detect magic and nonspells/nonitem magic

[Voadam]

OK, Detect magic says it detects magical auras but only gives guidelines for spells and magic items (which use spells to create them). So what about other forms of magic?

Supernatural abilities are described as magical and go away in an antimagic field. Can they be detected by detect magic?

We got into a debate about it last night, with our conclusion being that detect magic only detects spells and magic items so a demon who came to the prime material plane on his own (not summoned) and possessed someone would not detect as magical unless he used a spell-like ability or a spell, even though there was an ongoing supernatural effect.

 

[the Jester]

I disagree. It's detect magic, not detect spells.

 

[Antoine]

We got into a debate about it last night, with our conclusion being that detect magic only detects spells and magic items so a demon who came to the prime material plane on his own (not summoned) and possessed someone would not detect as magical unless he used a spell-like ability or a spell, even though there was an ongoing supernatural effect.

I don't have the book at hand, by remember BoVD has some information about demons and possession and the way they can/can't be detected. But it may pertain to possessed items only.

Anyway, it's a lead…

 

[Voadam]

I don't have the book at hand, by remember BoVD has some information about demons and possession and the way they can/can't be detected. But it may pertain to possessed items only.

Anyway, it's a lead…

Heh, a dead end as I don't have that book.

 

[Voadam]

I disagree. It's detect magic, not detect spells.

It is ambiguous by saying it detects auras but only providing effects of detecting spells or items.

However, it would then detect everything with a supernatural power, such as energy resistance or DR (off the top of my head, those are SU right?). And you would have to provide a PC who concentrates on one for three rounds with information about the strength of that aura. What is the strength of magical auras that do not correspond to spells? How strong is a Balor's supernatural fire aura? how did you come up with that strength level?

For our campaign it became relevant as someone had detect magic going while I was interviewing a guy who appeared human but was actually something different and not by spells. We decided for ease of DM adjudication, an interpretation of spells only works best.

It is an arbitrary judgment and we would be fine either way, but we wanted one answer so we could use it as a precise diagnostic tool and know whether or not we could rule out possession, supernatural shapeshifting, etc. or just spells that did so.

 

[jmucchiello]

If it doesn't detect supernatural abilities, what does?