Detect Magic 5e

There’s nothing more frustrating than wandering around an area of a dungeon where you think magical item is, but having no way to know for sure. That’s what the lifesaving Detect Magic spell is for, along with a few other fun applications I’ll cover. I’ll also get into all the rules questions I’ve seen come up at DnD tables.

How Does Detect Magic Work in 5e?

Detect Magic gives the caster the ability to sense the presence of magic within a 30-foot radius of herself. If magic is within range and not blocked by one or more of the materials/thicknesses outlined in the spell description, the caster will sense magic.

After sensing the magic, the caster can use an action to see a faint aura around the magic’s source and also learn the school of magic producing the effect.

Detect Magic lasts for 10 minutes so long as the caster maintains concentration. The spell can also be cast as a ritual without expending a spell slot, if the party has 10 extra minutes to spare for ritual casting.

How to Use Detect Magic in 5e

Detect Magic has a number of great uses in DnD 5e:

1. Finding magical loot. This is the most obvious application that comes to most players’ minds when reading Detect Magic. When you’re digging through a sizeable horde of treasure, there’s only so much you can bring back with you. Knowing which items sizzle and which fizzle can help you make smart choices about what to throw in your backpack.

   Other times, magical items serve as a key or the objective of a quest. The ability to detect these items at a range of 30 feet helps make these jobs easier.

2. Identifying illusions and magical traps. Savvy magical enemies are often fond of setting up illusions and magical traps to thwart adventurers who are foolhardy enough to enter their lairs. Bad guys trying to keep a low profile might also magically seal or obscure their hideout. Detect Magic can be a good first step toward overcoming these obstacles.

3. Detecting a magically-influenced player or NPC. The world of DnD is chock full of swindlers and charlatans who aren’t above using enchantment to gain influence and power. Campaigns that are heavy on intrigue will find that Detect Magic’s ability to determine if magic is affecting a creature is extremely useful.

4. Gaining a shopping advantage. This is a niche use of the spell, but if you ever find yourself in a shop of oddities, Detect Magic can help you cut through the mundane trinkets and see what (possibly) good stuff is hiding in plain sight. Plus, if the shopkeeper doesn’t know what he has, you might get a bargain deal on a powerful artifact.

What Are the Rules for Detect Magic in 5e?

The rules for Detect Magic in DnD 5e are as follows:

• You can’t detect invisible creatures with Detect Magic. The spell description clearly states that the faint aura of magic is only present on “any visible creature or object” (emphasis added).

  Even if the invisible creature is holding a magical item, the Invisibility makes held and/or worn items invisible along with the caster. Since the magic object isn’t visible, it also isn’t detectable with Detect Magic.

  But you can sense that something magical is within range; you just won’t know where or that the magic is invisibility/what school of magic it is. Here’s confirmation and a bit more detail from Sage Advice.

Sensing a presence means you sense something is present, not its location. "Wait, magic is nearby . . ." #DnD https://t.co/b0CtQsUlk1

— Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) November 30, 2016

• Detect Magic doesn’t reveal properties or curses. According to Sage Advice, “detect magic doesn’t reveal a magic item’s properties or a curse. It reveals that the item is magic.”

  In other words, you’ll need to follow up with the Identify spell to learn the item’s properties, and figuring out a curse is, well — an experience a player must go through to learn about, really.

Detect magic doesn't reveal a magic item's properties or a curse. It reveals that the item is magical. #DnD https://t.co/Fls8Qxh48u

— Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) September 20, 2016

• Detect Magic does not detect the presence of non-casting spellcasters. A good way to think about Detect Magic is that you’re detecting a specific instance or persistent presence of magical activity. A spellcaster not engaged in the act of spell-casting gives off no more aura of magic as an ordinary creature.

• Detect Magic does not sense golems or other magically-created beings. Again, it’s the presence of “active” magic that the spell is detecting. Here’s Jeremy Crawford on the subject.

The detect magic spell senses active magic. It doesn't detect past magic. For example, a golem was animated by magic—as if by a jolt of lightning—but that magic isn't now present. The golem, therefore, doesn't detect as magical, unless other magic is active on it. #DnD https://t.co/rjnUvWCI3Q

— Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) April 4, 2018

• Detect magic does detect a spellcaster concentrating on a spell. If a continuous magical effect is happening within Detect Magic’s range and isn’t blocked by one of the stated materials, you’ll sense the magic. However, you won’t know whether a caster is concentrating on it or not.

• You don’t automatically see magical auras. Remember, there’s a specific order of events with Detect Magic. First, you sense the magic when you’re within 30 feet of it (it’s on the DM to tell you the moment that that happens). Second, you use an action to see the faint aura and learn the school of magic.

  It’s not a huge thing to get wrong, but it’s important to point out that those are the rules as written.

