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Scourge aasimar (Volo's Guide to Monsters, p. 105) have the Radiant Consumption trait, part of which states:

Starting at 3rd level, you can use your action to unleash the divine energy within yourself, causing a searing light to radiate from you, pour out of your eyes and mouth, and threaten to char you.

Your transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you end it as a bonus action. During it, you shed bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet[.]

Can a scourge aasimar's Radiant Consumption trait dispel magical darkness, or even encroach upon it?

I'm thinking not, but it's a racial ability, so it doesn't have a spell level.

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    – Jack
    Sep 8, 2018 at 20:35

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There's nothing in the description that says it dispels magical darkness, so it's reasonable to assume that it doesn't.

Contrast this with the daylight spell, which says:

If any of this spell's area overlaps with an area of darkness created by a spell of 3rd level or lower, the spell that created the darkness is dispelled.

Or the darkness spell, which says:

If any of this spell's area overlaps with an area of light created by a spell of 2nd level or lower, the spell that created the light is dispelled.

Of course, a GM could rule that Radiant Consumption does dispel or suppress magical darkness, either as a house rule or as their interpretation of the feature.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Might also be worth quoting the relevant section of darkness: "If any of this spell's area overlaps with an area of light created by a spell of 2nd level or lower, the spell that created the light is dispelled." \$\endgroup\$
    – V2Blast
    Sep 8, 2018 at 20:35
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    \$\begingroup\$ Thanks, added. I also pondered the 20th level Oath of Devotion feature Holy Nimbus, which in which you emanate an aura of sunlight. Certainly seems like lesser magical darkness should be affected by that, but it doesn't say it. Not sure if that's an argument for or against . . . \$\endgroup\$
    – Jack
    Sep 8, 2018 at 20:43
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    \$\begingroup\$ By RAW, I think Holy Nimbus wouldn't dispel the darkness, only pierce through it temporarily. \$\endgroup\$
    – V2Blast
    Sep 8, 2018 at 20:44
  • \$\begingroup\$ You quoted the daylight spell twice, instead of the actual darkness spell's text in the second quote. \$\endgroup\$
    – Chris Phoenix
    Sep 8, 2018 at 20:48
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    \$\begingroup\$ That seems reasonable but Holy Nimbus doesn't say so. I think I'd personally rule that a 20th level Holy Nimbus suppressed some paltry two-bit magical darkness in some way, just because, seriously? you've got this 20th level paladin going all glowy from sheer holiness, how could that not push back the darkness, but it doesn't say that. \$\endgroup\$
    – Jack
    Sep 8, 2018 at 20:48

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