Author Topic: Detecting scrying via spellcraft  (Read 1490 times)

Offline Tonymitsu

  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 258
  • The Original Distinguished Anarchist
    • View Profile
Detecting scrying via spellcraft
« on: January 05, 2017, 11:48:18 PM »
After obtaining the blood sample from the baddie, I attempted to scry on him. I was informed by the DM that he made the save (which is fine, he was a vampire wizard), so we time-lapsed a day so I could try again tomorrow.

The next day I was told my attempt simply failed. And afterwards the DM told me that the baddie had cast Nondetection in response to my scrying attempts, at which point he said that the Spellcraft skill has a use that for 25+spell level allows you to identify a spell that you just had to save against, and that's how he knew someone was scrying on him.

Is that correct? And if so, how do you counteract that?
"The only thing in the entire universe more dangerous than knowledge is ignorance."
--Lord Volkarion Knightcon

Offline Garryl

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 4503
    • View Profile
Re: Detecting scrying via spellcraft
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2017, 12:16:16 AM »
Sounds right to me. The Spellcraft to identify the spell is exactly as it should be in the skill's rules, and Nondetection is a correct precaution to take for a sufficiently paranoid wizard, especially after getting confirmation that someone is out to get you. You waited a day, so he definitely would have had time to prepare and cast a Nondetection or two. It'sa 3rd-level spell that lasts 1 hour/level, so at the level you're at it'll only take 2-3 castings per day for total coverage, or just 1-2 with Extend Spell or a Lesser Metamagic Extend Rod, and it shouldn't overly tax his spell reserves in doing so.

To work around it, you could try to brute force your way through with caster level buffs and repeated castings. If Nondetection is blocking the spell, the save doesn't even come up, so Scrying's 24 hour lockout won't apply. That said, it might still take a lot of tries and/or a lot of power boosts to get through.

You may have better luck with alternative information-gathering methods. Contact Other Plane, Augury, and Divination should still be able to give you information if you ask the right questions, regardless of how powerful the Nondetection is (it only protects against detection). You can attempt to scry on someone else in the vampire's retinue instead of the big bad himself (assuming you can get a sufficient connection); it's unlikely that he'll have enough spells for everybody. The Gather Information skill is rather mediocre, but it doesn't require training so you might still eke out a little useful info with it, especially with skill-buffing spells to enhance it.

Is there any specific sort of information that you were hoping to get via scrying? It might help narrow down the alternative methods to get it.

Offline Tonymitsu

  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 258
  • The Original Distinguished Anarchist
    • View Profile
Re: Detecting scrying via spellcraft
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2017, 05:32:29 PM »
Oh I was just looking for clues as to his location. The whole, "well I see the area around him so what do I see?"
The lockout was due to him making the save and being immune for 24 hours. That's why I had to wait.

And it's an E6 game, so we'll probably have to stick with the more mundane methods. Which is cool. I like adventures. And I like being foiled in clever ways.

I mostly wanted to confirm I was reading everything correctly, so that when my character does this back to him at a later date there's a good rules precedent.  :devil


I guess my next question then is how is scry-and-die a thing that even works against spellcasting opponents? Unless you catch them while they are sleeping? I would think as soon as they make the save, pass or fail, the jig is up.
"The only thing in the entire universe more dangerous than knowledge is ignorance."
--Lord Volkarion Knightcon