• Detect Magic is blocked by physical objects. 1 inch of metal or 1 foot of stone isn’t very thick — an ordinary lockbox or stone wall will likely obscure your range of detection.

• You still need to prepare Detect Magic to use cast it as a ritual, unless you’re a Wizard. Those are just the rules regarding ritual spells (PHB 202) and Wizard’s ritual casting ability (PHB 114).

Is Detect Magic 5e a Good Spell?

Yes, Detect Magic is a good spell from the first level to the twentieth. There are very few occasions where you need to use Detect Magic instantly, so the ability to cast the spell as a ritual means you’ll almost never expend a spell slot for it.

Having just one party member with Detect Magic prepared will save you a ton of time, both in getting to your destination efficiently and quickly determining the best pieces of loot once the job is done.

Detect Magic 5e DM Tips

As a DM, your role with Detect Magic is pretty big. It’s up to you to know exactly where the source of the magic is and recognize the moment that the player steps within 30 feet of that magic source. After all, they won’t have the chance to use their action to see the faint aura until you tell them they’ve sensed something in the first place.

Beyond that, DMs can have fun with Detect Magic by assigning each school a color and then simply describing the aura rather than stating the school of magic. This creates a more flavorful experience for the player.

It’s fun for players to feel like they know a bit of real magical lore because they’re aware that a green aura indicates necromantic magic, for example.

Other than that, DMs just need to remember the rules about Detect Magic; namely that it won’t detect curses, invisible creatures, or spellcasters. It’s not a game-breaking mistake to make as a DM, but it’s important that you let players know the real rules early on so that you can run Detect Magic consistently.

Simple Detect Magic 5e Spell Text

DnD 5e Detect Magic FAQ

Detect magic DnD 5e FAQ:

1. What can detect magic not detect? Detect magic cannot detect spellcasters, even if they’re concentrating on a spell, and it cannot detect creatures created by instantaneous spells or magical effects that are not actively ongoing.

2. Is detect magic or identify better? The choice between detect magic and identify depends on your specific needs. Detect magic reveals the presence of magic but doesn’t provide detailed information about the magic. Identify, on the other hand, provides detailed information about a magic item. Each spell serves a different purpose, and one may be more useful than the other depending on the situation.

3. Do you roll for detect magic? No, you do not roll for detect magic. The spell reveals the presence of magic within its range without the need for an additional roll. It’s a passive ability to detect magical auras within 30 feet.

4. What are the limitations of detect magic? Detect magic has a range limitation of 30 feet. It can detect magic through barriers but not through a thin sheet of lead, one inch of common metal, one foot of stone, or three feet of wood or dirt. Additionally, it cannot identify the specific spell that created the magic, only its presence and school of magic.

5. Does detect magic let you see invisible creatures? No, detect magic does not let you see invisible creatures. It only detects the presence of magic, so you could be aware that magic is in the area, but not that it’s invisibility. To see the aura of the magic, the target needs to be visible (as per the spell’s description).

6. Can antimagic field be detected with detect magic? Yes, antimagic field can be detected with detect magic. Antimagic field suppresses magical effects within its area, making it detectable as an area of null magic with detect magic.

7. Can detect magic detect curses? Sort of; detect magic can detect something magical in nature, but won’t detect the curse itself. This was confirmed on Sage Advice

8. Does detect magic sense scrying? Yes, detect magic can sense the presence of magic associated with scrying spells or effects, but it doesn’t allow you to see the scrying sensor itself. It simply alerts you of something magical, and can even tell you that its from the divination school.

9. Does detect magic see illusory script? Yes, detect magic can detect the presence of magic on a surface or object, including the magical script of illusory script. However, it doesn’t let you read the script itself or even tell you that the script is illusory; it only reveals that there’s magic at play.

10. Does nondetection protect against detect magic? Yes, nondetection can protect against detect magic because it’s a divination spell. Nondetection makes it harder for divination spells, like detect magic, to detect or locate the target or the target’s belongings.

11. Can detect magic sense polymorph? Yes, detect magic can sense polymorph if it’s an ongoing magical effect. Detect magic detects the presence of magic, including spells that are currently active. This also works for true polymorph, which is active until dispelled, meaning the magic is still in effect, even if it’s permanent.

12. Can you detect magic with an arcana check? No, detect magic is a spell, and it cannot be replicated or performed by an arcana check. Arcana checks are typically used for knowledge or understanding of magic, not detecting magic.

How Other Divination Spells Work in DnD 5e

DnD 5e Guidance
DnD 5e True Strike
DnD 5e Hunter’s Mark
DnD 5e Identify
DnD 5e Speak with Animals
DnD 5e Detect Thoughts
DnD 5e Mind Spike