Divine Magic • Core Spell Reference
Scrying
Choose your edition before using the spell. Its level, casting procedure, targets, effects, and limits follow the rules in the selected panel.
Scrying at a Glance
| 5.5e (2024) | Level 5 |
|---|---|
| 5e (2014) | Level 5 |
| Pathfinder 1e | Level 5 |
| D&D 3.5e | Level 5 |
| Browse | Cleric spells • Cleric class |
Spell Rules
Scrying — 5.5e (2024)
Cleric spell level 5. Edition source.
| Spell | Level 5 Divination (Bard, Cleric, Druid, Warlock, Wizard) |
|---|---|
| Casting Time | 10 minutes |
| Range | Self |
| Components | V, S, M (a focus worth 1,000+ GP, such as a crystal ball, mirror, or water-filled font) |
| Duration | Concentration, up to 10 minutes |
You can see and hear a creature you choose that is on the same plane of existence as you. The target makes a Wisdom saving throw, which is modified (see the tables below) by how well you know the target and the sort of physical connection you have to it. The target doesn’t know what it is making the save against, only that it feels uneasy. Your Knowledge of the Target Is … Save Modifier Secondhand (heard of the target) +5 Firsthand (met the target) +0 Extensive (know the target well) −5 You Have the Target’s … Save Modifier Picture or other likeness −2 Garment or other possession −4 Body part, lock of hair, or bit of nail −10 On a successful save, the target isn’t affected, and you can’t use this spell on it again for 24 hours. On a failed save, the spell creates an Invisible, intangible sensor within 10 feet of the target. You can see and hear through the sensor as if you were there. The sensor moves with the target, remaining within 10 feet of it for the duration. If something can see the sensor, it appears as a luminous orb about the size of your fist. Instead of targeting a creature, you can target a location you have seen. When you do so, the sensor appears at that location and doesn’t move.
Scrying — 5e (2014)
Cleric spell level 5. Edition source.
| Spell | 5th-level divination |
|---|---|
| Casting Time | 10 minutes |
| Range | Self |
| Components | V, S, M (a focus worth at least 1,000 gp, such as a crystal ball, a silver mirror, or a font filled with holy water) |
| Duration | Concentration, up to 10 minutes |
You can see and hear a particular creature you choose that is on the same plane of existence as you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw, which is modified by how well you know the target and the sort of physical connection you have to it. If a target knows you’re casting this spell, it can fail the saving throw voluntarily if it wants to be observed. Knowledge Save Modifier Secondhand (you have heard of the target) +5 Firsthand (you have met the target) +0 Familiar (you know the target well) −5 Connection Save Modifier Likeness or picture −2 Possession or garment −4 Body part, lock of hair, bit of nail, or the like −10 On a successful save, the target isn’t affected, and you can’t use this spell against it again for 24 hours. On a failed save, the spell creates an invisible sensor within 10 feet of the target. You can see and hear through the sensor as if you were there. The sensor moves with the target, remaining within 10 feet of it for the duration. A creature that can see invisible objects sees the sensor as a luminous orb about the size of your fist. Instead of targeting a creature, you can choose a location you have seen before as the target of this spell. When you do, the sensor appears at that location and doesn’t move.
Scrying — Pathfinder 1e
Cleric spell level 5. Edition source.
| School | divination (scrying) |
|---|---|
| Level | bard 3, cleric 5, druid 4, sorcerer/wizard 4 |
| Casting Time | 1 hour |
| Components | V, S, M/DF (a pool of water), F (a silver mirror worth 1,000 gp) |
| Range | see text |
| Area | cone-shaped emanation |
| Duration | 1 min./level |
| Saving Throw | Will negates |
| Spell Resistance | yes |
| Effect | magical sensor |
Base Procedure
Base Procedure
You can sense the presence of evil. The amount of information revealed depends on how long you study a particular area or subject.
1st Round: Presence or absence of evil.
2nd Round: Number of evil auras (creatures, objects, or spells) in the area and the power of the most potent evil aura present.
If you are of good alignment, and the strongest evil aura’s power is overwhelming (see below), and the HD or level of the aura’s source is at least twice your character level, you are stunned for 1 round and the spell ends.
3rd Round: The power and location of each aura. If an aura is outside your line of sight, then you discern its direction but not its exact location.
Aura Power: An evil aura’s power depends on the type of evil creature or object that you’re detecting and its HD, caster level, or (in the case of a cleric) class level; see the table below. If an aura falls into more than one strength category, the spell indicates the stronger of the two.
Lingering Aura: An evil aura lingers after its original source dissipates (in the case of a spell) or is destroyed (in the case of a creature or magic item). If detect evil is cast and directed at such a location, the spell indicates an aura strength of dim (even weaker than a faint aura). How long the aura lingers at this dim level depends on its original power:
| Original Strength | Duration of Lingering Aura |
|---|---|
| Faint | 1d6 rounds |
| Moderate | 1d6 minutes |
| Strong | 1d6 × 10 minutes |
| Overwhelming | 1d6 days |
Animals, traps, poisons, and other potential perils are not evil, and as such this spell does not detect them. Creatures with actively evil intents count as evil creatures for the purpose of this spell.
