Detect spells and lingering auras

[daemonslye]

{another that is probably an oldie... Sorry}

"Length Aura Lingers"

What the heck does this actually mean?

1. The length of time - after you have cast the detect -
that the aura will remain visible to you.

2. The length of time an aura will be visible after a
creature or object was in the area (for example, the
staff of the magi was in the chest 2 days ago and I
still detect a "lingering aura").

If #1, will the aura move (if a creature or object held
by a creature) with the subject of the spell (the detected
aura in this case).

Will the lingering aura be visible outside of the area
of the spell (60' quarter circle).

Will the lingering aura remain visible to you after your
detect spell has ended?

If #2 how do paladins keep from getting migraines?

(See Detect Evil PHB192 or Detect Magic PHB193 for
reference)

I am fairly clear that the auras are only visible by the
caster.

Thanks in advance for your input.

~D

 

[hong]

#2.

Paladins don't get migraines because 1) the overwhelming majority of people they meet will have no evil aura, or only a faint one; and 2) their detect evil ability requires a standard action to activate, just like any other spell-like activity.

 

[daemonslye]

Thanks hong.

Wow. So when a paladin goes into the Tavern,
and uses a detect evil (depending on the area of
town) he will be faced with a melange of various
auras.

1. Can he pick out the ones that are current?
(ie evil that is actually there (Present) rather
than lingering)

2. Do lingering "overwhelming" auras continue
to have the ability to stun him?

3. Do lingering auras count as a "prescence of
evil" in context of the first round of detecting?

4. Do you pinpoint the location of a lingering
aura (a-ha! The floorboard over here was where
the mace was kept!)

5. Can lingering auras be detected through barriers
as well as "present auras"?

6. For detect magic, can you spellcraft a lingering
aura to detect more information?

Still trying to get my head around the implications.
An evil sanctuary is a virtual christmas tree to your
average paladin...

Thanks again,

~D

 

[daemonslye]

Just, further wondering - Is this in a FAQ or
Errata somewhere? Seems like this would have
more documentation around it.

Thanks

~D

 

[Mr Fidgit]

the errata doesn't mention this, and the FAQ's example is detect magic (the aura left by a fireball)

 

[daemonslye]

From the latest DnDFAQv09062002

Can anyone see the auras revealed by a detection spell? Or
does only the spellcaster see the aura? Also, how do I use
the information about the length of an aura, which is given
in units of time depending on the strength? If the spell has a
duration, how do these time periods, which are mostly
longer than the duration, fit in?

Only the caster of a detection spell sees the auras the spell
reveals. The second half of your question seems to be about the
length of time an aura lingers. This refers to magical effects
whose durations have run out. Once an effects duration ends, it leaves a lingering aura behind. The length of time an aura lingers depends on the original effects strength, as shown in the description for whatever detection spell youre using. For example, a fireball is a 3rd-level spell with an instantaneous duration. A fireball spell has a faint magical aura that lasts for an instant; thereafter, the aura lingers of 1d6 minutes, leaving a dim aura magical throughout the area the fireball spell affected. Note that all lingering auras have dim strength.

OK - A little more light...

"Note that all lingering auras have dim strength."

Interesting - So that answers #2 above.

Also, for any aura that is NOT dim, you can be assured
that it is "current". Answer to #1 I suppose?

#3 seems to be still open, but I would guess that
lingering auras are not detected round 1.

#4, #5, and #6 don't seem to have any direction
from the rules at this point. I really hope this is not
the first time this was brought up (given the popularity
of use, I cannot bring myself to believe so).

How are others ruling this out there?

Thanks for your input!

~D

 

[the Jester]

Thanks hong.

Wow. So when a paladin goes into the Tavern,
and uses a detect evil (depending on the area of
town) he will be faced with a melange of various
auras.

1. Can he pick out the ones that are current?
(ie evil that is actually there (Present) rather
than lingering)

2. Do lingering "overwhelming" auras continue
to have the ability to stun him?

3. Do lingering auras count as a "prescence of
evil" in context of the first round of detecting?

4. Do you pinpoint the location of a lingering
aura (a-ha! The floorboard over here was where
the mace was kept!)

5. Can lingering auras be detected through barriers
as well as "present auras"?

6. For detect magic, can you spellcraft a lingering
aura to detect more information?

Still trying to get my head around the implications.
An evil sanctuary is a virtual christmas tree to your
average paladin...

Thanks again,

~D

I've always ruled that a lingering aura is just like any other dim aura. So, the answers to pretty much all your questions are yes.

But I don't recall seeing this topic discussed before, so others may have ruled differently on it.

EDIT: Oops!

You won't be stunned by a lingering "overwhelming" aura, cause lingering auras are dim.

 

[jgbrowning]

hehe

I've always found the detect spells to be one big annoyance. detect magic tells you what school of magic? how the heck am i, a DM, suppossed to know without completely destroying the flow of the game to look up what spell is needed for an item and then what school the spell is from.. and yadda yadda yadda.

also detect spells ruin any attempt at uncertainty in a world. really.. why would any good rulers ever allow evil people in their cities.. post guards at the door with permo detect evil spells.. yadda yaddd yadda.. you get the point.

i mean really, come on.....


well... rant mode off.

joe b.

 

[shilsen]

I've always found the detect spells to be one big annoyance. detect magic tells you what school of magic? how the heck am i, a DM, suppossed to know without completely destroying the flow of the game to look up what spell is needed for an item and then what school the spell is from.. and yadda yadda yadda.

also detect spells ruin any attempt at uncertainty in a world. really.. why would any good rulers ever allow evil people in their cities.. post guards at the door with permo detect evil spells.. yadda yaddd yadda.. you get the point.

i mean really, come on.....


well... rant mode off.

joe b.

Really? It's not that big a deal, IMO. Where it's a question of schools of magic with detect magic, I can eyeball it pretty easily. Magic items that protect you - abjuration, items that change you in some way - transmutation, etc. No biggie. And as for alignment, almost any sentient society IMC contains people of all alignments (especially true of humans, hence their neutral description in the PHB). Walk into a tavern or the marketplace and detect evil (or good, law, chaos) and every second or third person will have a faint aura. Being evil is not against the law. Having made this clear to the players, I don't ever run into the problem of the paladin running around detecting evil and hacking people. No problem at all.