How does one spot a magic user?


Rules Questions


So I am curious. Does Detect Magic go off if you point it at a magic user like a wizard? If not, is there anyway to tell a certain person uses magic?

I was wondering this for an encounter where the Pcs need to be screened and checked before entering a building, and of course they can take weapons away but they are also smart enough to know about magic users and want them to stay out. I guess writing that they can take away spellbooks, foci, spell component pouches,...can they still do magic without that stuff? They are technically still 'magical' right?

Sorry if this doesn't make sense. It's 4am. And this question is keeping me up. Lol


make everything an anti magic field so it wont matter if they can cast spells


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Detect magic only detects 2 things - active spells, and magic items. It does not detect spellcasters. Arcane sight on the other hand can detect spellcasters.

Taking away spellbooks won't prevent spellcasting. You only need the book to prepare the spell. Taking away focus or material components can help prevent casting, but not all spells have those. And the ones that do can usually still be cast if the caster has Eschew Materials.

Short of making an antimagic zone or binding and gagging the casters, you generally can't outright prevent casting. Binding and gagging wouldn't even stop a psychic character, however. The can cast when paralyzed.


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Arcane Sight will tell you who is a magic user, what type of magic they can use, and the highest level spell they currently have memorized.

Arcane Sight wrote:

This spell makes your eyes glow blue and allows you to see magical auras within 120 feet of you. The effect is similar to that of a detect magic spell, but arcane sight does not require concentration and discerns aura location and power more quickly.

You know the location and power of all magical auras within your sight. An aura’s power depends on a spell’s functioning level or an item’s caster level, as noted in the description of the detect magic spell (see tables above.) If the items or creatures bearing the auras are in line of sight, you can make Spellcraft skill checks to determine the school of magic involved in each. (Make one check per aura; DC 15 + spell level, or 15 + half caster level for a nonspell effect.)

If you concentrate on a specific creature within 120 feet of you as a standard action, you can determine whether it has any spellcasting or spell-like abilities, whether these are arcane or divine (spell-like abilities register as arcane), and the strength of the most powerful spell or spell-like ability the creature currently has available for use.

As with detect magic, you can use this spell to identify the properties of magic items, but not artifacts.

Arcane sight can be made permanent with a permanency spell.


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Pointy hat, staff, robe with big sleeves.

Grand Lodge

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Ciaran Barnes wrote:
Pointy hat, staff, robe with big sleeves.

Please tell me this is an "Off to be the Wizard" quote

Grand Lodge

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Lady-J wrote:
make everything an anti magic field so it wont matter if they can cast spells

The people doing the screening are probably ready for a magic user and have dealt with them before.

Perhaps add a small Wondrous Item that is a small bell, and when the bell is stimulated by the gathering of arcane energy, it begins to ring with an extremely sharp and painful noise not only calling the guards to investigate, but also causing the caster to potentially lose concentration.

Depending on your fantasy level, it could just be as simple as a material that reacts strongly to magic rather than a magical item.

If all else fails, simple manacles can dissuade most casters due to somatic components. A gag would be a bit much as I assume they are coming to talk to someone.


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Make a Knowledge(local) check to identify the special powers and vulnerabilities of a humanoid creature, DC equals 10 + target's CR. While the skill description is not clear whether it identifies class abilities obtained by study and training, a sorcerer's spellcasting is viewed as an inborn ability.

Or ask the person, "Are you a spellcaster?" If they lie, then recognizing the lie is a Sense Motive check opposed by the liar's Bluff check. Detect Magic will point out if the Bluff check is enhanced by a Glibness spell.


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Volkard Abendroth wrote:

Arcane Sight will tell you who is a magic user, what type of magic they can use, and the highest level spell they currently have memorized.

Going with this, you could have a Wondrous Item, some sort of rod or sphere, the PCs have to touch and it glows for spellcasting or SLA, red for arcane, green for divine, and brighter for higher levels.

Thinking further, a nice probe, you have to jab at the PCs and hold it on them for a minute or two and then it glows. Could make for a fun entrance if you want.


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Just a Note...
Nondetection can fool Arcane Sight If the Spell Caster is prepared.


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Dr Styx wrote:

Just a Note...

Nondetection can fool Arcane Sight If the Spell Caster is prepared.

Looks like it, but the guards in that situation would get to do a caster level check vs the caster of nondetection (using the magic item in place of their check I'd imagine) correct? So not a fool-proof way, but nonetheless a decent chance.

