detect evil (2 questions)


Rules Questions


I had a specific question related to detect evil.
http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/spells/detectEvil.html

Question 1) Could someone use detect evil to sense an ambush? (provided he looked / put his cone in the right direction); This based on the text “Creatures with actively evil intents count as evil creatures for the purpose of this spell.”

Question 2) What classifies as an aligned magic item? Is there a formal definition somewhere? Examples would include a Sihedron medallion? (also known as a star medallion), what about a +1 unholy longsword? Now, how about a black robe of the archmagi? Are any of these items really “evil” and as such, detectable by the detect evil spell as an aligned magic item?

Sovereign Court

1) does the caster have line of sight on the folks planning the ambush? Keep in mind that "If an aura is outside your line of sight, then you discern its direction but not its exact location." So for #1, the answer is "maybe".

The important thing to keep in mind is the DE will not detect ALL evil. If the ambushers are all 4HD or less, and are not undead/outsiders/clerics, then the answer is "no" as creatures of 4HD or less do not get picked up by the spell.

Are the folks hiding in an old growth forest, behind large trees or perhaps behind some boulders? If so then the answer, regardless of HD level, is "no" (as long as there are at least 3' worth of trees between the caster and target or at least 1' worth of stone between the caster and target).

You have a lot of elements to consider when determining the results of DE.

2) I always consider any magic item with the [evil] descriptor to be an evil magic item. If the CL for the item is 5th level or lower though, there is no evil detected.


In regards to #1, maybe but not necessarily. Ambush isn't necessarily evil. Ambushing people because you're a brigand and intend to steal from them is evil. Ambusing the evil orcs on the way to sack your town is probably not evil.

Also, keep in mind that if it's a proper ambush you probably don't have line of effect to them, in which case the spell will fail to detect them anyways.

An aligned magic item would be one made with an evil spell or noted to be evil. For example, unholy weapon enchant requires the use of the spell Unholy Blight and that the creator be evil. The creator being evil should be enough of a give away, but Unholy Blight also has the evil descriptor. The black robe of the archmagi should also probably count as evil since it requires an evil creator.

Silver Crusade

1) The judge in the mod I play ruled that the hidden evil construct stood out when my paladin turned on the detect evil ability (I presume detect magic would work the same). On reflection it is not so clear it would on something not spotted on a perception check. It make sense to me, though, an evil aura (or magic) in a dark room might be apparent with a good enough perception check.

2) My read on the Sihedron Medallion shows it with a Necromantic aura, not an evil one. An unholy weapon is defined as having an evil aura.
Based upon what I read, my interpretation of the black robe is it is evil aligned also. So the last two ought to detect as evil IMO.

Sczarni

YIDM wrote:
Fixed your link for you =)

Some items (and particularly Intelligent items) do have an alignment. The appropriate Detect spell should determine them as such.

For the ambush, as others have said, you must be able to perceive your intended targets.

Silver Crusade RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16

Claxon wrote:
Also, keep in mind that if it's a proper ambush you probably don't have line of effect to them, in which case the spell will fail to detect them anyways.

Like a number of the "Detect" spells, line of effect is not needed.

Detect Evil wrote:
The spell can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.


Another thing to consider on #1. You have to think about the motives of everyone involved in the ambush. You could have a group of neutral people who have been tricked by an evil sorceress into ambushing the party. They believe they are ambushing orc scouts, so their intentions are not evil. So you have to have a proper line of effect by the standard divination rules that Zahir posted to the people that actually have evil intent, which may not be every member of the ambushing party.

Beyond that, if the person with evil intent is below level 5, they won't show up either. Creatures with active evil intent count as evil, but evil creatures only show up if they are level 5 or higher.


Zahir ibn Mahmoud ibn Jothan wrote:
Claxon wrote:
Also, keep in mind that if it's a proper ambush you probably don't have line of effect to them, in which case the spell will fail to detect them anyways.

Like a number of the "Detect" spells, line of effect is not needed.

Detect Evil wrote:
The spell can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.

Right, but line of effect can still blocked, the barries must simply exceed certain values.

I guess my folly was in not posting the exact specifications of what would block LoE. My apologies on that.


Also, it seems to be a grey area. Would a non-evil aligned outsider with active evil intent show up?

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