance as indicated below, and one who fails the Spot check automatically notices the light source at half that range.

Observer in Complete Darkness: A light source can be spotted at a distance equal to 20 times its radius of illumination.
Observer in Dim Light: A light source can be spotted at a distance equal to 10 times its radius of illumination.
Using Distant Illumination: Observers outside the illumination radius of a light source can see into the illumination just fine, making Spot checks as normal to discern creatures or objects in the illuminated area.

**Beelzebub1111** · 2010-09-05, 06:33 AM (ISO 8601)

That's it, yes. I just wanted to make sure that if you were standing in total darkness, and someone 50 feet away had a torch, that you could see that person and they not see you. Since the rules state that Anyone standing in total darkness is blind...seems silly.

**Tetsubo 57** · 2010-09-05, 07:05 AM (ISO 8601)

In the real world a human being has been shown to be able to see a single match at a distance of two miles.

**Jack Zander** · 2010-09-05, 11:20 AM (ISO 8601)

All those wordy rules really say is simple.

An area is dark, no one can see in the darkness. A light source is down the hall. All creatures can see the area the radius of the light source covers. Think of light sources as spells with a radius that allow sight to occur in dark areas.

**darkpuppy** · 2010-09-05, 02:05 PM (ISO 8601)

Torches are also the number one player killer in the Underdarks of various worlds. After all, Drow, being sensitive to light... and operating perfectly fine in darkness... among other creatures... you see where this is going.

**KillianHawkeye** · 2010-09-05, 02:28 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Beelzebub1111

Since the rules state that Anyone standing in total darkness is blind...seems silly.

Why is that silly if it's actually totally dark? As in, dark as an unlit basement or underground cavern? Absolutely no light equals blindness (unless you have darkvision). Now if there is star light or some other miniscule sources of light, then it's not totally dark and you are not blind, but you still cannot see very well. Just use common sense.

**LibraryOgre** · 2010-09-07, 01:52 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Tetsubo 57

In the real world a human being has been shown to be able to see a single match at a distance of two miles.

A teacher of mine was a CPO in the Navy, and they were cautioned against smoking at night, since the cherry on a cigarette could be visible a long way off at sea.

**dsmiles** · 2010-09-07, 02:45 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Mark Hall

A teacher of mine was a CPO in the Navy, and they were cautioned against smoking at night, since the cherry on a cigarette could be visible a long way off at sea.

Army, too. Night vision devices make the range anywhere up to a mile-ish. (Or so I've heard.)

**hamishspence** · 2010-09-07, 02:51 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Beelzebub1111

That's it, yes.

It appeared prior to that on page 106 of the Forgotten Realms sourcebook Underdark- though I'm not sure if it was in any books before that.

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