Stealth and detect magic

[Zexcir]

Lets say that one of the players detects magic to see if the monsters have any kind of magical items they should be aware of and there is one monster that no one sees due to stealth... If that monster had a magical item would the player be able to see it? Or see a moving magical aura?

[Stubs McKenzie]

As per detect magic:

First round, if the creature that is stealthing is not in complete cover that would stop line of effect for detect magic, and within the spells range, the caster of detect magic would know there is a presence of magic. If there are other creatures in range that he can actually see, he could naturally assume those magic items are on those creatures, as in the first round, it only tells you presence or absence, nothing about location within the spell effect.

Second round, numbers of magical auras and strength of the strongest aura. Again, no hint of a location is garnered. It could let the caster know there is 1 magic item, or 30 or more, but other than the strength of the strongest aura it doesn't give anything more.

Third round, if the caster is still concentrating on the spell by this round, then he gleans strength and location of each aura. Payday... unless of course there are strong magical auras, magical areas, or multiple types of magic that distort or conceal weaker auras.

Even if they get to the 3rd round, and the stealthed character hasn't simply moved out of the casters line of effect, at best you see the aura, which tells you 5x5 square, it does not negate invisibiity for concealment and the like.

[Phasics]

Zexcir wrote:

Lets say that one of the players detects magic to see if the monsters have any kind of magical items they should be aware of and there is one monster that no one sees due to stealth... If that monster had a magical item would the player be able to see it? Or see a moving magical aura?

it takes 3 rounds to lock down where a magic aura source is, so if the stealthed monster is moving around detect magic won't be able to pinpoint the source

and if there are other visible monster with magic items the aura's will overlap and be even harder to distingish

so short answer no detect magic dose not let the caster know there is a hidden monster in a room of monsters all carrying magical items.

[DM_Blake]

A couple finer points to remember here:

1. Detect Magic is an "emanation" area, which means it needs direct line-of-effect to the target. Detect Magic cannot go around corners, or even around a tree to reach the target.

2. Stealth cannot be used while you are observed, so you almost always need Cover or Concealment. Cover blocks line-of-effect so if you are using Stealth with cover, the cover prevents the Detect Magic from reaching you. If you're only using concealment, then your magic can be detected.

So, if you're out in the open, using Stealth to hide in a dark shadow for example, with nothing between you and the guy casting Detect Magic, and you're within the 60' range, and you hold still for 3 rounds, and the caster concentrates on your area for all 3 rounds, then he can detect that you are there, though he still cannot see you.

[MaxAstro]

DM_Blake wrote:

1. Detect Magic is an "emanation" area, which means it needs direct line-of-effect to the target. Detect Magic cannot go around corners, or even around a tree to reach the target.

Slight clarification - Detect Magic does not need line of effect per se. Quoted from the spell:

Quote:

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.

So it doesn't need to go around a tree, it can go through it, unless it's a particularly large tree.

You are right about the other points.

[The Admiral Jose Monkamuck]

Also unless they changed it it is a cone shaped emenation, so the stealthed character also has to be looking in the general direction of the creature to detect it.

[james maissen]

DM_Blake wrote:

A couple finer points to remember here:

2. Stealth cannot be used while you are observed, so you almost always need Cover or Concealment. Cover blocks line-of-effect so if you are using Stealth with cover, the cover prevents the Detect Magic from reaching you. If you're only using concealment, then your magic can be detected.

This is not quite true.

Cover is not full cover.

And what the cover is, even if full cover also matters.

-James