I can picture the wizard, having cast non-detection, sweating it out as the guards probe him....hoping the guards don't notice his profuse sweat dripping down his face, then waving him through :D


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Pretty much no way to absolutely identify a spellcaster or prevent their entry. Even Antimagic or Dead Magic have their limits when it comes to "countering" magic ... Artifacts, Prismatic Sphere or Wall, Deities, etc.. Spellcasters pretty much by design break the 'rules' and rewrite them to their own needs.

That said removing spell component pouches, using Arcane Sight, Sense Motive, etc. will diminish the ability of spellcasters to gain entry or use their abilities unrestrained particularly those of lower levels and resources.


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Mathmuse wrote:
Make a Knowledge(local) check to identify the special powers and vulnerabilities of a humanoid creature, DC equals 10 + target's CR. While the skill description is not clear whether it identifies class abilities obtained by study and training, a sorcerer's spellcasting is viewed as an inborn ability.

Class levels and abilities are not revealed per say by using Knowledge: Local to identify humanoid.

Knowledge: Local will, on the other hand, reveal information/rumors about an individual, regardless of species. The better known, the more information available.


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Ciaran Barnes wrote:
Pointy hat, staff, robe with big sleeves.

A wizard's staff has a nob on the end

At least that's what the song says


Kick them in a sensitive spot and see how they respond.


Ask "Are you a wizard?" with the NPC who has a really high sense motive skill (and whatever spellcasters may have, 99% have no bluff skill). Otherwise, anyone with a component pouch or divine focus is guilty.


Vatras wrote:
Ask "Are you a wizard?" with the NPC who has a really high sense motive skill (and whatever spellcasters may have, 99% have no bluff skill). Otherwise, anyone with a component pouch or divine focus is guilty.

what would happen if the character thought they were a wizard but they totally weren't


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Lady-J wrote:
what would happen if the character thought they were a wizard but they totally weren't

Same as any other Sense Motive check, if you make you deduce the subject is, depending on the truth, either lying or is a deluded moron.

Note to Vatras, my psychic has max ranks in bluff and cha is NOT a dump stat.


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CASTY SMELL LIKE SMUG.

IF AM SEEING PERSON IN RELATIVELY LIGHT TO MODERATE ARMOR OUTSIDE OF SMELL CHECK DISTANCE, AM WALKING AROUND WITH SMUG, AM PROBABLY CASTY. CHARGE. RAGELANCEPOUNCE.

AM LIKE, 2% PROBABILITY OF MONK. AM PROBABLY GOING TO BE FINE.


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Vatras wrote:
Ask "Are you a wizard?" with the NPC who has a really high sense motive skill (and whatever spellcasters may have, 99% have no bluff skill). Otherwise, anyone with a component pouch or divine focus is guilty.

Neither trappings nor Arcane Sight can distinguish between a wizard and an unarmored magus. That same magus will truthfully answer "No." when asked if he is a wizard. (Or lie and say yes. Either way the outcome could be amusing.)


Lady-J wrote:
Vatras wrote:
Ask "Are you a wizard?" with the NPC who has a really high sense motive skill (and whatever spellcasters may have, 99% have no bluff skill). Otherwise, anyone with a component pouch or divine focus is guilty.
what would happen if the character thought they were a wizard but they totally weren't

Sense motive only tells you if the person is intentionally deceiving you. If they truly believe they are a wizard, Sense Motive results will reflect that belief.


The easiest way is to watch for the wake of destruction that follows them around.


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AM BARBARIAN wrote:

CASTY SMELL LIKE SMUG.

IF AM SEEING PERSON IN RELATIVELY LIGHT TO MODERATE ARMOR OUTSIDE OF SMELL CHECK DISTANCE, AM WALKING AROUND WITH SMUG, AM PROBABLY CASTY. CHARGE. RAGELANCEPOUNCE.

AM LIKE, 2% PROBABILITY OF MONK. AM PROBABLY GOING TO BE FINE.

I wonder how often AM BARBARIAN ragepounces other barbarians, given he's pouncing on people wearing the same armor he is.


Lady-J wrote:
Vatras wrote:
Ask "Are you a wizard?" with the NPC who has a really high sense motive skill (and whatever spellcasters may have, 99% have no bluff skill). Otherwise, anyone with a component pouch or divine focus is guilty.
what would happen if the character thought they were a wizard but they totally weren't

My bloodrager character had an archetype that gave her cantrips at 1st level. She had been studying under a wizard and thought she was an apprentice wizard who had not yet mastered any spells beyond cantrips. She thought she had spent too much time studying combat with the local barbarians rather than studying her spellbook. Once she started adventuring, she read her spellbook every morning to prepare her cantrips. She did not know that that was not necessary for her.

The Purity of Violence wrote:

Same as any other Sense Motive check, if you make you deduce the subject is, depending on the truth, either lying or is a deluded moron.

