Light Meter

The Light Meter is a fluctuating scale of the current light level during the exploration of dungeons.

Effects
When the light is at high or maximum levels, the party will suffer less stress damage and will be affected by various benefits, while increasing the chances of scouting ahead and surprising monsters, granting a certain degree of safety to the expedition.

Lower levels of light will increase incoming stress, increase the chance of the party being surprised, and grant boons to the enemies. Less light will also increase the amount of loot gained by the party, in addition to augmenting the chance of the heroes scoring critical hits. Playing at low light levels is thus more risky, but grants higher rewards.

Additionally, at 0 light, every hallway battle has a small chance of being replaced with an ambush by a Shambler (1% in Apprentice level dungeons, 8% in Veteran level dungeons, and 12% in Champion level dungeons).

Controlling light levels
When entering a dungeon, light is set to the maximum level at 100 points, and will gradually deplete as the party enters rooms or corridor segments while traversing the map, at the rate of 1 unit when traversing explored segments and 6 units when exploring new areas (7 in Stygian Mode). It is possible to manually lower the light level by increments of 25 or completely by interacting with the light meter itself (check the in-game tooltip), you can also raise it with a Left Click at the cost of 1 Torch. While the light level can only be increased on your current turn, it can be decreased at any point outside of attacking cutscenes; this can be exploited to allow for increased loot gain after the last turn while the enemy dies of bleed/blight or a hero is stress healing after a killing critical hit.

The usage of torches or certain abilities, such as several Vestal and Crusader abilities, will raise the light meter, while other abilities, typically used by some enemies, will lower it. The Occultist is currently the only hero possessing abilities able to lower the amount of light. It is also possible to completely replenish the light level to full without using torches by camping; the only exception is when using one of the Occultist's camping skills which decreases light. The removal of an obstacle without the use of a shovel will also cause the light level to drop, simulating the lapsing of time while the party deals with the obstruction.

Light thresholds
The effects of light levels are regulated by various thresholds, at which various bonuses and penalties activate enhancing the party or the enemies.


 * Radiant Light (76+)
 * ++ Scouting (+15%)
 * ++ Monsters surprised (+25%)
 * + Dodge (+7.5 on Radiant, +4 on Darkest, +2.5 on Stygian, +2.5 on Bloodmoon)


 * Dim Light (51 to 75)
 * + Stress (+10%)
 * + Scouting (+7.5%)
 * + Monsters surprised (+15%)
 * + Dodge (+4 on Radiant. +2.5 on Darkest, +0 on Stygian, +0 on Bloodmoon)
 * Not shown on UI: + Monster Crit (+1%)
 * Not shown on UI: + Loot (25% chance)


 * Shadowy (26 to 50)
 * ++ Stress (+20% on Radiant, +20% on Darkest, +25% on Stygian, +25% on Bloodmoon)
 * + Monster ACC and DMG (+5/+10%)
 * Not shown on UI: + Monsters surprised (+10% on Radiant, +10% on Darkest, +5% on Stygian, +5% on Bloodmoon)
 * + Heroes Surprised (+15%)
 * + Loot (Gold/Items +10%/+4 draws)
 * + Player Crits (+1%)
 * Not shown on UI: + Monster Crit (+2% on Radiant, +2% on Darkest, +2.5% on Stygian, +2.5% on Bloodmoon)


 * Dark (1 to 25)
 * +++ Stress (+30% on Radiant, +30% on Darkest, +35% on Stygian, +35% on Bloodmoon)
 * ++ Monster ACC and DMG (+10/+15% on Radiant, +10/+15% on Darkest, +10/+17.5% on Stygian, +10/+17.5% on Bloodmoon)
 * Not shown on UI: + Monsters surprised (+5% on Radiant, +5% on Darkest, +0% on Stygian, +0% on Bloodmoon)
 * ++ Heroes Surprised (+25%)
 * ++ Loot (Gold/Items +15%/+8 draws on Radiant, +15%/+8 draws on Darkest, +20%/+8 draws on Stygian, +20%/+8 draws on Bloodmoon)
 * ++ Player Crits (+2% on Radiant, +2% on Darkest, +2.5% on Stygian, +2.5% on Bloodmoon)
 * Not shown on UI: ++ Monster Crit (+3% on Radiant, +3% on Darkest, +3.5% on Stygian, +3.5% on Bloodmoon)


 * Black as Pitch (0)
 * ++++ Stress (+40% on Radiant, +40% on Darkest, +50% on Stygian, +50% on Bloodmoon)
 * +++ Monster ACC and DMG (+12.5/+25% on Radiant, +12.5/+25% on Darkest, +12.5/+30% on Stygian, +12.5/+30% on Bloodmoon)
 * +++ Heroes Surprised (+40%)
 * +++ Loot (Gold/Items +30%/+12 draws)
 * +++ Player Crits (+3%)
 * Not shown on UI: +++ Monster Crit (+5% on Radiant, +5% on Darkest, +6% on Stygian, +6% on Bloodmoon)

Light Meter and Loot Bonuses
The bonus loot granted as a result of lower light levels is a chance of finding one additional item on top of the normal loot found when finishing battles or interacting with items and curios. It will be calculated independently of any predetermined loot (it will always be gold or gems for battles, but can be anything for curios).

