Magical Sensor of Scrying spell

[Shin Okada]

From SRD,

Scrying: A scrying spell creates an invisible magical sensor that sends you information. Unless noted otherwise, the sensor has the same powers of sensory acuity that you possess. This level of acuity includes any spells or effects that target you, but not spells or effects that emanate from you. However, the sensor is treated as a separate, independent sensory organ of yours, and thus it functions normally even if you have been blinded, deafened, or otherwise suffered sensory impairment.
Any creature with an Intelligence score of 12 or higher can notice the sensor by making a DC 20 Intelligence check. The sensor can be dispelled as if it were an active spell.
Lead sheeting or magical protection blocks a scrying spell, and you sense that the spell is so blocked.

Now. I have 2 issues to clarify. I guess those issues are unclear in official rules and thus I want opinions from fellow DMs.

1) When casting Scrying or Greater Scrying spell, who can have a chance to notice the magical sensor?

Only the target of the spell? Or will the fellow members can have a chance to notice?

2) How often shall the Intelligence check should be made?

Only once? Or maybe once/round?


And, are there any way to make a magical sensor difficult to be noticed? Say, giving penalty to the Intelligence checks?

 

[green slime]

From SRD,



Now. I have 2 issues to clarify. I guess those issues are unclear in official rules and thus I want opinions from fellow DMs.

1) When casting Scrying or Greater Scrying spell, who can have a chance to notice the magical sensor?

Only the target of the spell? Or will the fellow members can have a chance to notice?

2) How often shall the Intelligence check should be made?

Only once? Or maybe once/round?


And, are there any way to make a magical sensor difficult to be noticed? Say, giving penalty to the Intelligence checks?

1) Anyone with an Intelligence above 12.

2) Once only.

During 3.0, which had the "scry" skill, it was hazardous to scry any medium-level wizard: they almost automatically made their scry check to detect the sensor.

 

[Thanee]

1) When casting Scrying or Greater Scrying spell, who can have a chance to notice the magical sensor?

Anyone in the vincinity (with Int 12+).

2) How often shall the Intelligence check should be made?

Once.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Physiker]

What is when the victim has see invisible activ ?
Does he need to make the intelligence check then ? Or a simple Spot check ?

 

[Shin Okada]

What is when the victim has see invisible activ ?
Does he need to make the intelligence check then ? Or a simple Spot check ?

Hmm, descriptive texts of See Invisibility spell is a little bit vague.

See Invisibility
Divination
Level: Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 min./level (D)
You can see any objects or beings that are invisible within your range of vision, as well as any that are ethereal, as if they were normally visible. Such creatures are visible to you as translucent shapes, allowing you easily to discern the difference between visible, invisible, and ethereal creatures.
The spell does not reveal the method used to obtain invisibility. It does not reveal illusions or enable you to see through opaque objects. It does not reveal creatures who are simply hiding, concealed, or otherwise hard to see.
See invisibility can be made permanent with a permanency spell.
Material Component: A pinch of talc and a small sprinkling of powdered silver.

Objects are objects. But what does "beings" exactly mean in this case? Are invisible spell effects included?

 

[Vegepygmy]

What is when the victim has see invisible activ ?
Does he need to make the intelligence check then ? Or a simple Spot check ?

I would say neither is required. Someone who is able to see invisible things sees the sensor automatically (unless it is concealed by some other effect, like darkness).

 

[udalrich]

I don't see where it says that the sensor is invisible, so it seems that See Invisibility wouldn't help.

 

[cheshire_grin]

I don't see where it says that the sensor is invisible, so it seems that See Invisibility wouldn't help.

The first sentence of the spell description?

Scrying: A scrying spell creates an invisible magical sensor that sends you information.

 

[Jack Simth]

And, are there any way to make a magical sensor difficult to be noticed? Say, giving penalty to the Intelligence checks?

Well, if you're using Arcane Eye, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Clairvoyant Sense, or similar non-target scrying effects, and you're looking for things on the material plane, then if you hop on over to The Ethereal Plane and use your scrying sensor from that plane, you can see the material plane, but for those on the material plane, the scrying sensor isn't nearby, and the intelligence check does not apply (although See Invisibility and True Seeing will still find it, as they can see to the Ethereal). As a happy bonus, this method also bypasses Detect Scrying and similar, as the detection effect tends not to cross planar lines.

 

[carborundum]

Well, if you're using Arcane Eye, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Clairvoyant Sense, or similar non-target scrying effects, and you're looking for things on the material plane, then if you hop on over to The Ethereal Plane and use your scrying sensor from that plane, you can see the material plane, but for those on the material plane, the scrying sensor isn't nearby, and the intelligence check does not apply (although See Invisibility and True Seeing will still find it, as they can see to the Ethereal). As a happy bonus, this method also bypasses Detect Scrying and similar, as the detection effect tends not to cross planar lines.

That's brilliant