D&D 5E (2014) How to deal with a Warlock gaining Detect Magic as a cantrip

[Tainted Powers]

Invocation makes it at-will; functionally a cantrip.


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So very true

 

[Obeliske]

I have and will continue to push logic in my games, I've had players who say they will be recasting such and such spell every ten minutes. To which I respond that they are now tracking all time during the game then as it shouldn't be my job to track minutia like that when most of the game is abstract and one player wants to gain an advantage and game the system that's a problem. I've also just told them out and out "No, that's not logical that your character is going to slow the entire party down and do that over and over ad-infinitum". I've also removed problem players like that from my games and stopped playing games where that behavior is encouraged.

I've been playing and DMing DND style games for almost a decade now and I've had no shortage of players nor of games to play. Some people may not like the limits I impose but they are there to ensure a streamlined game and to ensure everybody gets to have fun, some of which (and some would argue most of which) happens when hits the fan. As DM it's your job to ensure your players are having fun and actually playing the game.

 

[guachi]

A player may get frustrated if you enforce the rules of detect magic. However, a clever player will be able to gather much information by what you omit.

This would be no different than if you said you could hear something but couldn't see it.

I have a player in my current campaign who, playing a ttrpg for the first time after playing many crpgs, choose ranger and oozes as her favored enemy. Oozes are just such a strange choice and there are so few of them. But, as it turned out, many older modules (which we were running) have oozes, slimes, and jellies galore. So I played to her choice (and it's easier as oozes are basically never anything other then a distraction in a dungeon) and let her auto detect them. All the other players remember and appreciate every time she detected an ooze.

In other words, if circumstances warrant, allowing the PC to easily detect the magic thing will really make the PC feel useful and all the players will remember it. If only because it meant not waiting ten minutes for the wizard to cat a ritual.

In general, I don't like when magic trivializes certain encounters (especially exploration and social) but as long as only a few get trivialized I don't mind.

 

[Eltab]

A recurring villain, who gets to know the heroes before setting up the Climactic Confrontation, will know the Warlock has "magic item radar". This can be used two ways.
- hide his own magic. This has been discussed upthread.
- set some 'false positives'.
1. The lantern is magic; it has Perpetual Light cast on the wick, so it never needs oil.
2. The sword is magic ... and cursed! Blade of Wet Noodles: must be anointed with chicken noodle soup broth (or some other comfort food) daily, or it will just go limp when you draw it. Its damage while in this condition is calculated using 1 HP instead of the weapon die.
3. The pillar is magic. It doesn't do anything at all except to draw everybody around to investigate it - oh and they probably step on the pressure plate that fires a crossbow into the group.
4. The pillar is magic Mk 2. It is also carved like an unfinished statue. When somebody steps up to investigate, it turns out to be a golem (or some other magical construct) and animates
5. Some item (a spoon?) is magic. Maybe the group thinks it's a Murlynd's Spoon but it really has the version of Prestidigitation that makes bland food taste better.
6. Some common adventuring gear has a magic aura attached. BBEG knows the group will pick it up. So now his magic-detecting patrol will know that THESE guys are the ones who The Boss wants dead.

 

[transtemporal]

Note that detect magic doesn't tell him how many auras he detects or how far away those magic auras are, just whether there is magic within 30ft (and what type it is if it's in plain sight).

That means if any of his companions have magic items or have magic spells cast, the answer is always "Yes, you sense the presence of magic" - it won't tell him there are 2 hasted assassins hiding around the corner.

 

[Sloblock]

thanks again for everyone's help on this

some great ideas being posted

 

[posineg]

Second, since it's a concentration spell, fee free to add rules when he tries concentrating for long periods of time (over say, an hour).

Why punish a character that relies on concentration?

Also, most warlocks use Hex so if they want to cast detect magic, their Hex will fall and they will lose that spell slot recasting Hex.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Finally, and use this sparingly because if you overuse it the player won't be happy (IMO justifiably), but Nystul's Magic Aura can conceal the presence of magic from Detect Magic. It normally lasts 24 hours, but cast it enough times on something and it becomes permanent.

How about an NPC Warlock with a new Invocation that makes Nystul's Magic Aura castable at-will....?

 

[dco]

I don't see the problem, he has detect magic and he should detect magic.
Most things should be non magical and finding magical traps is not the same as knowing what the trap does, what is written in the runes, how to disable it, etc.

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

I really like the image of a warlock seeing things that the "normals" don't see. The warlock's world is strange and mystical, filled with colours that don't actually exist. It fits the theme of someone who has made a pact with an otherworldly entity.

As the posters above have said, detect magic is not overpowered.

It is not "detect invisible". If someone magically invisible comes within range, all the warlock knows is, "you sense magic." If someone is wearing a magic ring under a glove, all the warlock knows is "you sense magic."

If the warlock can't see the item or person then they see no aura and cannot determine the college. If they see no aura then they don't even know where the person or item is.

A GM might give the player some information over and above what the spell provides (like the direction or intensity of the magic) but RAW all the spell actually tells the caster is "there is 1 or more magics in range."

Finally, and this needs to be stressed, detect magic requires concentration. This is a precious game mechanic which all the really useful effects use. If the warlock's player chooses to spend their concentration slot of detect magic instead of hex, reward them for it.