D&D 5E Magic Aura - What Does 'Detect' Mean?

[johnlent]

The Arcanist's / Nystul's Magic Aura spell says in relevant part:

"Mask: You change the way the target appears to Spells and magical effects that detect creature types, such as a paladin's Divine Sense or the trigger of a Symbol spell. You choose a creature type and other Spells and magical effects treat the target as if it were a creature of that type or of that alignment"


The two examples are kind of similar.

Divine Sense says "You know the location of any celestial, fiend, or Undead within 60 feet of you that is not behind total cover."

Symbol says, "You can further refine the trigger so the spell is activated ... according to a creature’s physical characteristics (such as height or weight), or physical kind (for example, the ward could be set to affect hags or shapechangers)."

Neither of these things explicitly say "detect" as in Detect Magic and neither of them is explicitly a "divination" effect. Rather they both appear to be magical toggles of a sort - its a yes or no toggle that triggers another result. Further, the second sentence doesn't actually limit the effect to "detection" magic, but rather, refers to any spells or magical effects broadly, making the first sentence seem more like flavor text than rules text.

My question is, since this is clearly not only applied to Divination magic, does it apply to magic items that have a similar toggle? Can it fool a Belt of Dwarvenkind? Candle of Invocation? Dragon Slayer? Dwarven Thrower? Giant Slayer? Mace of Disruption? Talisman of Pure Good/Ultimate Evil? Moonblade? Blackrazor?

Thanks in advance.

 

[toucanbuzz]

My question is, since this is clearly not only applied to Divination magic, does it apply to magic items that have a similar toggle?

I wouldn't think so but interesting question. The spell masks anyone's active use of a spell or magical effect (what we used to call spell-like abilities that can't be dispelled) only. Items are specifically omitted from this spell. The Symbol spell at first glance appears similar to a magical item whose effect is triggered. However, Symbol is a spell. So its "screening" is always subject to being fooled.

Items are exempted from being fooled by design (unless they generate a spell). A lich hit with a mace of disruption is still undead no matter what trickery he masks himself with. The item has no activation. It needs no sensor or ping or check to figure it out; it activates on interaction.

 

[johnlent]

I think there must be some cognitive dissonance in play to argue that the EFFECT of MAGIC item is not a "Magical Effect."

That said, as I read it, the first sentence is just flavor text, the second is the rule. So, I agree a lich would still be hurt by a Mace of Disruption (it is still undead), but so would a Kobold under an "Undead" Magic Aura.

 

[jaelis]

I would say it is limited to effects that pretty explicitly detect types. A mace of disruption doesn't detect undead, it just does extra damage to them.

So for instance, a creature couldn't use Nystul's to get past a magic circle.

If a trap was designed to trigger when a dwarf stepped on it, I would say Nystul's would work. If it was designed to go off when anyone stepped on it, but only damage dwarves, then I think Nystul's wouldn't protect you.

The dwarven thrower etc seem the most ambiguous to me. Does it detect that you're a dwarf and that triggers the extra benefits, or does it work the same every time and a dwarf's nature just lets her benefit more from it? Seems to me a DM could reasonably rule differently on that for different items of that nature.

 

[Storyteller Hero]

One might assume that any and all detection, or related gathering of knowledge, is expressed in the tingling of one's unmentionable areas.

If not, then a punch is just a punch, and nobody is actually touching the target's nose as it breaks.

Therein lies the conundrum that leads one to a quandary over the reality of spoon versus the desires of fork, and whether it is ethical to marry such utensils for the sake of giving birth to the much beloved and much maligned "spork".

EDIT: Some effects don't need to ask if an undead is undead, and some do. Common sense applies to judging this. The basic question to ask oneself is "would an illusion matter?" - such as a Mace of Disruption that deals harmful effects to undead even if they're disguised as something else, because a disguise is just that and nothing more.