Detect Magic — Complete D&D 5e Spell Guide

Table of Contents

• •Quick Answer
• •Overview
• •Stat Block
• •When NOT to Use
• •Comparisons
• •Spell Slot Efficiency
• •Pro Tips
• •Common Mistakes
• •Usage Tips
• •Synergies
• •FAQ

Overview

Detect Magic is an absolute must-have ritual for any caster in exploration-heavy campaigns, letting you sniff out magic within 30 feet without burning precious slots. As a 1st-level divination spell with ritual casting, it reveals auras and schools on visible targets after sensing presence, penetrating most barriers but stopped by stone, metal, or lead. Veterans love it for uncovering hidden traps, loot, and illusions before they bite—far better than blindly stumbling into magical hazards. It's mediocre in combat due to concentration and setup time, but shines in dungeons, ruins, and intrigue. Opportunity cost is near-zero via ritual, making it a no-brainer for Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Sorcerer, or Wizard. Common trap: wasting slots instead of ritual casting. Pro tip: pair with a familiar for remote scouting.

Stat Block

When NOT to Use This

• •Combat urgency—prefer offense/defense; ritual too slow even slotted.
• •Party has Artificer/Infusions detecting magic items already.
• •DM's world has minimal magic (e.g., Eberron low-magic zones)—wasted time.
• •After Clear Telegraphs like 'the chest looks mundane'—trust DM economy hints.

Spell Slot Efficiency

When worth the slot: Time-critical (collapsing ruin) or no ritual casters; upcast for longer duration rare.

When NOT worth the slot: Routine exploration with ritual access or low-magic areas.

Pro Tips (Veteran Secrets)

Tip #1: Ritual cast every 10 minutes in mega-dungeons to maintain coverage without slots—stacks with Pre-Memorized utility.

Why veterans know this: Enables 'magic mapping' of floors, revealing 80% of traps/loot patterns DMs use.

This avoids the mistake of: Players slot it once and forget, missing ongoing auras like Scrying sensors.

Tip #2: Sense first, then action to ID school only on suspects—conserves actions in tense spots.

Why veterans know this: Differentiates Illusion (fake walls) from Abjuration (wards) for targeted counters.

This avoids the mistake of: Wasting actions on every pebble; focus visible suspects.

Tip #3: Dismiss and recast on self after moving 30+ ft to refresh without breaking conc.

Why veterans know this: Maintains chain coverage in linear dungeons without slot burn.

This avoids the mistake of: Holding conc through entire delve, blocking Fireball or Fly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Casting slotted in combat for 'quick scan'.

Why it's bad: 1 action + conc competes with Hypnotic Pattern (DC13 Wis save, incapacitates 5 foes); ritual later is free.

Do this instead: Fight first, ritual post-combat for cleanup.

Expecting it to ID items fully like a free Identify.

Why it's bad: Only school, no attunement/charges—wastes time on +1 swords mistaken for artifacts.

Do this instead: Detect → shortlist → Identify top auras.

Ignoring barrier penetration limits in stone dungeons.

Why it's bad: Falsely assumes all-clear behind walls; misses warded chests.

Do this instead: Probe with 10-ft pole or familiar first.

Usage Tips

• •Cast as ritual before entering new rooms or ruins to scan for traps, hidden doors, or loot—saves hours of poking around blindly. Focus on high-traffic areas like altars or pedestals where DMs hide magic. Dismiss early if clear to free concentration for other spells.
• •In social encounters, subtly scan nobles or advisors for enchanted items like rings of mind shielding. Use the action to pinpoint without arousing suspicion by pretending to appraise art. Avoid in crowds to prevent tipping off aware foes.
• •Combine with Mage Hand or familiar to probe barriers safely, revealing auras on objects you can't see directly. This extends effective range in hazardous areas like trapped vaults. Always note school for later Dispel Magic targeting.

