Warlock and Detect Magic

[saucercrab]

IIRC, most detection magic that is always on, is usually denoted as a (su) ability. If it's (sp), then it has it be activated. I think certain outsiders like balors & erinyes have the former type of ability(s).

 

[Saeviomagy]

I hate it when players do that. "I crawl along the floor on my hands and knees, searching every inch of the 100' corridor for traps." Great. 8 hours later...

Hmm, 100x10ft, 200 squares times 6 seconds...

20 minutes. 6 hours if they were taking 20...

Or you could, you know, stick to only putting items of interest in places that would make sense.

 

[Peter Gibbons]

I wasn't trying to be one of those "hated" players seeking to abuse a cool ability at the expense of game flow. Quite the opposite, in fact. I do however, want to use my ability to the upmost, and my perceptions as such were that my warlock had a "sixth sense" in relation to magic. It just seemed more in tune that the DM would just tell me when I seen magic, as per the description in Persistant Spell, rather then me asking "Do I detect magic?" as a response to every room, person and item description. That, to me, gets more tedious then the simple knowledge that something/one radiates magic, with concentration once discovered to determine strength and school.

If your DM is a reasonable type, you can simply tell him that your character has a habit of activating his ability to detect magic whenever he's not otherwise occupied. Then, whenever there's an aura to be detected and you're not in the middle of combat or something, he can casually announce: "Oh, and Kantharr the Warlock notices that there are three different auras of magic in this room."

DMs who insist that players specify each and every time they want to use their abilities suck, IMO.

 

[Scion]

A warlock uses her Detect Magic ability at will, as per the spell. How is that resolved in terms of activation?

First you have to make sure will is standing next to whatever it is you want to scan.

Then you tell him to make whatever face is appropriate for that school of magic.

Make sure you always have a spare will though, sometimes those things you are trying to get the magical feel for are dangerous.

I prefer a wand of 'summon will' personally, it just saves time, and you dont have to feed them! Good for trap removal as well.

 

[Crothian]

DMs who insist that players specify each and every time they want to use their abilities suck, IMO.

And players that assume they have abilities on all the time and never tell the DM about it likewise "suck"

But it makes sense for the player to tell the DM they are doing something instead of expecting the DM to use his ESP

 

[Coredump]

But why would the Persistant Spell waive the duration of said spell and the "at will" portion of the class feature not?

Because there is a difference from being able to do something at will, and always doing something. You can make a fist at will, doesn't mean you always walk around that way.

A persistant spell is more powerful than being able to cast it over and over, which is why it is a +4 level increase.

Theoretically, you could do it over and over, but practically no one can do something every couple of minutes all day.....every day....

Think of it like the Paladin Detect Evil, he can do it at will, doesn't mean he is doing it all the time.

DMs who insist that players specify each and every time they want to use their abilities suck, IMO.

So, do you also assume Paladins are constantly using Detect Evil?

 

[Peter Gibbons]

DMs who insist that players specify each and every time they want to use their abilities suck, IMO.

And players that assume they have abilities on all the time and never tell the DM about it likewise "suck"

No argument there. Assuming things is bad. Telling the DM what actions your character habitually performs is another thing entirely, though.

 

[Peter Gibbons]

So, do you also assume Paladins are constantly using Detect Evil?

No, I don't assume it. But if the paladin's player informs me that the paladin regularly Detects Evil upon meeting any new individual (unless circumstances prevent it, of course), I see no reason to withhold that information until he goes through the formal procedure of declaring: "I detect evil on so-and-so."

EDIT: Did I strike a nerve there or something?

 

[Ero Gaki]

My Incarnate character has been driving my DM up the walls with his Detect Evil; My DM requires an ability to be announced with no exceptions. So, without fail, he's constantly dealing with "Do I sense any evil? How about now? How about now?" Meh, it's his own fault.

 

[DreamChaser]

No, I don't assume it. But if the paladin's player informs me that the paladin regularly Detects Evil upon meeting any new individual (unless circumstances prevent it, of course), I see no reason to withhold that information until he goes through the formal procedure of declaring: "I detect evil on so-and-so."

EDIT: Did I strike a nerve there or something?

Right, of course since this is a SLA it is reasonable to assume that anyone he meets would know he is using an SLA on them and it won't take them long to figure out which one. If that isn't a circumstance penalty to diplomacy checks, I don't know what is.

And really, have you been in a conversation with someone and had them stop and stare at you for 6 seconds? It can seem like a lifetime.

DC