Arcane elicitation provides hints and nudges short of more powerful charm, suggestion, or truth spells assisting the user to gather information—whether discreetly in a conversation or as part of a controlled interrogation—by divining limited details about a conscious target and influencing the target’s inclination to be forthcoming. The cantrip requires interacting with or observing a target at close range to make sense of the clues provided and thus is usually not suitable for use as an action during combat.
Arcane elicitation adds the user's spellcasting modifier to deception, insight, intimidation, or persuasion checks for actions consistent with efforts to elicit information. Such actions could include: assessing what a favorable approach to use with a target would be (insight); attempting to build rapport with or otherwise encourage a target to be more forthcoming (deception, intimidation, or persuasion); and, evaluating how truthful and forthcoming a target is being (insight). Successful sequential actions may also provide advantage at a DM's discretion (for example, first successfully assessing what approach would be better and then gaining advantage for a check on employing that approach).
Unsuccessful use of arcane elicitation may raise resistance from a target who senses the magical manipulation involved at the DM's discretion based on context. Using arcane elicitation against a group of individuals is risky as–at the DM’s discretion–each member of the target group may require an individual check. A member of the group who recognizes the arcane manipulation becomes more hostile and is able to influence others in the target group.
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