Detect Magic effects foiling Stealth characters?

[Draz74]

(to be edited in shortly)

[BlueWizard]

I feel like I already know the question, so I may be premature, in answer to your yet unposted topic, but many players do seem to think detect magic is more powerful than it is. And should not be able to detect things such as invisibility.

[Townopolis]

Oh wow, I never thought of that.

Yeah, I'd either make something up about only being able to detect auras attached to things or effects that are within line of sight and not hidden or obfuscated in any way (invisibility, stealth)... or I'd just hit the offending player with a book and glare at them until they either left or conceded.

[jcsw]

Yes and No, while it would reveal the presence of illusion magic and the position of it's source, it

1. Takes 3 rounds of concentration.
2. Only reveals the square in which the invisible character is present, and such would still leave you flat footed.
3. Does not allow you to target the invisible character with targetted spells.

This is about the same power level as most level 0 spells.

[Adumbration]

Yes and No, while it would reveal the presence of illusion magic and the position of it's source, it

1. Takes 3 rounds of concentration.
2. Only reveals the square in which the invisible character is present, and such would still leave you flat footed.
3. Does not allow you to target the invisible character with targetted spells.

This is about the same power level as most level 0 spells.

Yeah, but when you get Arcane Sight, it's almost better than See Invisibility.

Could the question concern the fact that detect magic effects may foil Hide in plain sight completely?

[Trouvere]

At the very least, you pester your party wizard to cast magic aura on all your magic items at regular intervals so that your mundane hiding skills are not defeated by a cantrip.

[Athaniar]

Why post a topic without knowing what you're going to say beyond a simple question?

[Jack_Simth]

Theoretically, Arcane Sight inherits the object penetration from Detect Magic. As the Hide skill requires you have some kind of cover or concealment in order to hide, you're going to have some difficulty hiding your auras from a Permanencied Arcane Sight with just the Hide skill.

That said, if you pick up Use Magic Device, a wand of Magic Aura costs only 15 gp per item per day (1st level spell, days/level - higher caster level, or extending it, leaves it at the same price per day, just cuts down on how often you have to cast it from the wand and how often you have to purchase a new wand), and halts Arcane Sight and Detect Magic without a roll. So a sneaky character can foil Arcane Sight/Detect Magic... but it costs him something.

[monty]

Yeah, but when you get Arcane Sight, it's almost better than See Invisibility.

I don't really see the problem with that, since it's both higher level and shorter duration (unless you permanency it, in which case it still costs more).

[NEO|Phyte]

I don't really see the problem with that, since it's both higher level and shorter duration (unless you permanency it, in which case it still costs more).

Plus it just gives you their square, enjoy your 50% miss chance.

[tyckspoon]

Plus it just gives you their square, enjoy your 50% miss chance.

The kinds of people that are likely to be employing Arcane Sight have a pretty healthy supply of things that only need to target a square- Grease, Glitterdust, Evard's Tentacles, various Clouds and Fogs, even good old Fireballs if it comes to it. Bonus points to Glitterdust for revealing invisible creatures/making Hide checks plummet. Only knowing the square really isn't a problem.