detect magic vs magic traps

[Sir Draconion]

last night during my game, a player was trying to argue that a detect magic spell can find magic traps.
i ruled that it can not be used that way, due to the basic nature of magic traps, the aura is hidden and can only be found by a rogue.
im pretty sure im right since it is my game.
so, i was wondering if the books stated this any where?
and what is your idea on the subject?

 

[The_lone_gunman]

In my game magic traps detect as magic but you dont know if they are necesarily traps...could be some other dwelmer. I have found that it really doesnt make much of a difference whether the player knows it is magically trapped or not, they still try to get the rogue to disable it because they know that if it is worth magically sealing it is worth opening.

I know of no "official" rule that makes traps invisible to detect magic. Of course, any mage worth his salt would always cast nystals undetectable aura after trapping something........that would be the easiest way around it.


TLG

 

[Janos Antero]

Well, there is another 2nd level spell specifically meant for detecting traps (Find Traps, PHB, lets you search as a rogue does), so I probably would have handled it on the spot just as you did.

Now that said, if you wanted to give a bit more leeway/common sense approach but not make it silly I'd let detect magic find an aura on the item/door/etc, and let them figure out school and strength, but the mechanism isn't pinpointed enough to tell a trap from a spell on the door, to an enchantment on the door etc.

So they could reasonably suspect the door is trapped, know it has a magical effect on it, and be a bit more careful, while still needing a rogue to first find the trap with a search check, then disable it.

 

[Spatula]

I know of no "official" rule that makes traps invisible to detect magic. Of course, any mage worth his salt would always cast nystals undetectable aura after trapping something........that would be the easiest way around it.

For a day a level, at least. And Nystal's would simply replace the magical trap's aura with a 2nd-level illusion aura, by my reading of the spell.

Originally posted by Sir Draconion
so, i was wondering if the books stated this any where?

A magic aura is a magic aura, and detectable. The caster won't know anything more than the location, strength, and school of the aura, of course. Could be a trap, could be something else.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

In every game I've ever played or judged, magical traps will radiate magic unless they're hidden by an undetectable aura spell. And in that case the caster gets a caster level check to see if he discerns the hidden aura.

However, that's not the same as "finding a trap"--that requires the search skill.

If a PC detects magic on a door using detect magic, they'll find out that there are two auras on the door: both of which are weak abjuration magic. That could be lots of things--two Arcane lock spells, an Arcane Lock spell and an Alarm spell, or some kind of glyph. The PC could try to dispel the magic. If they think it's a trap, they could try to guess what it was and take precautions (Spell Resistance, Protection From Elements, etc). However, the PCs don't know for sure that either of them are traps. And they haven't "found" the traps so, even if they have ranks in disable device (which is quite possible for a wizard) and would be able to help disable the trap if someone figured out where it was.

On the other hand, a rogue could search the door and find out whether or not there is a trap. If the rogue finds the trap, he'll know more or less what it is, what triggers it, and what it does. (Not so for the detect magic user. If an embedded fireball spell on the door is triggered to go off when the door opened inward instead of outward, he won't know--the rogue will). Note that the rogue can do this without using a spell and that the search check takes the rogue 1 round instead of three rounds of concentration for the wizard to get useful information. The rogue also will be able to attempt to disable the trap--magical or otherwise.

 

[Hypersmurf]

And Nystal's would simply replace the magical trap's aura with a 2nd-level illusion aura, by my reading of the spell.

No - the 1st level illusion (NUA is L1) beomes part of the magic item's aura, and is therefore masked by the spell along with every other spell or property of the object.

If someone makes their save, they detect the Fire Trap (for example) spell and the NUA spell. If they fail, they detect no magic.

-Hyp.