RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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There are many times when knowing whether or not a spell's effect is successful is pivotal. I'll propose a few scenarios:
1) A cleric casts command on a baddy. Does the cleric know whether or not the baddy made his save (thus taking him out of battle for one round)? If the baddy failed the save then the cleric can instruct his fellow adventurers to focus their efforts elsewhere.
This is answered in the Magic chapter of the Core Rulebook:
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.
2) A sorcerer casts fireball on a group. Does she know which, if any, made the save for half damage? To complicate things - the baddies may have Resist or Prot Fire up so a visual is NOT always accurate :) But obviously if the sorcerer KNOWS that two baddies failed the save but are still unharmed then there is some other defense in place.
See the above quote.
3) A witch subjects Evil Eye on a baddy. Whether or not the save is made the target succumbs to the effect for one round, but does the witch know whether it will last longer than one round?
I'm not aware of a rule one way or the other on this, in which case it becomes the GM's call. They might use the precedent for spells (cited above), or they might not.
4) A wizard casts charm person on a baddy. The baddy makes his spellcraft check to identify the spell and makes his save but makes a bluff check to feign 'charmed'. Does the wizard automatically know that the spell didn't work or can he be bluffed into believing it worked?
See above; the caster of a targeted spell knows whether the save succeeds.
2) By RAW, the caster does not know if the creatures made their save or not. For other things, When I am DMing I try to let the player know through my narration if a spell is completely ineffective - "The halfling managed to evade the burst with an almost inhuman grace" (evasion) or "The flames wash over the unidentified extraplanar creature as he lets out a deep, unsettling laugh" (fire resistance), etc.
Edit: Corrected.
Some special abilities can fool the caster, as far as I am aware of (such as the Master Spy ability to bluff people into believing they are controlled when they succeed at a will save, for example).
Jiggy, a bit of a correction - you cut your quote short...I included that in my quote. I'm not sure how you missed it.
Ahh, that's what I get for skimming posts while at work.
Maybe I should focus on work at work.... ... .. That sounds boring though!