Note to Vatras, my psychic has max ranks in bluff and cha is NOT a dump stat.

The bloodrager learned the truth at 4th level. However, in her hometown she maintained the ruse that she was a 1st-level wizard to avoid attracting attention. She carried a spellbook and adopted a familiar. Everyone in town knew her father was a powerful (5th level) wizard and knew that she was smart. All those circumstance bonuses made the ruse an easy bluff check. She could have succeeded at that bluff check while she was still deluded about the nature of her magic.

And she could have managed a hard bluff, because she had Cha 16 (later 18), Bluff as a class skill from the Unpredictable trait, and maximum ranks in Bluff. People believed anything plausible that she told them.

As for The Purity of Violence's psychic, that character could say, "Am I a wizard? You mean wiggle my fingers in the air and mumble arcane words to cast spells kind of thing? Of course not." +5 circumstance bonus due to exploiting ignorance about psychics.

As a GM, I am amused to set up events like TitaniumStar's wizard detector and leave holes for ingenious PCs to exploit.


The Purity of Violence wrote:
Lady-J wrote:
what would happen if the character thought they were a wizard but they totally weren't

Same as any other Sense Motive check, if you make you deduce the subject is, depending on the truth, either lying or is a deluded moron.

Note to Vatras, my psychic has max ranks in bluff and cha is NOT a dump stat.

Ditto, only mine was a Mystic Theurge with high face skills overall plus Still, Silent and Eschew Materials metamagic. In short about the only way to keep her under control was to induce unconsciousness (before she convinced you that was a poor choice :P), bound and gagged by an expert in knots etc., and sat upon (i.e. pinned) by a Golem. Obviously not a low level when she acquired that range of abilities but she was tricky long before that as befitting a priestess of a Trickster/Rogue deity.


Volkard Abendroth wrote:
I wonder how often AM BARBARIAN ragepounces other barbarians, given he's pouncing on people wearing the same armor he is.

Once Each. After that, they are dead.

AM BARBARIAN probably never knows what he killed, since they don't get to respond. A wizard corpse and a barbarian corpse behave the same.


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Volkard Abendroth wrote:
AM BARBARIAN wrote:

CASTY SMELL LIKE SMUG.

IF AM SEEING PERSON IN RELATIVELY LIGHT TO MODERATE ARMOR OUTSIDE OF SMELL CHECK DISTANCE, AM WALKING AROUND WITH SMUG, AM PROBABLY CASTY. CHARGE. RAGELANCEPOUNCE.

AM LIKE, 2% PROBABILITY OF MONK. AM PROBABLY GOING TO BE FINE.

I wonder how often AM BARBARIAN ragepounces other barbarians, given he's pouncing on people wearing the same armor he is.

AHA. THERE AM RUB.

WIZARD AM GENERALLY WEARING SHIRT BECAUSE WIZARD AM ASHAMED OF FLABBY WIZARD BOD. BARBARIAN? AM NEVER NEED FOR SHIRT. AM SHOWING OFF CLEARLY DEFINED RIPPLING MUSCULATURE ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.

BARBARIAN OPT NOT THINK TOO HARD ABOUT COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH RULES WHEN RELATED TO LADYBARIANS AND OR MONKS, WHO AM GENERALLY WEARING SHIRT.

Dave Justus wrote:
AM BARBARIAN probably never knows what he killed, since they don't get to respond. A wizard corpse and a barbarian corpse behave the same.

THAT AM NOT EVEN CLOSE TO TRUE. BARBARIAN ALWAYS ABLE TELL WHEN BARBARIAN KILL WIZARD BECAUSE WIZARD AM COMPLAINING LOUDLY AND FREQUENTLY ABOUT HOW WIZARD AM TOTALLY SUPPOSED BE PREPARED FOR THAT, HAVE LIKE FIFTY DIFFERENT CONTINGENCY SPELL SET UP, AM ALSO NOT EVEN THERE IN FIRST PLACE PLUS CLEARLY ON PAGE 350 OF RULE BOOK IN SUBSECTION 12 AM SAYING BLAH BLAH BLAH.

AM TAKING MORE THAN 50 SECONDS, SO BARBARIAN SMASH SECOND TIME, EVERY TIME.


Yeah wizards have an annoying habit of vanishing or rising when slain (or AM moves to the next room or corridor and there he is ... again.)


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AM BARBARIAN wrote:
BARBARIAN OPT NOT THINK TOO HARD ABOUT COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH RULES WHEN RELATED TO LADYBARIANS AND OR MONKS, WHO AM GENERALLY WEARING SHIRT.

The less clothes ladybarians wear, the more protected they are. Trust me, video games have never lied to me.

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