detecting magical auras on items and artifacts

[drack]

OK, so we know detect magic can show the CL of the item, or if it's an artifact it will tell you that. So I'm wondering spells like arcane sight and the greater version, can they detect the school of magic used to create an item? And if so do the same rules apply to artifacts?

[Slipperychicken]

Detect Magic gives you an approximation of caster level (via Aura Power), and you can make Spellcraft checks to identify the school of magic. Artifact-level items often have with Overwhelming auras (CL 21 or higher), although many artifacts have a lower CL, and nonartifacts may have a higher CL. Regardless, you know an item with a Strong or Overwhelming aura is really valuable.

Arcane Sight is the same deal as Detect Magic, only you don't have to maintain concentration for 3 rounds, and you make the Spellcraft checks immediately. In addition, Arcane Sight allows the caster to concentrate on one person in the range to approximate its spellcasting ability

Greater Arcane Sight is the same deal as Arcane Sight (and thus Detect Magic, too), although it automatically identifies active spell effects on items, but does not identify the items themselves.


Most artifacts have Overwhelming auras, but nonartifact items may have such auras too. The three let you identify aura strength and school of magic involved, even for artifacts. None let you identify items, artifact or not. They all let you identify the aura's power and school of magic, as noted in each item's description (for example; if you make you Spellcraft checks, you would know that the Talisman of Ultimate Evil has a Strong Aura of Evocation [Evil]).

[drack]

Hmm, admittedly I had figured artifact wouldn't have a distinction, but felt I should check. Anyways I was wondering, because say you have a wand. It will have an aura as a magic item, but will that aura be say transmutation or universal, or will it just be an aura of magic?
Edit: Wand was chosen as the effect it's self is not active.

[Slipperychicken]

Hmm, admittedly I had figured artifact wouldn't have a distinction, but felt I should check. Anyways I was wondering, because say you have a wand. It will have an aura as a magic item, but will that aura be say transmutation or universal, or will it just be an aura of magic?
Edit: Wand was chosen as the effect it's self is not active.

Artifacts are not "distinct" under Detect Magic aside from their high aura power, although it requires powerful magic to properly identify an Artifact.


A Wand should give off an aura strength appropriate to the caster level and school of magic of the spell inside. Here's a useful paragraph and a helpful link.

SRD; Magic Items and Detect Magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicItemBasics.htm#magicItemDescriptions)
When detect magic identifies a magic item’s school of magic, this information refers to the school of the spell placed within the potion, scroll, or wand, or the prerequisite given for the item. The description of each item provides its aura strength and the school it belongs to.

If more than one spell is given as a prerequisite, use the highest-level spell. If no spells are included in the prerequisites, use the following default guidelines.

[drack]

Thanks. :smallbiggrin:

[Psyren]

If you want to just plain know what an item can do (and how many more times it can do it), use Analyze Dweomer. Note though that it doesn't do anything for artifacts at all, being even less useful there than Detect Magic is.

[Andezzar]

If you want to just plain know what an item can do (and how many more times it can do it), use Analyze Dweomer. Note though that it doesn't do anything for artifacts at all, being even less useful there than Detect Magic is.Analyze dweomer is a Level 6 spell. Just get detect magic and an Artificer's Monocle. Cast Detect Magic once without the monocle and then with the monocle. With that procedure you will know if the item is an artifact and if it isn't what it does.

[Slipperychicken]

Analyze dweomer is a Level 6 spell. Just get detect magic and an Artificer's Monocle. Cast Detect Magic once without the monocle and then with the monocle. With that procedure you will know if the item is an artifact and if it isn't what it does.

Loremaster6 is another solution. Free, at-will (Ex) Identify. Still takes an hour, but you'll never need to blow gold or spell slots on it ever again. It's core, too, for all you core-only gamers out there.

Loremaster10 gets you free Analyze Dweomer/Legend Lore 1/day.

[Psyren]

Analyze dweomer is a Level 6 spell. Just get detect magic and an Artificer's Monocle. Cast Detect Magic once without the monocle and then with the monocle. With that procedure you will know if the item is an artifact and if it isn't what it does.

True, but AD still has its uses. For one, it works on creatures/active spells just as well as it does on items. For two, cursed items can't fool it. And the focus costs the same amount as the monocle as well (to buy, anyway.)

[Andezzar]

True, but AD still has its uses. For one, it works on creatures/active spells just as well as it does on items. For two, cursed items can't fool it. And the focus costs the same amount as the monocle as well (to buy, anyway.)I'm not saying that Analyze Dweomer does not have its uses, I just wanted to say the monocle is easier to get (Lvl 1 arcane caster, 1500 gp vs. Lvl 11 arcane caster, 1500 gp)