Detecting Conditions

[AvatarVecna]

While online map programs offer a number of ways to track who is affected by what condition, in-game it's not like you can see swirls in your friend's eyes, or birds flying circles around their heads, or a big "-Dex" floating above them. If you witness a spell cast in them and are knowledgeable of magic stuff, you might know what afflicts them...but you're not always playing a know-it-all, and you don't always get to witness the cause (or even get a reliable second-hand witness statement).

What Abilities allow you to detect things that afflict people? Skills uses, Feats, spells, powers, maneuvers...anything.

[Particle_Man]

Sense Motive can detect some of them:

“Sense Enchantment
You can tell that someone’s behavior is being influenced by an enchantment effect (by definition, a mind-affecting effect), even if that person isn’t aware of it. The usual DC is 25, but if the target is dominated (see dominate person), the DC is only 15 because of the limited range of the target’s activities.”

The spell detect poison can detect heather a creature is poisoned.

While not quite on point, detect magic plus the spell craft skill could at least identify schools of magic active on a person. So if it is enchantment or necromancy, that might be a clue.

[Biggus]

The spell (Greater) Status will tell you that. If you can't touch them for some reason, Commune could do it.

Although it's not specifically said to do so, arguably the Heal skill could be used this way. In CAdv (p.101) it says you can use Heal to tell what killed a dead body, so it's not much of a stretch to think you could also use it to tell what's wrong with a living one.

If the condition is inflicted by an ongoing magical effect, a Spellcraft check (DC 20+ spell level) can tell you what the spell that caused it is, which may tell you what the condition is. You must be able to "see or detect the effects of the spell" to attempt this though.

[Particle_Man]

Some of them would be visible with Spot, presumably. If a person is panting and sighing and sluggish in their movement, likely they are fatigued or exhausted. If they babble to themselves for a while and then attack the nearest person (whether friend, foe or stranger), they are quite possibly confused.

[Gruftzwerg]

Spellcraft is the most basic choice I guess. It can identify ongoing effects. Combined with Detect Magic, you will easily know most magical conditions.



Power Sight (Druid/Chameleon 1 or wand)
Reveal enemy HD.

Know Vulnerabilities (Bard/Chameleon 2, Wizard 4 or wand)
You learn any special qualities (!), vulnerabilities, and resistances the target creature has.

Know Opponent (Bard/Cleric 3 or wand)
Reveal up to 4 strengths or weaknesses of the target.

Identify with Flame (Wizard 4 or wand) (#Dragon 308)
Identifies designated creature types or classes by a flame over their heads.

Vision of Fear (Wizard 2/Chameleon 2 or wand) (Dragon #333)
Learn the greatest or most recent fear (your choice) of the target. (also alters scry, teleport and fear spells for the next 24h+).

Sense Motive
Complete Adventurer gives the option to compare your level with enemies CR and see if he poses a threat to you.

Detect Magic (at will)
Having it constantly up/available makes it really useful to see if enemies have any spell effects (possible dispel targets).

Paragon Visionary (epic warlock feat)
True Sight + see if target is an arcane or divine caster. Reveal the highest lvl spell and or SLA known. Automatically identify any spells and magical effects going on.
Bonus on all Listen, Sense Motive, and Spot checks equal to double Wisdom modifier or +6.
(Quoted from my Itachi build; Note that the classes given for Spells may be incomplete)

Imho Paragon Visionary is the most effective one but also the hardest to get (epic warlock).
Know Vulnerabilities & Know Opponent can reveal vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Thus should also reveal any temporary debuffs.

[sleepyphoenixx]

Spellcraft is the most basic choice I guess. It can identify ongoing effects. Combined with Detect Magic, you will easily know most magical conditions.



(Quoted from my Itachi build; Note that the classes given for Spells may be incomplete)

Imho Paragon Visionary is the most effective one but also the hardest to get (epic warlock).
Know Vulnerabilities & Know Opponent can reveal vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Thus should also reveal any temporary debuffs.

