Divination · Surface thoughts · Mental probing
Detect Thoughts Spell
At a Glance
| 5.5e / 2024 | 30-foot thought sensing; language or telepathy; deeper-probe Wisdom save and Arcana resistance. |
|---|---|
| 5e / 2014 | 30 feet; Intelligence above 3 and spoken language; contested Intelligence resistance. |
| Pathfinder 1e | 60-foot cone; three rounds of study; Will negates surface reading. |
| D&D 3.5e | 60-foot cone; three rounds of study; Will negates surface reading. |
Detect Thoughts hears the concern behind a careful answer and finds thinking creatures beyond ordinary sight. Its range, eligible minds, barriers and resistance procedures differ by edition.
Spell Rules by Edition
5.5e / 2024
| Level / school | 2nd-level Divination |
|---|---|
| Classes | Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard |
| Casting time | Action |
| Range | Self; thoughts within 30 feet |
| Components | V, S, M (1 copper piece) |
| Duration | Concentration, up to 1 minute |
| Saving throw | Wisdom when probing deeper |
| Higher slots | No additional effect |
When you cast the spell, activate Sense Thoughts or Read Thoughts. On later turns, you can activate either option with a Magic action.
Sense Thoughts
Sense the presence of thoughts within 30 feet belonging to creatures that know languages or are telepathic. This reveals that a thinking creature is present; it does not read its thoughts. The spell is blocked by 1 foot of stone, dirt or wood; 1 inch of metal; or a thin sheet of lead.
Read Thoughts
Choose one creature you can see within 30 feet, or one within that distance detected using Sense Thoughts. Learn what is most on its mind at that moment. You learn nothing from a creature that neither knows languages nor is telepathic.
On your next turn, you can take a Magic action to probe deeper. The target makes a Wisdom saving throw. Failure reveals its reasoning, emotions and a prominent concern, love or hatred. Success ends the spell.
Whether the save succeeds or fails, the target knows about the deeper probe. Until you shift your attention away, it can take an action on its turn to attempt an Intelligence (Arcana) check against your spell save DC, ending the spell on a success.
2024 distinction: eligibility depends on knowing languages or being telepathic, with no stated Intelligence-score threshold. Resistance after a deeper probe uses Arcana against your spell save DC.
5e / 2014
| Level / school | 2nd-level Divination |
|---|---|
| Classes | Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard |
| Casting time | 1 action |
| Range | Self; thoughts within 30 feet |
| Components | V, S, M (a copper piece) |
| Duration | Concentration, up to 1 minute |
| Saving throw | Wisdom when probing deeper |
| Higher slots | No additional effect |
When you cast the spell, and as your action on subsequent turns, focus on one creature you can see within 30 feet. A creature with Intelligence 3 or lower, or one that speaks no language, is unaffected.
You initially learn its surface thoughts: what is most on its mind right now. As an action, shift to another creature or probe deeper into the same mind. A deeper probe requires a Wisdom saving throw. Failure reveals reasoning, emotional state and something prominent in its mind; success ends the spell.
Either way, the creature knows about the deeper probe. Unless you shift attention to another mind, it can use its action to make an Intelligence check contested by your Intelligence check. If it wins, the spell ends. Questions spoken to the target naturally shape its thoughts.
Detecting unseen minds
At casting or as your action while the spell lasts, search for eligible thinking creatures within 30 feet. The search penetrates barriers, but 2 feet of rock, 2 inches of metal other than lead, or a thin sheet of lead blocks it. Intelligence 3 or lower and lack of a spoken language also prevent detection.
After detecting a creature this way, you can read its thoughts as described above even without seeing it, provided it remains within range.
2014 distinction: use the Intelligence threshold, contested Intelligence checks and 2-foot/2-inch barrier limits printed here.
Pathfinder 1e
| School | Divination [mind-affecting] |
|---|---|
| Class levels | Alchemist 2, arcanist 2, bard 2, inquisitor 2, investigator 2, medium 2, mesmerist 2, psychic 1, skald 2, sorcerer 2, spiritualist 2, summoner 2, unchained summoner 2, witch 2, wizard 2 |
| Casting time | 1 standard action |
| Components | V, S, F/DF (a copper piece) |
| Range / area | 60 feet; cone-shaped emanation |
| Duration | Concentration, up to 1 minute/level (dismissible) |
| Saving throw | Will negates; see below |
| Spell resistance | No |
Study the same area or subject over successive rounds to gain more information.
- First round: presence or absence of thoughts from conscious creatures with Intelligence 1 or higher.
- Second round: number of thinking minds and each Intelligence score. If the highest score is at least 26 and at least 10 above yours, you are stunned for 1 round and the spell ends. You cannot determine the location of a mind whose creature you cannot see.
- Third round: surface thoughts of any mind in the area. A successful Will save prevents reading that mind; another attempt requires a new casting. Intelligence 1 or 2 yields simple, instinctual thoughts.
Each round you may turn to a new area. Barriers block the spell at 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt.
D&D 3.5e
You detect surface thoughts.
Divination [Mind-Affecting]
Level Bard 2, Knowledge 2, Sorcerer/Wizard 2
Components V, S, F/DF
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range 60 ft.
Area Cone-shaped emanation
Duration Concentration, up to 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw Will negates; see text
Spell Resistance No
The amount of information revealed depends on how long you study a particular area or subject.
- 1st Round Presence or absence of thoughts (from conscious creatures with Intelligence scores of 1 or higher).
- 2nd Round Number of thinking minds and the Intelligence score of each. If the highest Intelligence is 26 or higher (and at least 10 points higher than your own Intelligence score), you are stunned for 1 round and the spell ends. This spell does not let you determine the location of the thinking minds if you can’t see the creatures whose thoughts you are detecting.
- 3rd Round Surface thoughts of any mind in the area. A target’s Will save prevents you from reading its thoughts, and you must cast detect thoughts again to have another chance. Creatures of animal intelligence (Intelligence 1 or 2) have simple, instinctual thoughts that you can pick up.
Each round, you can turn to detect thoughts in a new area. The spell can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.
Arcane Focus A copper piece.
Using Detect Thoughts
- Conversation: surface thoughts provide immediate preoccupations. A question can bring a subject to mind, but the spell does not automatically reveal every memory or guarantee truthful testimony.
- Searching: check the edition’s eligible minds, range and barriers before resolving a search. The PF1e and 3.5e cone takes three rounds to reach surface thoughts.
- Probing: in the modern editions, a deeper probe risks ending the spell and alerts the target. Reading surface thoughts is a different step.
- Concentration: maintain the spell while following its edition’s action rules. PF1e and 3.5e concentration use their own legacy procedure.
GM Rulings and Limits
Describe a thought as a concern, image, impulse or immediate association. Treat requests for a specific buried memory, exact invisible location or complete mental biography as a separate ruling unless the selected rules explicitly provide it.
Thought reading does not change a memory or compel behaviour. Compare Modify Memory for an effect that alters recollection.
Browse the Bard spell list or return to Magic.
Sources & Licensing
- D&D Beyond — 2024 spell rules
- D&D Beyond — 2014 spell rules
- Archives of Nethys — Detect Thoughts (PF1e)
- System Reference Document — Detect Thoughts (3.5e)
2024 rules attribution
This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2.1 (“SRD 5.2.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available at https://www.dndbeyond.com/srd. The SRD 5.2.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.
2014 rules attribution
This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.
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