Battle bonuses:  (gold or gems)
 * Light 76-100: 0% chance of bonus reward
 * Light 51-75: 25% chance of 1 bonus reward
 * Light 26-50: 50% chance of 1 bonus reward
 * Light 1-25: 75% chance of 1 bonus reward
 * Light 0: 75% chance of 2 bonus rewards

Chest bonuses: (any loot)
 * Light 76-100: 0% chance of bonus reward
 * Light 51-75: 25% chance of 1 bonus reward
 * Light 26-50: 50% chance of 1 bonus reward
 * Light 1-25: 75% chance of 1 bonus reward
 * Light 0: 95% chance of 1 bonus reward

Cartographer's Camp (The Crimson Court DLC)
The Cartographer's Camp significantly buffs the effects of torchlight such as +Loot at Radiant Light or +Monsters Surprised at Black as Pitch. It adds the following bonuses to all light levels:


 * +Loot
 * +1% Player Crit Chance
 * +2.5% Scouting Chance
 * +5% Monsters Surprised Chance
 * -5% Heroes Surprised Chance

The dodge bonus is also changed as following:


 * Light 76-100: +10 on Radiant, +7.5 on Darkest, +7.5 on Bloodmoon (from +7/+4/+2.5)
 * Light 51-75: +2.5 on Radiant, +0 on Darkest, +0 on Bloodmoon (from +4/+2.5/+0)

Light thresholds (with Cartographer's Camp)

 * Radiant Light (76+)
 * + Loot (Gold/Items +1%/+1 draws)
 * + Dodge (+10 on Radiant, +7.5 on Darkest, +7.5 on Bloodmoon)
 * + Player Crits (+1%)
 * +++ Scouting (+17.5%)
 * +++++ Monsters Surprised (+30%)
 * Not shown on UI: + Heroes Surprised (-5%)


 * Dim Light (51 to 75)
 * + Stress (+10%)
 * ++ Loot (Gold/Items +2%/+2 draws)
 * + Dodge (+2.5 on Radiant, +0 on Darkest, +0 on Bloodmoon)
 * + Player Crits (+1%)
 * ++ Scouting (+10%)
 * ++++ Monsters Surprised (+20%)
 * + Player Crits (+1%)
 * Not shown on UI: + Monster Crit (+1%)
 * Not shown on UI: + Heroes Surprised (-5%)


 * Shadowy (26 to 50)
 * ++ Stress (+20% on Radiant, +20% on Darkest, +25% on Bloodmoon)
 * ++ Monster ACC and DMG (+5/+10%)
 * + Heroes Surprised (+10%)
 * +++ Loot (Gold/Items +3%/+3 draws)
 * ++ Player Crits (+2%)
 * + Scouting (+2.5%)
 * +++ Monsters Surprised (+15% on Radiant, +15% on Darkest, +10% on Bloodmoon)
 * Not shown on UI: + Monster Crit (+2% on Radiant, +2% on Darkest, +2.5% on Bloodmoon)


 * Dark (1 to 25)
 * +++ Stress (+30% on Radiant, +30% on Darkest, +35% on Bloodmoon)
 * ++ Monster ACC and DMG (+10/+15% on Radiant, +10/+15% on Darkest, +10/+17.5% on Bloodmoon)
 * ++ Heroes Surprised (+20%)
 * ++++ Loot (Gold/Items +4%/+4 draws)
 * +++ Player Crits (+3%)
 * + Scouting (+2.5%)
 * ++ Monsters Surprised (+10%)
 * Not shown on UI: ++ Monster Crit (+3% on Radiant, +3% on Darkest, +3.5% on Bloodmoon)


 * Black as Pitch (0)
 * ++++ Stress (+40% on Radiant, +40% on Darkest, +50% on Bloodmoon)
 * +++ Monster ACC and DMG (+12.5/+25% on Radiant, +12.5/+25% on Darkest, +12.5/+30% on Bloodmoon)
 * +++ Heroes Surprised (+35%)
 * +++++ Loot (Gold/Items +5%/+5 draws)
 * ++++ Player Crits (+4%)
 * + Scouting (+2.5%)
 * + Monsters Surprised (+5%)
 * Not shown on UI: +++ Monster Crit (+5% on Radiant, +5% on Darkest, +6% on Bloodmoon)

The Courtyard (The Crimson Court DLC)
In the Courtyard, there is only one light level at all times; Bloodlight. Bloodlight's effects are + Stress and - Bleed Resist. Using torches in the Courtyard will not affect the light level, but it will apply a +3 ACC buff to the entire party for 1 battle. Only a single torch can be used prior to each battle. Multiple torches can be used in battle at once, making low-accuracy moves like those carried by the Leper more reliable for each main mission's boss, as well as the Crocodilian.

For the purposes of Quirks and Trinkets, the Bloodlight always counts as 100 light level.