I always found this detail interesting, as it seems to imply the spell picks up some sort of evil/magic/whatever rays or waves coming from the target object or creature, similar to a Geiger counter. Is this accurate?
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Lead is a fairly inexpensive metal with a low melting point. Silver has a melting point of nearly 3 times that of lead and platinum is over 5 times hotter. Lead is also a soft metal that is can be easily worked with. This makes it fairly easy to shield an item with lead compared to other substances.
As to why thick walls block most detects is because most detect spells are fairly low level and so need something to prevent them from being too powerful. Detect Magic is a 0 level spell so if walls did not stop it, it could be give warning if anything was in the next room. A paladin would also be able to use detect evil to often tell that foes are in the next room. This type of thing would not be completely accurate, but it would give a huge advantage for a low level ability.
Basically it comes down to allowing a low level ability to be easily blocked. If nothing stopped these abilities they should be a lot higher level. For the most part these type of spells are first level or lower, with a rare one maybe being higher level, but those usually allow the information to be gained much quicker.
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I always found this detail interesting, as it seems to imply the spell picks up some sort of evil/magic/whatever rays or waves coming from the target object or creature, similar to a Geiger counter. Is this accurate?
On Dungeons:
9.9 The Constructanomicon“How does that even stay up?”
Perhaps the most important question surrounding Dungeons and Dragons is the question why there are
Dungeons and Dragons. When you think about it, that’s pretty weird.
9.9.1 Dungeons: By the gods, why?
Alright, we know that you love dungeons. We love them too, despite the fact that we’re pretty sure there is
no good reason for the silly things. The average D&D game world is frankly incapable of the technology or
manpower needed to build vast underground complexes. I mean, look at our own world history: aside from
a single underground city in Turkey and a couple of pyramids and tombs, the ancient world took a pass on
underground life. Even the old excuse of “Wizards can magic it up and they do it because its defensible” is a
bit lame considering that we are talking about a world with teleport and burrowing and ethereal travel; being
underground is actually a liability since its harder to escape and people can drop the roof onto you, not to
mention the incredible costs involved in doing it even if magic is available.
So here is what we suggest: dungeons have an actual magical purpose. By putting anything behind at
least 40’ of solid, continuous material (like solid walls of dirt, stone, ice, or whatever, but not a forest of trees
or rooms of furniture) the area is immune to unlimited-range or “longer than Long Range” spells like Scrying
and transportation magic like teleport, greater teleport, the travel version of gate, and other effects. You can
use these magics inside a dungeon, but you also stopped by a 40’ solid, continuous material in a Line of Effect;
this means you can use these effects inside a dungeon to bypass doors and walls, but entering and leaving the
dungeon is a problem, and parts of the dungeon that have more than 30’ of material in the way between your
position and the target of your effect will be effectively isolated from your position.
In summary, in a best-case scenario you can transport yourself to a dungeon, then bust in the entrance and
enter the dungeon, then transport yourself to the place you want to be inside the dungeon. In a worse-case
scenario, the dungeon designer will have built the dungeon in such a way that only someone aware of the
layout can take full advantage of unlimited range or transportation spells like teleports and Scry, or even that
most or all areas if the dungeon are inaccessible to these effects.
Of course, there are exceptions. The idea of permanent portals, gates, or teleport circles are just too common
in D&D and too fun to just abandon. Permanent effects will continue to regardless of materials in the way, and
will be the premier way to enter and leave dungeons, as well as the best way to move inside a dungeon.
By incorporating these changes in your D&D world, you are ensuring that players actually explore rooms
in your dungeons that you have painstakingly built, you avoid all the problems with Scry-and-Die tactics, and
you’ll find that players actually care about dungeon geography. It also adds a bit to suspension of disbelief in
your setting, which is only good for a cooperative storytelling game
I suggest reading the whole thing if you have time. It's 3rd or 3.5 edition but the authors give a lot of good ideas.
https://sites.google.com/site/middendorfproject/frankpdf
