School divination; Level bard 0, cleric 0, druid 0, sorcerer/wizard 0
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range
60 ft
Area cone-shaped emanation
Duration concentration, up to 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw none
;
Spell Resistance No
You detect magical auras. The amount of information revealed
depends on how long you study a particular area or subject.
1st Round: Presence or absence of magical auras.
2nd Round: Number of different magical auras and the power of
the most potent aura.
3rd Round: The strength and location of each aura. If the items
or creatures bearing the auras are in line of sight, you can make
Knowledge (arcana) skill checks to determine the school of magic
involved in each. (Make one check per aura: DC 15 + spell level,
or 15 + 1/2 caster level for a nonspell effect.) If the aura emanates
from a magic item, you can attempt to identify its properties
(see Spellcraft).
Magical areas, multiple types of magic, or strong local magical
emanations may distort or conceal weaker auras.
Aura Strength: An aura’s power depends on a spell’s functioning
spell level or an item’s caster level; see the accompanying table. If
an aura falls into more than one category, detect magic indicates the
stronger of the two.
Lingering Aura: A magical aura lingers after its original source
dissipates (in the case of a spell) or is destroyed (in the case of a
magic item). If detect magic is cast and directed at such a location,
the spell indicates an aura strength of dim (even weaker than a
faint aura). How long the aura lingers at this dim level depends on
its original power:
Original Strength Duration of Lingering Aura
Faint 1d6 rounds
Moderate 1d6 minutes
Strong 1d6 × 10 minutes
Overwhelming 1d6 days
Detect Magic
Aura Power
Spell or Object Faint Moderate - Strong - Overwhelming
Functioning spell (spell level) 3rd or lower - 4th–6th - 7th–9th - 10th+ (deity-level)
Magic item (caster level) 5th or lower - 6th–11th - 12th–20th - 21st+ (artifact
Outsiders and elementals are not magical in themselves, but if
they are summoned, the conjuration spell registers. Each round,
you can turn to detect magic in a new area. The spell can penetrate
barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of
lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.
Detect magic can be made permanent with a permanency spell.