D&D 5E Can I use Detect Magic to Track Arcane Magic Users?

Alberto Miranda · Nov 23, 2017

Hey guys!

So I'm making an adventure where the PCs are Arcane Users and they're being hunted for an Inquisiton party that always track them down. I want the hunters to track them by there use of magic and arcane essence, and thought that Detect Magic could be a easy way to do it without scrambling too much with the rules.

What you guys think? Any other idea on what i could use?

Sorry for the bad english, be kind

OB1 · Nov 23, 2017

Sounds like fun! Maybe think about giving the hunting parties a magic item that gives them the ability. Say a magic orb that glows and points in the direction an arcane spell was cast (with some limit on range). These are distributed to all hunting parties for the Inquisition. If the players get their hands on one by defeating a hunting party, perhaps have it work to alert the PCs when they are being hunted. Ie they cast a spell and it glows, but it also vibrates if another orb is within range. That way, you can now increase tension by having the party know when they are being hunted and they have an interesting decision to make whether to keep casting spells and give away their position or to not use spells to stay hidden.

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Satyrn · Nov 23, 2017

OB1 said:
Sounds like fun! Maybe think about giving the hunting parties a magic item that gives them the ability. Say a magic orb that glows and points in the direction an arcane spell was cast (with some limit on range). These are distributed to all hunting parties for the Inquisition. If the players get their hands on one by defeating a hunting party, perhaps have it work to alert the PCs when they are being hunted. Ie they cast a spell and it glows, but it also vibrates if another orb is within range. That way, you can now increase tension by having the party know when they are being hunted and they have an interesting decision to make whether to keep casting spells and give away their position or to not use spells to stay hidden.

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This. Do this. It's awesome.

Satyrn · Nov 23, 2017

My response to the OP is:

Use that feature in point 1 the way you know it's meant to be used rather than the way you think it's written to work.

EDIT - weird. That was meant for a different thread.

Nevvur · Nov 23, 2017

Detect Magic has a range of 30 feet, so it's not all that helpful unless the Inquisitors are practically on top of the party already. Locate Creature (specified to locate an "arcane magic user") is more suitable. As a 4th Level spell, the caster may be too powerful for the party to handle. You could present him as a primary nemesis without having him directly engage the party. Alternatively, the Iniquisition might supply their hunters with spell scrolls.

Still, I think some form of DM magic will suit your purposes better. I'll second Satyrn endorsement of OB1's idea -- sounds ripe for interesting plot developments. If for some reason you don't want the party to access the Iniquisition's own tools, a spell available only to the Inquisition should do the trick. You don't need to write up a formal spell description or anything, since it's something the PCs presumably won't ever get to use, just be consistent about its application.

Eltab · Nov 23, 2017

Detect Magic as a special ritual (and one of the Inquisitors has a ritual book) might work out. The thing is, with that short range, the Inquisition would have to do something like cast from a balcony overlooking a crowd. THEN they have to decide who in the crowd is giving them the 'ping' (or arrest everybody and sort them out). Where is this adventure going to take place?

Can the Inquisition set a trap for the PCs? For instance, build a dungeon with a treasure in the basement that the Party would search out. Detect Magic on the group when they leave, and use whatever comes up as an excuse to arrest them - for theft (of the bait item) or for possessing unlawful magic items (the rest of their gear) or for unlawfully being magical.

Wiseblood · Nov 23, 2017

In the X-men Caliban (not the poster here on EN World the comic book character) could track mutants perhaps there is a member of the inquisition that has such power with regards to magic users. A twist might be a magic user pressed into service of the inquisition.

Alberto Miranda · Nov 24, 2017

This is really good!!! I'll give it a try!

Alberto Miranda · Nov 24, 2017

Eltab said:
Detect Magic as a special ritual (and one of the Inquisitors has a ritual book) might work out. The thing is, with that short range, the Inquisition would have to do something like cast from a balcony overlooking a crowd. THEN they have to decide who in the crowd is giving them the 'ping' (or arrest everybody and sort them out). Where is this adventure going to take place?

Can the Inquisition set a trap for the PCs? For instance, build a dungeon with a treasure in the basement that the Party would search out. Detect Magic on the group when they leave, and use whatever comes up as an excuse to arrest them - for theft (of the bait item) or for possessing unlawful magic items (the rest of their gear) or for unlawfully being magical.

It's a one shot game. After some powerful mage almost destroy and took'd the crown for himself, the King sentence to death every Arcane Magic User from the Realm and that's where the hunting begins.. The party it's a common users living their lifes when the first strike happens and they gotta run for ther own sake. So the place it's kind of anywhere it fits to be a good hiding place for the party

Alberto Miranda · Nov 24, 2017

I want this to be a real challenge to the party, with moral questions like: They'll run to a place where anybody can find them? They'll try to gather with other magic users to make a resistence? Or they'll try to get some kind of advantage over the Inquisition and hunt Them down?

I'm thinking of Classes that combine Magic with other skills, like Eldrich Knights and Arcane Tricksters, so i can do something like, wipe their magic away with some Inquisiton Artefact and not be a big desavantage

D&D 5E Can I use Detect Magic to Track Arcane Magic Users?

Alberto Miranda

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OB1

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Satyrn

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Satyrn

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Nevvur

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Eltab

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Wiseblood

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Alberto Miranda

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Alberto Miranda

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Alberto Miranda

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