Arcane Eye - Tips on Handling?

[Atavar]

Hello Everyone,

I'd like tips from others on handling player use of the spell arcane eye.

This past session my players used it for the first time. They used it quite effectively to scout out most of the Vaprak's Voice complex from Shackled City Adventure Path.

I was very careful about only giving visual descriptions (i.e. no sound or smell details). The caster drank a potion of darkvision beforehand, so light conditions were not an issue. I also was careful of making sure the eye could not go where it couldn't fit, and I kept careful track of the duration of the spell.

The thing is, the players were so satisfied with this experience that I think they will employ it again in the future, perhaps even as part of their standard operating procedure. In light of this, is there anything I should consider in adjudicating the use of arcane eye that I did not already mention, above? I don't want to rob my players of the use of a powerful ability they rightly earned, but at the same time I don't want the game to become too easy for them because they can so easily scout out so much.

So, any tips out there for this DM?

Thanks in advance,

Atavar

 

[LordMelquiades]

It's a great info-gathering spell, and you are right to not want to nerf it or punish them for using it.

It does need a space of at least one inch in diameter--depending on the environment, that could prevent it going through well-made doors, stopping the reconnaissance very quickly. And the 1 minute per level duration can come into play too--in a dungeon especially, most parties will want to include the floor and ceiling in their viewing, which slows the eye to 100 feet per minute. In the wilderness 100 feet per minute mightn't actually cover all that much area. Lastly, as its invisible and magical, it can be sensed fairly easily by the right types of spells.

 

[BlackMoria]

My group uses that tactic very frequently.

Nothing wrong with them using it.

Just remember that most doors will not have a one inch size opening in them.

Chances are good that most traps will be overlooked or undetected.

If they are scouting rooms and corridors, just remember that they can be un-occupied at the time of the scan. And be occupied when the party comes that way, believing the area is clear.

 

[shilsen]

Firstly, I definitely recommend letting PCs benefit from smart use of it. IMO, they need to be rewarded for actually making intelligent choices.

That being said, LordMelquiades has pointed out some of the limitations of the spell. There's also the fact that it is a (Scrying) subschool spell that creates a magical sensor, which means any creature with Int 12+ can spot it with a DC 20 Int check. So there's a fair chance that enemies will be warned that someone is spying on them. Spells like Detect Scrying, Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum, etc. will make use of Arcane Eye much less effective.

 

[Atavar]

There's also the fact that it is a (Scrying) subschool spell that creates a magical sensor, which means any creature with Int 12+ can spot it with a DC 20 Int check. So there's a fair chance that enemies will be warned that someone is spying on them. Spells like Detect Scrying, Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum, etc. will make use of Arcane Eye much less effective.

Thanks for pointing this out...I was unfamiliar with these aspects of scrying spells.

Later,

Atavar