Detecting Magical Auras?

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Do you think that detect magic only detects the strongest aura on a magical item due to an intent to simplify/minimize the game, or do you think the intent is truly to mask weaker auras?

I ask b/c sometimes I think it would be much neater for a magic item to have multiple auras of varying intensity rather than a single one (imagine the spell caster seeing a rainbow of colours interfusing with each other). Of course, that would increase the work - especially for items with many different spells cast into it.

Another thing is that you can easily shield a magic item's true purpose simply by putting a single higher level spell into it, which makes it kinda weird when a Rod of Illusions (e.g.) detects as conjuration just b/c of one higher level spell. And even if it isn't done intentionally, sometimes the auras for items don't really jive with what the item is known for.

Thoughts?

 

[adwyn]

For a while I allowed Detect Magic to reveal multiple schools, but multiple items sharing the same school stacked. Likewise wands and similar items with several charges sometimes showed up more powerful than they actual spells contained therein.

All of that proved too much work and I've fallen back towards the RAW.