Detect Evil question

[Buttercup]

Could a person feel it if a paladin cast detect evil on them?

I'm thinking not, but in my online game, the paladin just cast detect evil on a party member who had been kidnapped, and if she realizes it, she's going to punch him, since she wanted to kill the kidnapper the first time they crossed paths and the paladin wouldn't let her.

 

[Darklone]

I say ... well

He can certainly not feel it. But he should notice the paladin concentrating, perhaps mumbling a prayer for divine guidance...

 

[Zappo]

It's a spell-like ability. The paladin doesn't mumble, doesn't make anything particular. He does concentrate, but that's not a very apparent thing. I think it's extremely difficult to realize that he's "doing something", let alone using Detect Evil.

 

[shilsen]

Spell-like abilities draw AoOs in combat, so I would argue that you can make out when someone is using one. Maybe the paladin has to close his eyes for a moment and his brow furrows with concentration, maybe he does something else, but there should be some indication of what he is doing.

 

[Zappo]

Yes, the indication in combat is that he becomes distracted and stops defending himself. Outside combat, or in general whenever the paladin isn't doing another task that requires full attention, it's not so apparent.

 

[Buttercup]

Well, in this particular case, the paladin had been drinking, and the escaped kidnap victim returned to base. She was telling the party what had happened, and the paladin wondered if she had been turned into a spy, possibly without realizing it. So he cast Detect Evil.

Leaving aside whether or not this would be an effective means to answer his question, I don't think it would have been noticible. He might have been just listening to her tale and thinking. Or he might have been suffering from a foggy head, since he tossed back several glasses of wine in just a few minutes. (No class, I tell you. One doesn't treat fine wine like Mad Dog 20/20.)

 

[kengar]

I would argue that you-as DM- could make a roll for the subject of the Detect Evil; possibly Knowledge(religion) or spellcraft?? If successful, they notice the paladin concentrating on them.

On a different note, IIRC, DE doesn't detect "Evil-aligned" people unless they are clerics of an evil deity or blackguards, etc. A "normal" person who happens to be NE won't register.

 

[Hand of Evil]

It is a spell like effect but it takes time, 1 to 3 rounds to gather information about the target.

The person may notice the paladin studing them.

 

[Zappo]

It is a spell like effect but it takes time, 1 to 3 rounds to gather information about the target.

The person may notice the paladin studing them.

He doesn't need to stare at the target openly for 18 seconds without blinking. Actually, since it's an area effect, there isn't even a target. He could look around randomly in the (rather large) area of effect, and just do the usual things people do when they aren't really doing anything. He doesn't even need to keep his eyes open, I think, since it's a magical sense.

The only way I see someone noticing that he is using a spell-like ability is maybe if someone talks to him and doesn't get answered... nah. Thinking better, not even then. A character who is concentrating can still see, hear and understand things normally, and can probably manage a short answer too within a few seconds. At most, he'll look distracted, but from there to "He's certainly casting Detect Evil on me!" it's quite a leap.

 

[Dr. Zoom]

On a different note, IIRC, DE doesn't detect "Evil-aligned" people unless they are clerics of an evil deity or blackguards, etc. A "normal" person who happens to be NE won't register.

According to the spell, it does detect evil creatures, not just clerics of an evil deity or blackguards. For example, if the paladin detects evil in an area where there is an evil 5th level fighter and a 5th level cleric of an evil deity, he will detect both as evil. The strength of their auras will be differant, though. The fighter's aura will be faint (1 or less on the chart) while the cleric's aura will be strong (5-10 on the chart) but not yet overwhelming.

A normal person who happens to be NE will detect as faint evil, just like the 5th level fighter.