None of those reveal conditions or active spells (except for Detect Magic, which only reveals schools). Those are not vulnerabilities or weaknesses, they're conditions or active spells.
Being weak to fire is a weakness. Regeneration being bypassed by silver or the Rakshasa instantly dying to blessed arrows is a vulnerability.
Being poisoned or charmed is neither, there are other spells to detect those things.

As for Paragon Visionary it's just True Seeing + Arcane Sight, hardly worth an epic feat. Or 21+ levels of Warlock.

[Gruftzwerg]

None of those reveal conditions or active spells (except for Detect Magic, which only reveals schools). Those are not vulnerabilities or weaknesses, they're conditions or active spells.
Being weak to fire is a weakness. Regeneration being bypassed by silver or the Rakshasa instantly dying to blessed arrows is a vulnerability.
Being poisoned or charmed is neither, there are other spells to detect those things.
K agree here.
In this chase: Detect Poison can detect if somebody is poisoned.





As for Paragon Visionary it's just True Seeing + Arcane Sight, hardly worth an epic feat. Or 21+ levels of Warlock.
Sorry but I have to disagree here.

1)
Arcane Sight is sole a slightly better Detect Magic. You still need a standard action to even attempt a Spellcraft roll. Arcane Sight (+ True Seeing) is just slightly faster as Detect Magic (+True Seeing). Whereas Paragon Visionary works automatically without any actions required, nor any spellcraft checks needed. Plus it reveals the highest lvl spells and SLA and stuff. It will reveal any magic conditions instantly on sight. And if you don't have True Seeing and Arcane Sight all day/permanent (subject to possible dispell) you have to spend 3 standard action to get what Paragon Visionary does immediately (even on enemies turn for possible counter spell attempts).

2)
Epic Lvl Warlock feats
These don't require 20 lvls of pure warlock. You just need to be an epic lvl character and have access to warlock stuff (e.g. warlock base class + arcane full progression prc= 20+ lvls).

I know, still super high/niche requirements, but still the most optimized option here (in regards of action economy and for magical conditions only) and definitively more comfortable and deluxe in its effect. Thus worth to mention it imho. Especially at that high lvls (epic) when dispelling can become quite frequent, Paragon Visionary won't be affected (compared to persistent/permanent Arcane Sight + True Seeing). It is sole temporary disabled in AMFs, but otherwise always there to immediately to work.

[Troacctid]

As for Paragon Visionary it's just True Seeing + Arcane Sight, hardly worth an epic feat. Or 21+ levels of Warlock.
It's GREATER arcane sight, which is actually pretty kickass. A very good ability that's normally not easy to get at all. Actually, it's even better, because you also see everyone's spellcasting abilities without an action. And you get blindsight as well as truesight. It's a good feat. (And technically it only requires 16 levels of warlock casting!)

[AvatarVecna]

The spell (Greater) Status will tell you that. If you can't touch them for some reason, Commune could do it.

Although it's not specifically said to do so, arguably the Heal skill could be used this way. In CAdv (p.101) it says you can use Heal to tell what killed a dead body, so it's not much of a stretch to think you could also use it to tell what's wrong with a living one.

If the condition is inflicted by an ongoing magical effect, a Spellcraft check (DC 20+ spell level) can tell you what the spell that caused it is, which may tell you what the condition is. You must be able to "see or detect the effects of the spell" to attempt this though.

For some reason I was thinking that Status was like Deathwatch with way better range, but if it monitors conditions that's great. It's even pretty open-ended on what exactly it detects. Thanks!

[Biggus]

As for Paragon Visionary it's just True Seeing + Arcane Sight, hardly worth an epic feat. Or 21+ levels of Warlock.

That's not the only good epic Warlock feat. In fact, after actual casters they've probably got the best epic feats out there. Have a look at these: https://web.archive.org/web/20161101073210/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ei/20061027a