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Detect Magic1st-level Divination · Concentration

A ritual. Spending a slot on it is a mistake you make once.

Add it to a characterAll spells
Level
1st
School
Divination
Casting Time
1 action
Range
Self
Duration
Conc.

The card

Detect Magic

1st-level Divination · Ritual

Detect Magic

Casting
1 action
Range
Self
Duration
Concentration

Components: V, S

For the duration, you sense the presence of magic within 30 feet of you. If you sense magic in this way, you can use your action to see a faint aura around any visible creature or object in the area that bears magic, and you learn its school of magic, if any.

The spell can penetrate most barriers, but it is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt.

Bringing it to the table

Usage

Available toBardClericDruidPaladinRangerSorcererWizard

Best Used For

1It has the ritual tag. Ten extra minutes and it costs no slot at all. Almost every casting of this spell should be a ritual casting.
2It tells you magic is there and what school it belongs to. It does not tell you what the item does — that is Identify, or a short rest spent studying it.
3Thirty feet, and it goes through most things but not 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt. Lead-lined boxes exist for exactly this reason.
4It is still concentration, up to 10 minutes — free to cast is not the same as free to hold.

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Add Detect Magic to a Character

Pick one of the classes that gets it — level and the rest fill themselves in.

The Forge

Forge a character with Detect Magic

Choose a class that gets this spell. The forge builds the character around it.

Forge a Bard with Detect Magic

Bard · level 1 · pre-filled

Counsel

Detect Magic, Answered

Is Detect Magic a ritual in 5e?

Yes. If your class has Ritual Casting you can cast it by taking an extra 10 minutes and spending no slot. Wizards, clerics, druids and bards can all do it.

Does Detect Magic tell you what an item does?

No. You learn that an aura is present and what school of magic it is — nothing else. Identify gives you the properties.

What blocks Detect Magic?

1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt. It penetrates most other barriers.

Does Detect Magic require concentration?

Yes — concentration, up to 10 minutes.

Put It In A Spellbook

Pick a class, and forge the character that casts it. Your first is free.

Forge the character
Bard 5eCleric 5eDruid 5ePaladin 5eRanger 5eSorcerer 5eWizard 5eCharacter Creator