Rules Notes

• •Senses presence within 30 feet passively for duration; requires action to view aura and school on visible creatures/objects.
• •Penetrates barriers except 1 ft stone, 1 in metal, thin lead, 3 ft wood/dirt—RAW blocks total, no partial penetration.
• •Detects ongoing magic effects, items, creatures; does not identify specifics beyond school (e.g., no 'Ring of Fireball').
• •Concentration required; ends if you move too far or take damage.
• •Ritual casting takes 10 minutes total (1 action + 9 min concentration).

Synergies

• •Familiars (Find Familiar) extend range by having them scout and describe auras you sense through bond.
• •Dispel Magic: Learn school first to target highest-level effects efficiently, saving slots.
• •Identify: Detect first to prioritize which items need full ID, avoiding waste on mundanes.

Anti-Patterns

• •Don't cast in combat—10-min ritual or even slotted 1 action + concentration competes with damage/healing like Burning Hands (avg 14 fire dmg) or Cure Wounds (1d8+mod).
• •Skip in low-magic campaigns or when DM telegraphs non-magical threats—wastes ritual time better spent short resting.
• •Avoid relying solely on it for invisible foes; See Invisibility or physical searches needed for non-magical invis.

Tactical Modules

• •Dungeon Entry Scan — When to use: Party approaches unexplored dungeon door or room.. Synergy: Follow with familiar investigation or Knock for locked magical doors—uncovers Glyph of Warding (avg CR 3 threat).
• •Loot Prioritization — When to use: After combat in treasure rooms with 10+ items.. Synergy: Pair with Identify on top 2-3 auras, ignoring mundane gear—saves 100gp pearls and slots.
• •Intrigue Detection — When to use: Meeting shady NPCs in taverns or courts.. Synergy: Detect then Dispel on mind control auras, preventing social ambushes.

Countermeasures

• •Threat: Antimagic Field (shuts down detection entirely). — Response: Stay outside 10-ft radius; sense edge for field location.. Fallback: Physical searches or Divination spells like Augury.
• •Threat: Nondetection (hides specific targets). — Response: Scan surroundings for patterns; auras might outline hidden foes.. Fallback: True Seeing later or ally with Detect Thoughts.
• •Threat: Lead-lined containers (blocks completely). — Response: Use Knock or physical breach; note common in high-security vaults.. Fallback: X-ray via familiar or higher spells like Arcane Eye.

Frequently Asked Questions

is detect magic a ritual 5e

Yes, Detect Magic is a ritual spell, taking 10 minutes to cast without a slot if you have the Ritual Casting feature. This makes it free utility for classes like Wizard, Cleric, and Druid. Perfect for exploration without burning resources.

detect magic vs identify 5e

Detect Magic reveals presence and school within 30 ft as a ritual; Identify gives full details on one touched item (3rd function free). Use Detect to scan rooms first, then Identify priorities—Detect wins for breadth, Identify for depth.

does detect magic work through walls 5e

Partially—penetrates wood/dirt (3 ft) but blocked by 1 ft stone, 1 in metal, or thin lead. Sense presence first, then action for visible auras only. Use with Mage Hand for barriers.

can detect magic detect invisible creatures 5e

Yes, if the creature or its effects are magical (e.g., Invisibility spell). It shows aura on visible? Wait, invis hides visually but aura if targeted. Non-magical invis (e.g., ranger) no. Confirm with physical poke.

best class for detect magic 5e

Wizard (ritual + familiar synergy) or Cleric (domain access early). Rangers/Paladins get less from it. Any ritual caster maximizes value in dungeons.

does detect magic detect magic items 5e

Yes, any magical item within 30 ft triggers sense, then action reveals school (e.g., Evocation for wand). Permanent items glow faintly always. Great for loot hunting.

detect magic concentration 5e

Yes, requires concentration up to 10 min. Dismiss early to free for combat spells. Ritual extends effective use.

is detect magic worth a spell slot 5e

Rarely—ritual it instead. Slot only in emergencies like timed puzzles. Excellent free tool otherwise.

Citations: api:spells/detect-magic

Includes SRD content per CC BY 4.0. Source: dnd5eapi.co.