Does Detect Evil detect evil?

[GwydapLlew]

Nothing in the spell indicates it acts based on alignment. It merely states 'evil'.

Correct. And nothing in the spell indicates it acts based on descriptor. So rather than read too much in the rules, why not make the (rather valid) leap of logic into 'evil' being whatever is 'evil.'

Y'know, like undead (spelled out in detect evil) and [evil] subtypes and creatures of evil alignments and items that state they radiate evil. It's an inclusive statement, not an exclusive one. All of these things are listed as, well, 'evil.'

You are overthinking it. Your OP indicates that the spell infers that it acts upon descriptors, but I don't see that reading anywhere in the text.

 

[GwydapLlew]

Wait! Where on the table is 'a slight taint, possibly indicating selfishness?'

(Just teasing!)

Heh. On the Eberron Expansion tables. ;P

 

[gavagai]

Correct. And nothing in the spell indicates it acts based on descriptor. So rather than read too much in the rules, why not make the (rather valid) leap of logic into 'evil' being whatever is 'evil.'

Y'know, like undead (spelled out in detect evil) and [evil] subtypes and creatures of evil alignments and items that state they radiate evil. It's an inclusive statement, not an exclusive one. All of these things are listed as, well, 'evil.'

You are overthinking it. Your OP indicates that the spell infers that it acts upon descriptors, but I don't see that reading anywhere in the text.

I kind of assume that an evil gnomish bard does not register as evil by detect evil. My reasoning is that paladins, clerics and blackguards specifically state that they register as evil in their description. Example from the SRD:

Aura (Ex): A cleric of a chaotic, evil, good, or lawful deity has a particularly powerful aura corresponding to the deity’s alignment (see the detect evil spell for details). Clerics who don’t worship a specific deity but choose the Chaotic, Evil, Good, or Lawful domain have a similarly powerful aura of the corresponding alignment.

No Aura (Ex) = no detect evil.

 

[shilsen]

I kind of assume that an evil gnomish bard does not register as evil by detect evil. My reasoning is that paladins, clerics and blackguards specifically state that they register as evil in their description.

No Aura (Ex) = no detect evil.

They are specifically called out because there is a separate category for them under Detect Evil, namely the "cleric of an evil deity" category.

 

[gavagai]

They are specifically called out because there is a separate category for them under Detect Evil, namely the "cleric of an evil deity" category.

Mhm. Good point. I guess I'm playing with a house rule then ...?

 

[0-hr]

Ok, I guess the spell is perfectly clear and there is absolutely no room for improvement or further clarification anywhere in the text. Woe unto he who questions the WotC!



question withdrawn (but I still hate paladins)

 

[Patlin]

question withdrawn (but I still hate paladins)

I like Paladins, but don't like Detect Evil at will... maybe there's room for an alternate class ability here. Anything to get away from "Hey, Smite! Is this guy evil?" or better yet "Has he turned evil in the ten minutes since we last detected evil?"

(And no, my Paladin's name isn't Smite. The other players insist on calling him that, though....)

 

[GwydapLlew]

I like Paladins, but don't like Detect Evil at will... maybe there's room for an alternate class ability here. Anything to get away from "Hey, Smite! Is this guy evil?" or better yet "Has he turned evil in the ten minutes since we last detected evil?"

(And no, my Paladin's name isn't Smite. The other players insist on calling him that, though....)

Yeah, I hate doing the paladin detect-o-meter as well. It's too bloody useful, though - but to be honest, unless the target is stupidly high level, an evil cleric, or an evil outsider or undead, almost everyone you encounter will register as 'faint evil' at the most. 'Faint evil' isn't something I consider enough evidence to play whack-a-mole, since it could be the residue from bumping into an evil creature.

I mean seriously, think about it: the bartender who steals from his customers radiates the same amount of evil as a CE Ftr 9 who slaughters villages for breakfast. It's not exactly an exact power.

 

[GwydapLlew]

Ok, I guess the spell is perfectly clear and there is absolutely no room for improvement or further clarification anywhere in the text. Woe unto he who questions the WotC!



question withdrawn (but I still hate paladins)

Ummm..that's not what I was saying, Ki Ryn. I just don't see the need to overanalyze a straightforward sentence. WotC makes plenty of ambiguous rules (re: Sunder), so you aren't going to find me dogpiling people who question the rules.

I won't touch that last statement....we have enough iconic ENW threads going right now as it is.

 

[mvincent]

From the 3.0 FAQ:
"The detect evil spell lets you detect the aura of evil
creatures but not characters. Are characters counted as
creatures with their level as their Hit Dice?
The terms “creature” and “character” are interchangeable.
Any subject with an evil alignment has an evil aura. If this
subject has a character class, you calculate the aura's strength
by dividing the subject's character level by five. If the subject is
the cleric of an evil deity, do not divide the subject's cleric
levels. For example, an 11th-level barbarian with an evil
alignment has an evil aura of moderate strength (11/5=2.2,
which indicates a moderate aura). If the character was an 11thlevel
cleric of an evil deity, the character would have an
overwhelming evil aura. If the character were a 5th-level
barbarian/6th-level cleric, the character would have only a
strong evil aura (5/5=1 + 6 = 7 for a strong aura)."