Auras

[Oryan77]

If a caster casts Detect Magic or Detect Evil, is the caster the only one that sees the aura or does an aura appear for everyone to see?

 

[theredrobedwizard]

Just the caster, as far as the wording shows.

-TRRW

 

[shilsen]

Definitely just the caster.

 

[Oryan77]

That's what I thought, thanks.

I was playing with a buddy who is new to DM'ing D20 rules. I caught a fellow player trying to hoard some of the loot his PC picked off a body he looted. I seemed to surprise the DM when I threatened the PC that if he tries that again, I'll cast Detect Magic on a future haul, claim something is magical when it's not, claim something isn't magical when it is, & then let him have the nonmagical item while I take the real ones.

The DM said that everything glows when you cast the spell & the other player would see it. He said he thought it did in 2nd edition and I told him that it doesn't in 3.5. I was thinking about this and couldn't actually find a definate answer from the spell descriptions and aura description in the DMG.

 

[Nail]

Just the caster sees the aura.

From the spell description: "You detect magical auras."

Is the rest of your party "you"?

 

[QuaziquestGM]

The GM may be used to many magic item glowing faintly because they are magical. I think in 2ed there was a 10% chance of this. Some gms just make most of the weapons glow cause glowing weapons are cooler. On the other hand, he could just be used to the video games.....

 

[QuaziquestGM]

On the "you" thing....

Yes, no, maybe.

You is both singular and plural depending on context.

In this case it may be plural, though normally it wouldn't be.

For example, the spell might be cast though the use of a collective or cooperative casting feat (though why a group would do this for a level 0 spell is a nother question), or the caster and party may be using a telepathic spell, item, or other ability to share preceptions.

There is also the matter of the familiar, but then the question becomes if the familiar is considered part of the caster's (or possibly casters') self (or selves).

 

[Nail]

On the "you" thing....

Yes, no, maybe.

Given the context of the "you", the meaning is crystal clear: singular. The person who casts the spell is "you". No muddied waters here.

You detect magical auras. The amount of information revealed depends on how long you study a particular area or subject....

 

[Hypersmurf]

The GM may be used to many magic item glowing faintly because they are magical. I think in 2ed there was a 10% chance of this. Some gms just make most of the weapons glow cause glowing weapons are cooler. On the other hand, he could just be used to the video games.....

In 3.5, it's 30%.

Light Generation: Fully 30% of magic weapons shed light equivalent to a light spell (bright light in a 20-foot radius, shadowy light in a 40-foot radius). These glowing weapons are quite obviously magical. Such a weapon can’t be concealed when drawn, nor can its light be shut off. Some of the specific weapons detailed below always or never glow, as defined in their descriptions.

-Hyp.

 

[Nail]

In 3.5, it's 30%.

...for a weapon. I believe QuaziquestGM was implying all magic items in 2e had a 10% of glowing.

As all of my 2e stuff is in long-term storage, I've got no idea if this is true of not.