Would detect magic tell you if something has been polymorphed? Also do most people tend to expand on how powerful the magic is? Like a wand that can cast a level 1 spell might give off a subtle glow vs a wand that can cast a level 9 spell might be shining like a small sun.
Yes, the creature would detect as being magical have an aura indicative of Transmutation magic.
Nothing in the spell description says the spell can detect "power" of magic, just presence and (with the aura) type. If that is something you want to houserule, though, go for it, but there is a lot of magic that isn't describable in "levels" since a lot of it isn't spell based.
The question about power level, was less a "what does the spell say" and more of a "how do you all tend to play it in your games?" Like if you were dealing with a powerful magic (thing) do you tend to just say "yup that (thing) is magical, and the magic is of X school" or do you you tend towards a more "You can tell that (thing) is giving off a strong magical aura, come from (thing). And can tell that it's of X school of magic"
To use an example. You have both Apparatus of the Crab and Candle of the Deep next to each other. Would you have detect magic define them as both just magical items? Or would you point out that Apparatus is a more powerful magical item?
Would detect magic tell you if something has been polymorphed? Also do most people tend to expand on how powerful the magic is? Like a wand that can cast a level 1 spell might give off a subtle glow vs a wand that can cast a level 9 spell might be shining like a small sun.
Yeah, detect magic would detect the spell on the creature and the school of that spell.
It isn't RAW that it indicates the strength of the magic it detects, though there are a few official adventures that mention if the detected magic is strong or not. And my DMs often would.
I don't generally imply levels of power with Detect Magic, but I think it's a good sort of "gut punch" to save for particularly interesting or important magical effects. You'd have to save it for something important if you want to go full "bright as the sun", but I still think it makes sense to imply that the spell can detect some level of magic.
Would detect magic tell you if something has been polymorphed? Also do most people tend to expand on how powerful the magic is? Like a wand that can cast a level 1 spell might give off a subtle glow vs a wand that can cast a level 9 spell might be shining like a small sun.
Yes, the creature would detect as being magical have an aura indicative of Transmutation magic.
Nothing in the spell description says the spell can detect "power" of magic, just presence and (with the aura) type. If that is something you want to houserule, though, go for it, but there is a lot of magic that isn't describable in "levels" since a lot of it isn't spell based.
The question about power level, was less a "what does the spell say" and more of a "how do you all tend to play it in your games?" Like if you were dealing with a powerful magic (thing) do you tend to just say "yup that (thing) is magical, and the magic is of X school" or do you you tend towards a more "You can tell that (thing) is giving off a strong magical aura, come from (thing). And can tell that it's of X school of magic"
To use an example. You have both Apparatus of the Crab and Candle of the Deep next to each other. Would you have detect magic define them as both just magical items? Or would you point out that Apparatus is a more powerful magical item?
Yeah, detect magic would detect the spell on the creature and the school of that spell.
It isn't RAW that it indicates the strength of the magic it detects, though there are a few official adventures that mention if the detected magic is strong or not. And my DMs often would.
I don't generally imply levels of power with Detect Magic, but I think it's a good sort of "gut punch" to save for particularly interesting or important magical effects. You'd have to save it for something important if you want to go full "bright as the sun", but I still think it makes sense to imply that the spell can detect some level of magic.
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