Hallow + Detect Magic

[Lord Pendragon]

A cleric casts Hallow and attaches Detect Magic to it, choosing to have the spell effect everyone in the area.

How exactly would this play out? Say five guys walk into the area. Do any magical auras they have simply begin to glow for all to see? Or are each individually affected as if having had Detect Magic cast on them, requiring them to concentrate, etc., to see the auras and their strengths? Also, would the Hallow spell's Detect Magic effect itself create a magical aura on each of them?

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

I would have the magical auras glow according to their strength but any additional info would require concentration. This isn't a RAW based answer but it's how I'd interpret it and would make a cooler effect, IMO.

 

[MarkB]

A cleric casts Hallow and attaches Detect Magic to it, choosing to have the spell effect everyone in the area.

How exactly would this play out? Say five guys walk into the area. Do any magical auras they have simply begin to glow for all to see? Or are each individually affected as if having had Detect Magic cast on them, requiring them to concentrate, etc., to see the auras and their strengths?

By RAW, the latter would seem to be the correct interpretation.

Also, would the Hallow spell's Detect Magic effect itself create a magical aura on each of them?

I'd say yes.

 

[Infiniti2000]

How exactly would this play out? Say five guys walk into the area. Do any magical auras they have simply begin to glow for all to see?

No.

Or are each individually affected as if having had Detect Magic cast on them, requiring them to concentrate, etc., to see the auras and their strengths?

Yes. The effect applies to each of them. The only alternative to this would be that the hallow spell itself can discern magical auras, but that's ridiculous.

Also, would the Hallow spell's Detect Magic effect itself create a magical aura on each of them?

Yes, but only while they stayed within the area.

 

[shilsen]

I see it the same way as the Evil Hatrack.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I see it the same way as the Evil Hatrack.

Interesting. I'll have to see what my DM says. I'm hoping for Ogrork's interpretation, but we shall see.

Personally, I can see the logic in requiring concentration, but having the Hallow effect itself instill a magical aura seems to make the entire exercise patently pointless.

 

[Infiniti2000]

You should also find out how your DM rules the other effects, specifically how often they renew (if at all). For instance, is dispel magic a targeted dispel magic on each creature (as designated), once per round? Once per entry? Area dispel? Do you get protection from energy only while in the area? What happens when the total amount of protection runs out? Can you exit the area and return to 'renew' the level?

There are lots of these issues and some choices will be incredibly powerful.

Note that having the items glow for everyone to see pretty much makes the area function like a faith/alignment detector.

Hallow Caster: "Do you follow the teachings of Heironeous?"

NPC: "Uh, er, of course!"

HC: *hands over minor magical token* "Hold this and walk over there and we'll see."

 

[Lord Pendragon]

You should also find out how your DM rules the other effects, specifically how often they renew (if at all). For instance, is dispel magic a targeted dispel magic on each creature (as designated), once per round? Once per entry? Area dispel? Do you get protection from energy only while in the area? What happens when the total amount of protection runs out? Can you exit the area and return to 'renew' the level?

These are all good questions, though the necessity will depend on how he rules regarding Detect Magic. I'm looking to use Hallow for semi-RP purposes, so if Detect Magic doesn't fall the way I'd like it to, many of these questions will still be irrelevent, since they wouldn't fulfill the same RP function.

Note that having the items glow for everyone to see pretty much makes the area function like a faith/alignment detector.

I'm not sure how this would be any different from attaching Silence to it, only affecting non-faithfuls. "If ye be one of the chosen, enter the circle and speak thy name under God."

Actually, I wouldn't mind if only those affected by the Detect Magic can see the auras. What I'm hoping is that the Detect Magic itself doesn't create it's own aura. I want a group of people to be able to enter the area, and see for themselves that none of them is being affected by magic. If being in the Hallowed area automatically results in a magical aura, then everyone will always have an aura, which makes detecting auras meaningless.

 

[Infiniti2000]

I want a group of people to be able to enter the area, and see for themselves that none of them is being affected by magic. If being in the Hallowed area automatically results in a magical aura, then everyone will always have an aura, which makes detecting auras meaningless.

Not meaningless at all. You can still count them. Any creature should have one and only one aura. Those with sufficient knowledge in Spellcraft may discern the school, but others will still be able to count them (and judge the strength).

Silence is probably the hardest to adjudicate. Would those subject to the effect not be able to speak, hear, or both?

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Not meaningless at all. You can still count them. Any creature should have one and only one aura. Those with sufficient knowledge in Spellcraft may discern the school, but others will still be able to count them (and judge the strength).

If this is the case, why not just have the Hallow effect be transparent? What is gained by having the Hallow itself create its own magical aura?

Silence is probably the hardest to adjudicate. Would those subject to the effect not be able to speak, hear, or both?

Both, I'd imagine. But the trick is that those not subject to the effect can do both normally. So the faithful can step into the circle and respond "By the Light of God, my name is Sir Theobald." While the unfaithful are stricken silent.