What can you really identify with Spellcraft

Li Shenron

Legend
I am referring to the following uses of Spellcraft:

When casting detect magic, determine the school of magic involved in the aura of a single item or creature you can see. (If the aura is not a spell effect, the DC is 15 + one-half caster level.) No action required.

Identify a spell that’s already in place and in effect. You must be able to see or detect the effects of the spell. No action required. No retry.

Identify materials created or shaped by magic, such as noting that an iron wall is the result of a wall of iron spell. No action required. No retry.

These are not the use when you see a spellcaster casting and you identify the spell, but always AFTER the spell has been cast, and in fact they have higher DCs.

Do you think you can actually identify which are the active buff spells on the opponents, eventually cast before the encounter started?

Do you think those uses give you a second chance to understand a spell if you failed the first Spellcraft check when it was cast?

I suppose that at least the 2nd and 3rd abouve should not be used both with the same spell...
 

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Well, detecting a buff spells needs a way to see or detect the effect. So something like Bull's strength you wouldn't be able to see.

But as soon as someone hits a character, you could spellcraft for anything adding a deflection bonus, or something like stoneskin. As you'll be able to see what effect hitting ther person has.
 
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Also notice that those checks require "No action". This mean basically that you don't need to spend time - in terms of a specific SA, MEA or whatever - to do them. This doesn't necessarily mean they are merely reactive, but...

It could be very spell-dependent, but some guidelines would have been nice. If Stoneskin changes also the appearance of the subject's skin into stone-like, then someone with ranks in Spellcraft should be entitled a check to realize the spell has been cast on the subject. But what about Bull's Strength? What if it's cast on a subject with Str 10, which raises to 14 and it's still very humanlike...
 

You wouldn't see a bull stregth, so wouldn't get to check.

With stoneskin, if you know the race of the target you're attacking, I'd allow a spellcraft check upon a successful hit, as you'd see the effects the weapon had - reduced damage or none at all.
 

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