Detect Magic in 3E

[BOZ]

In our 3.5 edition campaign, we had a debate at the end of this past week's session about just what detect magic should be able to detect, and when. Specifically, this debate related to whether or not the spell should be able to detect an opponent that is hiding, and when, and whether a 0-level spell should be able to uncover much more powerful magic. Let me know what you think about the following questions that came up.

Should detect magic allow the spellcaster to find an invisible opponent, or one that is hiding through the use of camouflaging magic?

Should detect magic allow the spellcaster to find opponents which are not using magic to hide, but are carrying magic items or have other spells cast upon them? What about if the items or spells are epic magic or artifacts?

Nondetection would take care of this problem of course, but if an opponent is not using that spell (or has some other effect that maintains their concealment), then how can they avoid being found through detect magic?

 

[Cadfan]

By rules as written, yes, you could find all of these things. Remember that Detect Magic takes a few moments to work.

You detect magical auras. The amount of information revealed depends on how long you study a particular area or subject.
1st Round

Presence or absence of magical auras.
2nd Round

Number of different magical auras and the power of the most potent aura.
3rd Round

The strength and location of each aura. If the items or creatures bearing the auras are in line of sight, you can make Spellcraft skill checks to determine the school of magic involved in each. (Make one check per aura; DC 15 + spell level, or 15 + half caster level for a nonspell effect.)
Magical areas, multiple types of magic, or strong local magical emanations may distort or conceal weaker auras.

So you would need at least three rounds to actually detect the specific location of an enemy. Prior to that you'd only know his presence in a general sense.

There's also some language about lots of magical effects distoring or concealing smaller magical auras. There are no specific rules on how to apply this, but you're fine by the rules if you use your judgment.

There are also some cheap spells that conceal magic auras. Magic Aura :: d20srd.org

Personally this is why I didn't use low level detection spells in 3e, but if you're going to, these are the things to look for to ways to avoid letting the spell run amuck.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Yeah, detect magic is a great poor man's see invisibility. It won't even let you see in the end, just pinpoint the square the enemy's in as long as you keep concentrating (if it's improved invisibility, the enemy can just shoot up the detector each round to try and make him lose concentration). That tactic's saved my party's asses a few times over the years. A lot of times, the enemy will spellcraft and see what we're doing, and start buffing up or summoning minions, only to attack the detector before round 3 comes up (since the invisibility won't be as useful after that anyway, and out of spite). If we're worried about getting hurt and losing concentration, all the casters in the party might even spread out and start casting Detect Magic, just for the protection of redundancy. I probably made it sound boring, but those were seriously fun times, and man are those 3 rounds always tense!