Constant detect

[Murdock Mudeater]

Divine Scion Prestige class has several options to obtain Constant Detection spells. For the sake of this post, Constant Detect Magic is my example, but I'm really asking about all of them. For the prestige class, this is a Sp ability

How does a Constant Detection spell work? Does it require any action to use? Does it require Concentration? Does this allow the player to use it without risk of fatigue (like normally seeing, instead constantly casting spells)? And how obvious is this spell like ability (like for others observing it)?

[Garbage-Tier Waifu]

I believe constant spell-like abilities are, as the name implies, constantly applying themselves as they normally would without a creature needing to act upon it. As such, I think all you would need to do for Constant Detect Magic is focus on one area, which doesn't require an action since the effect is doing it for you. This means just focusing on an area on a given turn gives you the information of the initial casting round (the presence or lack of magical auras), and then subsequent rounds information the longer you concentrate, but without needing to use any action to do so.

This might not be obvious though (as in, if you're doing it or not), since it's not actually 'casting' and so the magical manifestations only occur upon actually casting the spell. A creature would need to use their own magical detection to see the constant effect.

[Lady-J]

24/7 detect blank so they know all the time forever were everything of x is no need to concentrate or actions to do it functions just as if a monster with constant detection would also continuous abilities would not be obvious and the only way to know a creature had them would be with the appropriate knowledge roll but not a spell craft roll

[Murdock Mudeater]

Thanks, been wondering about this one for a long while.