Casting spells, do others know?

[Queenie]

When you try to cast a spell like Suggestion or Dominate Person, does that person know it? Is there a way to do it without them knowing (short of slient/ still feats)? I guess you could do it from far away but I picture these spells being whispered in someones ear. Do they know if you fail or do they know you did it when the spell wears off?

 

[Geoff Watson]

They'll know about it, unless you use Still and Silent.

The target will know about it regardless, whether they save or not, though if they save they don't know exactly what it was. A failed save, and getting telepathic orders will be rather obvious, though they can't do anything about it until the spell wears off.

Geoff.

 

[Nightfall]

What Geoff said.

 

[Humanophile]

When casting a spell, unless you use still and/or silent feats on it (or the spell lacks that component anyways), people who see or hear you are going to know that you're doing something, and most likely know that you're casting a spell. Use common sense (and perhaps spot checks) to see if the caster is seen, and listen checks to see if they're heard (I'd assume a spell is cast at about normal speaking volume; DC 0. Some people might want to assume that it's cast extra loudly; DC -5 or so. Remember that modifiers do increase it from that base).

When the spell is cast, someone who sees/hears it can make a spellcraft check, DC 15 plus the level of the spell being cast, to know what it is. Otherwise, they know that a spell is being cast (probably), but not anything else unless the spell itself has a flashy effect. Someone making a save vs. a spell knows that they were affected by something, but they only know what specific spell if they make a spellcraft check at DC 25 plus the level of the spell. (Or see/hear the caster and make the aforementioned DC 15+ check.)

Keep in mind that someone affected by an Enchantment (or other mind-affecting spell, or any spell for that matter) has an aura around them that can be noticed via Detect Magic, and that Sense Motive can detect if someone is being mentally toyed with. As for what spells people remember being affected by and which they don't... well, can't help you there. If it spells it out anywhere, I must've missed that.

 

[Queenie]

Thanks for the answers.

I am just wondering why you would try to let's say, dominate someone, to become your friend and do your bidding, when if you fail that person will know you tried that and will not like you (kill you, not be your friend, whatever).

I am going to be playing an evil character that is kinda like a mole, and I have to secretly either get everyone on my side or turn them against each other. This character will have dominate as a spell like ability (yes, it's that kind of character...) so I am trying to figure out how to use it to my advantage.