Detect Magic

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Detect Magic (replaces vanilla Detect Magic)

School divination; Level bard 0, cleric/oracle 0, druid 0, inquisitor 0, magus 0, psychic 0, shaman 0, sorcerer/wizard 0, summoner/unchained summoner 0, warlock 0, witch 0;

Casting Time 1 Standard Action

Components V, S

Range Self

Area 30ft Radius emanated from spellcaster

Duration concentration, up to 1 min./level (D)

Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no

You detect magical auras. The amount of information revealed depends on how long you study a particular area or subject.


 * 1st Round: Presence or absence of magical auras.


 * 2nd Round: Number of different magical auras and the location of the most potent aura. This reveals the closest aura if there are multiple that are tied for the most potent.


 * 3rd Round: The strength and location of each aura. If the items or creatures bearing the auras are in line of sight, you can determine the school of magic involved in each. (You can identify the school of one aura per turn this way). Magical areas, multiple types of magic, or strong local magical emanations may distort or conceal weaker auras.


 * Aura Strength: An aura’s power depends on a spell’s functioning spell level or an item’s caster level; see the accompanying table. If an aura falls into more than one category, detect magic indicates the stronger of the two.




 * Overwhelming Auras: If Detect Magic is cast by someone of 20th caster level or lower within range of a deity-level functioning spell or an artifact strength magic item, the caster may suffer some negative effects. Being exposed to that level of magic stuns the caster for 1 round and ends Detect Magic. If Detect Magic is cast within the range of multiple auras of that strength or one overwhelming aura that is also more than three times their caster level, the caster is instead stunned and blinded for 3 rounds and knocked prone.


 * Ignoring Auras: When casting Detect Magic, the caster may purposely ignore any auras that they are already familiar with in order to avoid false positives from an ally who is standing too closely or to avoid the painful effects of detecting an artifact they already know about.


 * Lingering Aura: A magical aura lingers after its original source dissipates (in the case of a spell) or is destroyed (in the case of a magic item). If Detect Magic is cast and directed at such a location, the spell indicates an aura strength of dim (even weaker than a faint aura). How long the aura lingers at this dim level depends on its original power:



Outsiders and elementals are not magical in themselves, but if they are summoned, the conjuration spell registers. The area of the spell moves with the caster, but any new auras that enter the spell's radius must remain for the appropriate amount of turns for each level of detection. The spell can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.

Detect Magic can be made permanent with a Permanency spell.