Nystal's Undetectable Aura vs. Detect Magic

[strongbow]

(At the bottom of this post is the description of Nystal's Undetectable Aura from the SRD)

Here's the situation question. The wizard is my group has figured out some way to have none of his possessions detect magic while he is wearing/using/carrying them. I am trying to figure out how. I don't think that he is using a spell everyday on himself but I am not sure. So I have a three questions:

1) Is there a magic item that prevents Detect Magic from revealing that you have magical equipment, especially one that costs 10,000 GP or less? All suggestions welcome here.

2) Does Nystal's Undetectable Aura only work on the spell Identify and Analyze Dweomer? I thought I read this someplace and it is driving me crazy.

3) If Nystul's Undetectable Aura would affect the items in question, would someone who casts Detect Magic get a Will Save to recognize items as magical? The text says that someone who casts Identify on a warded item gets a Will Save. Why would someone casting Detect Magic not get a Will Save? Either NUA lets you have a Will Save and works or it does not work vs. Detect Magic. It can't be both ways.

Edited to include right spell and for spelling.

Nystul’s Undetectable Aura

This spell allows the character to mask a magic item’s aura from detection. If the object bearing Nystul’s undetectable aura has identify cast on it or is similarly examined, the examiner recognizes that the aura is false and detects the object’s actual qualities if he succeeds at a Will save.

 

[Magus_Jerel]

Nystul's undetectable aura - cast on the Items in question would do the trick.

 

[Voadam]

Here is another spell that prevents detect magic

Nondetection

Abjuration
Level: Rgr 4, Sor/Wiz 3, Trickery 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature or object touched
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless, object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless, object)

The warded creature or object becomes difficult to detect by divination spells such as clairaudience/clairvoyance, locate object, and detection spells. Nondetection also prevents location by such magic items as crystal balls. If a divination is attempted against the warded creature or item, the caster of the divination must succeed at a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) against a DC of 11 + the caster level of the spellcaster who cast nondetection. If the character cast nondetection on the character's self or on an item currently in the character's possession, the DC is 15 + the character's caster level.

If cast on a creature, nondetection wards the creature’s gear as well as the creature itself.


Also Mind blank says it protects against all information gathering by divination spells but that sounds more high powered than you are talking about.

For NUA it would be an interpretation of whether detect magic is similar to identify. Since it does not reveal item qualities as identify your DM might rule that it does not. Analyze dweomer would then be considered a similar effect, I would think. Detect magic does not target an item but scans an area, is a lower level spell, and the general rule is defense trumps offense.

 

[strongbow]

Voadam, although you are right that the inability to detect magic could be caused by Nondetection, I know that it can't be. The wizard and I have been virtually the same level the entire campaign, and I am now a 10th level caster. So even if he obtained an item that somehow duplicates Nondetection, unless it was by a 20th level caster I would have had a chance by now.

DC= 11 + Caster Level 20th level caster=DC 31.

My caster level check=1d20 +10= Max 30.

I have not even gotten the chance to roll a caster level check, so he is not casting Nondetection on himself. Good thought though...

The Ring of Mind Shielding from the DMG does not include Nondetection as one of its properties, in case any of you viewers may be thinking that in the back of your mind.

My 3rd question in the original post remains unanswered, if anyone wants to take a stab at it.

 

[Voadam]

My last paragraph in the post above was to respond to #3.

NUA masks the aura, that is what it does. Identify and similar spells get a will save to reveal an items properties. Whether detect magic is similar is a DM call.

Reasons a DM might not allow a save:

DM only reveals the location of a magical aura and maybe a magical school of an aura.

DM does not target a single item but an area.

DM is a lower level spell.

It seems that DM is specifically what NUA is designed to stop.

Ask your DM if you can make a spellcraft or knowledge arcana roll to know the interaction of the two common spells in his game world.

 

[Mahali]

The Will save is for the target of the spell. Someone trying to detect the item/creature would make a caster check not a Will save.

Edit: That was for Nondectection, Nystul's Undectecable Aura gets a Will save. I'd say the Will save applies to Identify and Analyze Dweamor, not to Detect Magic. Or if you want to allow it for Detect Magic make it the 3rd round of concentration to allow the Will save and see it as magical. Then allow 4th round as Number of different auras and strength ect.. as per Detect Magic.

 

[strongbow]

After browsing the D&D FAQ, I found what I was looking for. Here is the link:

The FAQ clarifies that NUA blocks Detect Magic without question. It blocks Identify if the caster of Identify fails his/her will save. It does not block any other Divination type spell besides Identify. When I read this some months ago, I remembered the NUA clarification incorrectly, and thought that NUA only worked against Identify.

Well, that mystery is solved. On to the next one...

 

[Voadam]

Isn't analyze dweomer a similar examination to identify? I guess you could rule that since it is five levels higher it is dissimilar, but that seems an unnatural reading of similarity.

Even if it is dissimilar the NUA spell does not indicate that dissimilar higher level divinations can pierce its mask.

Odd ruling, it sounds more like errata if they allow Analyze dweomer to automatically pierce NUA.