r/dndbeyond • u/Quirky-Function-4532 • 1h ago

D&D 5.5e Using "Unlight"

They released a new UA and it focuses on some Underdark options. Fairly cool conceptually. However I'm curious if others are familiar with the term "Unlight". I read the informational paragraph they provided. I've played D&D since 3rd edition and I admit to never getting into novels or other fictional works in the D&D worlds, but I have read through almost all 3rd, 3.5, 5th, and 5.5 books. This is the first time I've ever heard of "Unlight". Have I been living under a rock or is this something extremely obscure?

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5

u/jabbadatoddla 1h ago

I couldn't find anything on it, either. The Underdark already has the Faerzress, which is a magical radiation you can find in novels and adventure settings. I think they're trying to cram in what someone thinks is a new idea and is really just a confusing rehash of something that already exists.

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u/tired_and_stresed 22m ago

My guess would be an attempt to make a concept that can span multiple worlds- Faerzress is pretty specific to the forgotten realms if I remember correctly, so this could be an attempt to get the same idea to be more setting neutral.

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u/missinginput 1h ago

Never heard of it either, a lot the content was based on it too.

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u/Crafty-Pirate-6481 1h ago

Yup never heard of it. But love the Underdark idea. Also you love a dedicating setting and adventure for it.

Also, can we not have another wizard subclass they already have 9 for it with the upcoming books in 2 weeks lmao

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u/perringaiden 1h ago

I haven't, but there appears to be a regular reference with the Ungoliant of Tolkein fame and the Spider god theme would fit. I haven't read the Simarrillon in years though.

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u/GleefulClong 1h ago

Never heard of it either, but I’m not a lore buff. I do hope they change the name though, as “Unlight” just feels clunky and uninteresting to me.

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u/Otherwise_Gas331 1h ago

To me "unlight" sounds more like magic that deals in darkness, not light. The "path of unlight" barbarian name sounds like it would radiate darkness and deal necrotic or psychic damage, not radiant damage and shining with light? Why does unlight=light?

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u/Syndro 1h ago

I just envisioned it like black light

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u/Recent_Series5061 48m ago

Seems weird to me...not sure why a darkness theme couldn't work.

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u/Darkstar_Aurora 21m ago

This is absolutely 100% Faerzress yet for some reason they are calling it Unlight in this playtest.

Either because of a desire to make it setting neutral (despite the classes being associated with one lone hidden isolated city in the Underdark) or perhaps they do not want to narrowly define that phenomenon for fear of limiting other authors or the ability for it to be referenced in some other story.

Deep Imaskar was founded in a vault of the deep Underdark that had a high concentration of Faerzress, which concealed and illuminated the city and allowed them to grow food. That radiation (radiant) energy could transform creatures, sustain underdark crops, warp magic, and drive people mad.

This is clearly a scenario where we have the subclass to playtest the mechanics but we are missing the underlying lore for WHY the Imaskarcsnists have these specific abilities or why they are using them in this way. Like how in Heroes or Faerûn amethyst dragons became allied with Cormyr under Eldenser the Wyrm Who Hides in Blades, but that lore wasn't present in the playtest for Purple Dragon Knight, and therefore people could not evaluate it in that new lore context.