Knowing who was affected by the spell


Rules Questions


Let as assume that a spellcaster casts a spell potentialy affecting multiple creatures, but which has no visible effect and each creature can save independently (for example zone of truth).

Does the spellcaster automatically know which creatures were affected? If not, is there a way for him to know?


No and not that I know of.

Magic wrote:
Succeeding on a Saving Throw: A creature that successfully saves against a spell that has no obvious physical effects feels a hostile force or a tingle, but cannot deduce the exact nature of the attack. Likewise, if a creature's saving throw succeeds against a targeted spell, you sense that the spell has failed. You do not sense when creatures succeed on saves against effect and area spells.


It depend. If it was an area of effect spell the answer is no.

If it was something like slow which has multiple targets the answer is yes.


Zone of Truth would be a no, it seems.

Although it's a pretty useless spell if the caster can't tell.


Actually there is a way to know what creatures were and weren't affected but you have to go the extra mile to do it. If you have some sort of detect magic effect, like arcane sight for example, you should be able to make a spellcraft check to determine what spell effects the target is under. In the cast of detect magic this would take 3 rounds of observation. Arcane Sight could take slightly less observation. Greater Arcane Sight would be instant and I believe the spell says no spellcraft roll needed.

A GM might allow a spellcraft check for the caster of a spell to determine if one particular subject was affected or not. That would be totally up to the GM.


with some spells the caster knows which targets made their saves (if any) and are not affected or failed their saves and are effected. You have to read the school and spell descriptions.

In your example the caster is not directly informed as to which targets are or are not affected.
Ofcourse a spellcaster can determine the spell schools or spells affecting a creature through spells(divinations).

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