detect magic and knowledge arcana question

[Xavier319]

Can you, via detect magic, determine an exact spell in place? Example, if you see an illusionary wall with detect magic, and you make your knowledge arcana check to determine that it is an illusion school effect, can you then make the higher DC check to determine exactly what spell it is? or is that only for spells that are visible, such as a wall of ice sitting there, to identify it as a wall of ice spell.

[PokeyCA]

Xavier319 wrote:

Can you, via detect magic, determine an exact spell in place? Example, if you see an illusionary wall with detect magic, and you make your knowledge arcana check to determine that it is an illusion school effect, can you then make the higher DC check to determine exactly what spell it is? or is that only for spells that are visible, such as a wall of ice sitting there, to identify it as a wall of ice spell.

Check the Spellcraft skill description for the answer to your question.

[wraithstrike]

No you can't. If you can see the effect of the spell you can out the spell with a knowledge arcana check. If you want to identify the spell as it is being cast you need a spellcraft check. Detect Magic does nothing for you in either case.

[blahpers]

Well, it might help you determine that a spell was involved at all. For a spell effect that doesn't leave perceivable results, you're going to have a hard time using Knowledge (arcana) since you won't know there's a spell to identify.