If spellcasting is so obvious...

[Ravingdork]

...then how do spells like mislead work?

Seems to me the FAQ about spellcasting broke more than it fixed.

Speaking of which, where is it? I can't seem to find it now. Was it taken down?

[Goddity]

Do not ask such questions! Down that route lies madness!

[Nigrescence]

I don't really see whatever problem you're supposed to be indicating.

[Xethik]

It's still here.

EDIT:
Also, they do not know exactly what spell you are casting, just that you are casting a spell. Seems like Mislead would still be fine to me.

[James Risner]

I also don't see a problem with the FAQ and don't think it broke anything.

Unless someone successfully spellcrafted that you cast Mislead, what does it matter that they know you cast a spell?

[Brother Fen]

James Risner wrote:

I also don't see a problem with the FAQ and don't think it broke anything.

Unless someone successfully spellcrafted that you cast Mislead, what does it matter that they know you cast a spell?

Exactly. You'd just appear to be casting a spell that had no obvious effect.

[AwesomenessDog]

They knew you cast something but for all they know, it might as well be some powerful version of abjuring step, what do they know (unless they actually have spellcraft).

[CampinCarl9127]

Oh look. Ravingdork complaining about this same FAQ, again.

Spoiler:

Just poking fun at Ravingdork :P

[Milo v3]

So what if there is a manifestation, you might have casted anything.

[Splendor]

SPELLCRAFT ruining all illusion spells.

DM: The wizard your chasing starts casting a spell...
Player 1: 'WAIT"... I want to make a spellcraft check to see what he's casting.
DM: OK roll your check... you made it... He's casting mislead.
Player 1: Thats the one where you turn invisible and an illusion of you goes somewhere else.
Dm: Yes
Player 1: I cast Detect Magic and follow in the direction that there is magic but no illusion or the wizard.

[Bruno Kristensen]

Detect Magic isn't that great. First round, you sense if there's magic in the area of effect, second round the number and strength of each aura, and finally in the third round you can pinpoint each.

So the wizard using mislead can move away from the area of effect before you pinpoint him. Or use a powerful spell to kill you or something completely different. Remember that if Spellcraft allows him to determine the spell he casts it also allows him to identity what you are casting

[Diego Rossi]

Ravingdork wrote:

...then how do spells like mislead work?

Seems to me the FAQ about spellcasting broke more than it fixed.

Speaking of which, where is it? I can't seem to find it now. Was it taken down?

I suppose you mean this part: "but it cannot attack or cast spells, though it can pretend to do so."

How do you pretend to attack when you can't?
"Ack, I missed."

How do you pretend to cast spells when you can't?
Taking the new FAQ into account and the fact that the spell is a "illusion (figment, glamer)" with a duration and ability to make complex actions, and that "Figment: A figment spell creates a false sensation. Those who perceive the figment perceive the same thing, not their own slightly different versions of the figment." plus "Glamer: A glamer spell changes a subject's sensory qualities, making it look, feel, taste, smell, or sound like something else, or even seem to disappear." we can reasonably assume that when the caster has the figment acting as if it was casting a spell the figment reproduce the effects and sensations that are generated when you cast a spell.

Probably perceiving those sensations and seeing those effects is enough to say that you have interacted with mislead if you have any rank in spellcraft.

[Rub-Eta]

@Splendor: Detect Magic needs concentration (a standard action) and has a range of 60ft.
1st Round: Presence or absence of magical auras.
2nd Round: Number of different magical auras and the power of the most potent aura.
3rd Round: The strength and location of each aura.
They need three rounds to actually know where the Wizard is, otherwise they only know that he's within a 60ft cone in a specific direction.

Since a Wizard isn't wearing heavy armour, he can quadruple move away after the round that he cast the spell, while the detecter can only do a single move action the three first rounds (the duration of mislead is concentration +3 rounds, and he'll be away by then).
Then there's also the question as to why someone would cast mislead in a battle, when invisibility is a 2nd level spell and not a 6th level spell.

[Matthew Downie]

Splendor wrote:

SPELLCRAFT ruining all illusion spells.

DM: The wizard your chasing starts casting a spell...

DM: The wizard runs around the corner and casts a spell...

Player 1: WAIT... I want to make a spellcraft check to see what he's casting.
DM: You can't, because you can't "clearly see the spell as it is being cast".