Detect Plants or animals: Does it detect monster plants?

[Hiro Quester]

Our group was attacked by assassin vines and another type of plant monster I never got the name of. After resting, we needed to move on, but expected more such creatures to be ahed of us.

My druid PC wanted to prepare "Detect animals or plants (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/detectAnimalsOrPlants.htm)" so he could cast it while scouting ahead in eagle wildshape flying over the terrain, to detect the locations of more of those plant creatures.

DM said he wasn't sure if the spell should detect a monster of the type "Large Plant". The spell seems designed for finding a particular herb or animal (finding new holly berries, or making contact with local squirrels, or seeing if there were dolphins near our ship, or whatever, maybe for finding a new animal companion). This seemed too powerful for a first level spell to be able to do, and would make a big difference to the game.

We decided to rule it doesn't work for tonight's game, and do some research to see if it should work that way in the future.

This is me doing research, then. What do you playgrounders think? Should the spell detect plant monsters like assassin vines (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/assassinVine.htm) and shambling mounds that are officially of the plan type, but are really monsters rather than innocent herbs or trees a druid might be looking for?

[Red Fel]

This is me doing research, then. What do you playgrounders think? Should the spell detect plant monsters like assassin vines (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/assassinVine.htm) and shambling mounds that are officially of the plan type, but are really monsters rather than innocent herbs or trees a druid might be looking for?

It detects animals and plants. It's perfectly reasonable for it to detect creatures with the Plant type, as well as inanimate plant objects. Plant is a word with a meaning in D&D; multiple meanings, and one of those meanings is "creatures with the Plant type."

The requirement, however, is that you look for a specific plant. Assassin Vines and Shambling Mounds are indeed specific types of plant. I see no reason that the spell, which allows you to "detect a particular kind of animal or plant" should not allow you to detect these. However, the PC in question must look for one specific type when he casts. So one casting can scout for Assassin Vines, and a later one for Shambling Mounds. And if he really wants to waste first-level spell slots just to scout for plant-based enemies one type at a time, that's his call, but I'd let him do it.

[sleepyphoenixx]

The requirement, however, is that you look for a specific plant. Assassin Vines and Shambling Mounds are indeed specific types of plant. I see no reason that the spell, which allows you to "detect a particular kind of animal or plant" should not allow you to detect these. However, the PC in question must look for one specific type when he casts. So one casting can scout for Assassin Vines, and a later one for Shambling Mounds. And if he really wants to waste first-level spell slots just to scout for plant-based enemies one type at a time, that's his call, but I'd let him do it.
You can change what you're looking for each round, so you need only one cast. You still need to know what you're looking for though (which isn't that hard, there aren't that many plant monsters and most of them are in more obscure books).


This seemed too powerful for a first level spell to be able to do, and would make a big difference to the game.
You mean like Detect Evil/Good/Law/Chaos? Detect Undead? Some classes get those at-will, and they're no less powerful.
Or Detect Magic, which is far more useful for anyone who interacts with magic.

The effect is in line with the powerlevel of other first level spells. Since you need to specify exactly what you're detecting it's actually weaker for the purpose of finding enemies, though it has longer range.
It's also blocked just by standing behind a reasonably big tree.

[Hiro Quester]

Similar power level to detect evil and so on... That sounds like a good point to bring up. Thanks.

Yeah. It should work. It also has the limitation of only lasting while you concentrate on the spell. But you can switch to concentrating on a different plant or animal each round.

But the issue is also whether this would nerf the story drama etc. rule 0.

[Red Fel]

You can change what you're looking for each round, so you need only one cast. You still need to know what you're looking for though (which isn't that hard, there aren't that many plant monsters and most of them are in more obscure books).

The bigger issue with this spell is that, much like the other Detect spells, a single round will only answer a binary question - Is there X in the area? It takes at least two rounds to get a useful answer (number), and three to get the most useful answer (location).

Now, it's true that there aren't many Plant-type creatures generally, so you should be able to pull off a fairly thorough search within 10 min/level. But it's not quite as easy as firing it off and switching every round.

[sleepyphoenixx]

The bigger issue with this spell is that, much like the other Detect spells, a single round will only answer a binary question - Is there X in the area? It takes at least two rounds to get a useful answer (number), and three to get the most useful answer (location).

Now, it's true that there aren't many Plant-type creatures generally, so you should be able to pull off a fairly thorough search within 10 min/level. But it's not quite as easy as firing it off and switching every round.

If none of the specified kind you're looking for are present you can switch every round. And since he already knows what he's looking for he shouldn't take too long.
Add to that the fact that he's flying, so he can search a 400ft +40ft/lvl spread each round if he flies high enough (instead of turning around to cover all angles) which makes it even faster.

That only functions outdoors of course but detect spells are generally blocked underground or inside buildings anyway. They're also generally smaller so you can get by with alternative scouting methods.