Do I need a ceramic heat emitter or a basking bulb for my reptile?

It depends on the species and time of day. Across the r/reptiles and r/leopardgeckos threads we read, the consensus is that diurnal baskers (bearded dragons, turtles, tegus) need a visible-light basking bulb during the day to drive thermoregulation, while ceramic heat emitters are best reserved for supplemental nighttime warmth in cooler rooms. Several specialist commenters note that many keepers buy a CHE when they don't actually need one — a 100–150W ceramic is overkill if the room only drops to the mid-60s°F overnight.