Detect Magic and Minor Image

[SnowHeart]

Situation: One of my players is running a Dragonfire Adept, which can effectively use Detect Magic at will. I'm trying to set a trap up for them with a body placed atop a Symbol of Pain. The make the trap more enticing, I'm thinking of having a Minor Image cast on the body to look like someone the party knows and have it groan as if in pain.

Question: Would Detect Magic reveal the presence of the illusion spell automatically, or would it require a Will save for "interacting" with the illusion, or something else entirely?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jack Simth]

By default, the Detect Magic would let him know there's magic about. If he takes the three rounds and makes the spellcraft check, it'll even say what school. It'll tip him off to examine things closely, but that's about it.

And you can mitigate even that - per Detect Magic: "Magical areas, multiple types of magic, or strong local magical emanations may distort or conceal weaker auras.". Minor Image is a 2nd level spell ("Faint" per Detect Magic) while Symbol of Pain is 5th ("Moderate" per Detect Magic). You're well within the RAW to say that the Detect Magic spell doesn't give any info about the illusion aura due to the Necromancy aura.

 

[SnowHeart]

Great; thanks.