Permanent Arcane Sight... help with rulings plz...

[Hypersmurf]

b) The spell lets you see them, therefore all auras within 120 feet are within your sight, and you know location and power.

See Invisibility lets you see invisible creatures and objects.

But if there's an invisible object in a box, you can't see it... nto because you're incapable of seeing invisible objects, but because it's in a box.

Arcane Sight lets you see magical auras. But you still can't see things in a box. The aura is something-you-are-capable-of-seeing, because of the spell... but the box gets in the way. The spell allows you to see magical auras within 120 feet, but that doesn't change the fact that sometimes, objects are opaque...

-Hyp.

 

[green slime]

Yet, by reading the detect magic spell, we see that the aura is not contained within the box, that it "leaks" so to speak.

It would be peculiar (but not impossible) if the "leaking" aura were visible to detect magic and not arcane sight. Is the aura visible outside the box or not? AN argument could be made either way. I prefer handling them in the same fashion. Therefore, IMC, the aura of the object contained within the box, leaks out, and is visible, to the humanoid with arcane sight running. If not, you better explain this difference to the player before they spend XP on getting it made permanent.

[EDIT] Actually, the spell reads: "The spell can penetrate barriers...", so it isn't leaking auras at all... Still, that is how we do it. Makes more sense to me that way, with detecting the presence of objects/magic that have been moved/removed.[/EDIT]

 

[Hypersmurf]

Yet, by reading the detect magic spell, we see that the aura is not contained within the box, that it "leaks" so to speak.

With Arcane Sight, you see auras. With Detect Magic, you know the location of auras.

If someone casts Blindness on you, Arcane Sight won't be of much use to you, since you can't see the auras, but you'll still know the location of auras via Detect Magic.

-Hyp.

 

[green slime]

With Arcane Sight, you see auras. With Detect Magic, you know the location of auras.

If someone casts Blindness on you, Arcane Sight won't be of much use to you, since you can't see the auras, but you'll still know the location of auras via Detect Magic.

-Hyp.

Ok, so with detect magic and blindness, you sense the aura, but cannot define which school it is of, as you no longer have line of sight?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Ok, so with detect magic and blindness, you sense the aura, but cannot define which school it is of, as you no longer have line of sight?

Right. Just like you can't determine the school on the ring inside the box, but you know there's an aura in there.

-Hyp.

 

[Dark Dragon]

From the SRD about Detect Magic:

Magical areas, multiple types of magic, or strong local magical emanations may distort or conceal weaker auras.

As AS is linked to DM, AS can be foiled in the same way as DM can. The enemy is within a Forbiddance, an unhallowed area or a Dimensional Lock and he is invisible? Rule that AS may detect the stronger auras but the weaker (like Invisibility in this case) are concealed.

The enemy has buffed himself to the maximum and has Greater Invisibilty online? Rule that so many different spells along with greater invis distort the AS-based senses of your wizard that he can't pinpoint the enemy with AS. He may know that there is something weird (strong) magic somewhere within his sight...not more.

This is perfectly within the rules, IMO (see quote). AS is a strong spell when made permanent, since it detects illusions (like illusionary wall, screen, disguise self, invisibility), a wall of force and magical traps.

 

[green slime]

No, it detects the presence of magic. You may ascertain the school with a Spellcraft check. It does not inform you that you see an illusory wall

 

[Thanee]

Well, but if you see a magical aura on a wall, and you know it is an illusion, that kinda takes the point of placing the illusion there away.

And Detect Magic is a 0th level spell.

I prefer my house rule, that when you detect an illusion aura, you get a Will save against the illusion (secret, of course) for interacting with it, and if you fail, you get a false reading of another school, which is set at the time the illusion is cast, i.e. abjuration or transmutation often work well.

Bye
Thanee

 

[green slime]

Well, but if you see a magical aura on a wall, and you know it is an illusion, that kinda takes the point of placing the illusion there away.

And Detect Magic is a 0th level spell.

I prefer my house rule, that when you detect an illusion aura, you get a Will save against the illusion (secret, of course) for interacting with it, and if you fail, you get a false reading of another school, which is set at the time the illusion is cast, i.e. abjuration or transmutation often work well.

Bye
Thanee

Except I could see players wasting hours trying to come to grips with an illusory wall cast over an ordinary wall. Can you imagine the hours spent trying to Search for hidden doors, traps, or the like?

 

[Thanee]

Sure, but that's not really a common situation, or not?

Bye
Thanee