Daylight

Daylight fills a wide area with bright light for an hour in fifth edition. The 2024 spell creates sunlight, so a creature’s sunlight traits can matter. The 2014, Pathfinder and 3.5e versions create magical light without that sunlight effect.

Daylight at a Glance

D&D 2024	3rd-level Evocation; Action; 60 feet; sunlight in a 60-foot-radius Sphere; 1 hour.
D&D 2014	Same level, range and duration; bright magical light instead of sunlight.
Pathfinder / 3.5e	3rd-level Evocation [light]; standard action; object touched; 10 minutes per caster level.
Concentration / damage	No ongoing Concentration, attack roll or saving throw. Sunlight harm depends on the creature’s own traits.

Spell Rules by Edition

D&D 5.5e / 2024D&D 5e / 2014Pathfinder 1eD&D 3.5e

Daylight — D&D 2024

Level and school: 3rd-level Evocation
Core spell lists: Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Sorcerer
Casting time: Action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 hour; no Concentration
Attack / save: None

A point in range produces a 60-foot-radius Sphere of sunlight: Bright Light within it and Dim Light for 60 feet beyond.

Alternatively, cast on an object not worn or carried to create a 60-foot Emanation of sunlight from it. An opaque covering blocks the object’s sunlight. If the area overlaps Darkness made by a spell of level 3 or lower, that entire darkness spell is dispelled. No higher-slot increase is listed.

D&D 2024 rules source.

Daylight — D&D 2014

Level and school: 3rd-level Evocation
Core spell lists: Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Sorcerer
Casting time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 hour; no Concentration
Attack / save: None

Choose a point in range. It sheds bright light in a 60-foot-radius sphere and dim light for another 60 feet. The spell creates magical light, not sunlight for traits that require sunlight.

You can choose a point on an object you hold or one not worn or carried. The light moves with that object; completely covering it with an opaque object blocks the light. Overlapping darkness from a spell of 3rd level or lower dispels that darkness spell. No higher-slot increase is listed.

D&D 2014 rules source.

Daylight — Pathfinder 1e

School: Evocation [light]
Level: Adept, Arcanist, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Hunter, Inquisitor, Magus, Occultist, Oracle, Paladin, Shaman, Skald, Sorcerer, Warpriest, Wizard: all 3
Casting time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S
Range: Touch
Target: Object touched
Duration: 10 minutes per caster level (dismissible)
Saving throw: None
Spell resistance: No

The object sheds bright light within 60 feet. For a further 60 feet it raises the existing light level by one step. Creatures with bright-light penalties suffer them in the inner radius, but this light does not count as sunlight for creatures damaged or destroyed by sunlight.

A lightproof covering blocks a small affected object’s light. Where Daylight and magical darkness overlap, Daylight is temporarily negated and the prevailing light conditions apply. It can counter or dispel darkness spells of equal or lower level. No ongoing concentration is needed.

Pathfinder 1e rules source.

Daylight — D&D 3.5e

This material is Open Game Content, and is licensed for public use under the terms of the Open Game License v1.0a.

The object touched sheds light as bright as full daylight in a 60-foot radius, and dim light for an additional 60 feet beyond that.

Evocation [Light]

Level Bard 3, Cleric 3, Druid 3, Paladin 3, Sorcerer/Wizard 3
Components V, S
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range Touch
Target Object touched
Duration 10 min./level (D)
Saving Throw None
Spell Resistance No

Creatures that take penalties in bright light also take them while within the radius of this magical light. Despite its name, this spell is not the equivalent of daylight for the purposes of creatures that are damaged or destroyed by bright light.

If daylight is cast on a small object that is then placed inside or under a light-proof covering, the spell’s effects are blocked until the covering is removed

Daylight brought into an area of magical darkness (or vice versa) is temporarily negated, so that the otherwise prevailing light conditions exist in the overlapping areas of effect.

Daylight counters or dispels any darkness spell of equal or lower level, such as darkness.

D&D 3.5e rules source.

What Changed Between Editions?

2024 makes sunlight and requires an unattended object for its moving source. 2014 also permits an object you hold. Pathfinder and 3.5e target a touched object and last by caster level. Pathfinder raises the outer band’s light level by one step; 3.5e simply calls that band dim light. Their darkness rules include temporary negation and countering, rather than fifth edition’s level-3 threshold.

Using Daylight in Play

Light the route ahead

Use a fixed point to illuminate a dark chamber, or cast on a small stone before carrying or throwing it forward. Check the edition’s object restrictions first. Bright light helps you inspect broken floors and passages; it does not automatically find secret doors or reveal invisible creatures.

Make a movable signal

A shining shield, staff, coin or banner can mark a rescue team or rallying point. In 2024, cast before anyone picks up or wears the object. A covering can block an object-based source, so protect it if enemies can reach it.

Challenge magical darkness

Compare the darkness spell’s level with the rule in your edition. Darkness and Daylight do not interact identically in every game. For other effects, check Dispel Magic rather than assuming any bright light defeats them.

Daylight in the World

Also called Apollo’s Revealing Radiance. Temples can light night processions; mine rescuers can carry a shining stone through dark workings. In a vampire’s crypt, including one occupied by Count Orlok, apply the chosen edition and the creature’s actual sunlight traits.

Faerie Fire and See Invisibility handle different problems from lighting a room. In fifth edition, Daylight needs no Concentration, so its caster can also maintain Shield of Faith on the companion carrying the light.

Sources and Licensing

D&D 2024 · D&D 2014 · Pathfinder 1e · D&D 3.5e.

The fifth-edition summaries include material from System Reference Documents 5.2.1 and 5.1 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available from the official SRD resource, under CC BY 4.0. The summaries are reformatted and paraphrased. Pathfinder and 3.5e mechanics are Open Game Content under the Open Game License v1.0a. Artwork and original setting prose are excluded from that designation.

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System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, Andy Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, John D. Rateliff, Thomas Reid, James Wyatt, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

3.5e source licence · Pathfinder source licence