Spellcraft question

[thecrimsondawn]

If you take all the elements out of a spell with metamagic, does a person even get a spellcraft check to detect what spell it is? After a spell goes off, you can kinda just tell what it is most of the time so one is not even needed, but for counter spell reasons, if you make no motions or sounds and need no item in hand, would that not just be something akin to a sudden spell?

[Segrain]

Although this isn’t directly stated in the Core Rulebook, many elements of the game system work assuming that all spells have their own manifestations, regardless of whether or not they also produce an obvious visual effect, like fireball. [...] Whatever the case, these manifestations are obviously magic of some kind, even to the uninitiated; this prevents spellcasters that use spell-like abilities, psychic magic, and the like from running completely amok against non-spellcasters in a non-combat situation.

Source (http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fm#v5748eaic9tza).
See also Cunning Caster (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/cunning-caster) feat.

[elonin]

If 3.5 content is allowed there is the thematic caster feat. Can't remember the reqs but it adds a +4 to spell craft checks to determine the spell in question. Also, this may be a difference in versions, but i thought that SLA's were harder to spell craft.