Each round, you can turn to detect evil 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.
| Creature/Object | Aura Power | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | Faint | Moderate | Strong | Overwhelming | |
| Aligned creature1 (HD) | 4 or lower | 5–10 | 11–25 | 26–50 | 51 or higher |
| Aligned Undead (HD) | — | 2 or lower | 3–8 | 9–20 | 21 or higher |
| Aligned outsider (HD) | — | 1 or lower | 2–4 | 5–10 | 11 or higher |
| Cleric or paladin of an aligned deity2 (class levels) | — | 1 | 2–4 | 5–10 | 11 or higher |
| Aligned magic item or spell (caster level) | 5th or lower | 6th–10th | 11th–15th | 16th–20th | 21st or higher |
| 1 Except for undead and outsiders, which have their own entries on the table. | |||||
| 2 Some characters who are not clerics may radiate an aura of equivalent power. The class description will indicate whether this applies. | |||||
Changes and Additional Effects
Changes for this spell: it detects the auras of chaotic creatures, clerics of chaotic deities, chaotic spells, and chaotic magic items, and you are vulnerable to an overwhelming chaotic aura if you are lawful.
Changes and Additional Effects
You can observe a creature at any distance. If the subject succeeds on a Will save, the spell fails. The difficulty of the save depends on how well your knowledge of the subject and what sort of physical connection (if any) you have to that creature. Furthermore, if the subject is on another plane, it gets a +5 bonus on its Will save.
| Knowledge | Will Save Modifier |
|---|---|
| None* | +10 |
| Secondhand (you have heard of the subject) | +5 |
| Firsthand (you have met the subject) | +0 |
| Familiar (you know the subject well) | –5 |
| Connection | Will Save Modifier |
| Likeness or picture | –2 |
| Possession or garment | –4 |
| Body part, lock of hair, bit of nail, etc. | –10 |
| *You must have some sort of connection (see below) to a creature of which you have no knowledge. | |
If the save fails, you can see and hear the subject and its surroundings (approximately 10 feet in all directions of the subject). If the subject moves, the sensor follows at a speed of up to 150 feet.
As with all divination (scrying) spells, the sensor has your full visual acuity, including any magical effects. In addition, the following spells have a 5% chance per caster level of operating through the sensor: detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, and message.
If the save succeeds, you can’t attempt to scry on that subject again for at least 24 hours.
Scrying — D&D 3.5e
Cleric spell level 5. Edition source.
| School | Divination (Scrying) |
|---|---|
| Level | Brd 3, Clr 5, Drd 4, Sor/Wiz 4 |
| Components | V, S, M/DF, F |
| Casting Time | 1 hour |
| Range | See text |
| Area | Cone-shaped emanation |
| Duration | 1 min./level |
| Saving Throw | Will negates |
| Spell Resistance | Yes |
| Effect | Magical sensor |
Base Procedure
Base Procedure
You can sense the presence of evil. The amount of information revealed depends on how long you study a particular area or subject.
1st Round: Presence or absence of evil.
2nd Round: Number of evil auras (creatures, objects, or spells) in the area and the power of the most potent evil aura present.
If you are of good alignment, and the strongest evil aura’s power is overwhelming (see below), and the HD or level of the aura’s source is at least twice your character level, you are stunned for 1 round and the spell ends.
3rd Round: The power and location of each aura. If an aura is outside your line of sight, then you discern its direction but not its exact location.
Aura Power: An evil aura’s power depends on the type of evil creature or object that you’re detecting and its HD, caster level, or (in the case of a cleric) class level; see the accompanying table. If an aura falls into more than one strength category, the spell indicates the stronger of the two.
| Aura Power | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creature/Object | Faint | Moderate | Strong | Overwhelming |
| Evil creature1(HD) | 10 or lower | 11–25 | 26–50 | 51 or higher |
| Undead (HD) | 2 or lower | 3–8 | 9–20 | 21 or higher |
| Evil outsider (HD) | 1 or lower | 2–4 | 5–10 | 11 or higher |
| Cleric of an evil deity 2(class levels) | 1 | 2–4 | 5–10 | 11 or higher |
| Evil magic item or spell (caster level) | 2nd or lower | 3rd–8th | 9th–20th | 21st or higher |
| 1 Except for undead and outsiders, which have their own entries on the table. | ||||
| 2 Some characters who are not clerics may radiate an aura of equivalent power. The class description will indicate whether this applies. | ||||
Lingering Aura: An evil aura lingers after its original source dissipates (in the case of a spell) or is destroyed (in the case of a creature or magic item). If detect evil is cast and directed at such a location, the spell indicates an aura strength of dim (even weaker than a faint aura). How long the aura lingers at this dim level depends on its original power:
| Original Strength | Duration of Lingering Aura |
|---|---|
| Faint | 1d6 rounds |
| Moderate | 1d6 minutes |
| Strong | 1d6x10 minutes |
| Overwhelming | 1d6 days |
Animals, traps, poisons, and other potential perils are not evil, and as such this spell does not detect them.
Each round, you can turn to detect evil 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.
Changes and Additional Effects
Changes for this spell: it detects the auras of chaotic creatures, clerics of chaotic deities, chaotic spells, and chaotic magic items, and you are vulnerable to an overwhelming chaotic aura if you are lawful.
Changes and Additional Effects
You can see and hear some creature, which may be at any distance. If the subject succeeds on a Will save, the scrying attempt simply fails. The difficulty of the save depends on how well you know the subject and what sort of physical connection (if any) you have to that creature. Furthermore, if the subject is on another plane, it gets a +5 bonus on its Will save.
| Knowledge | Will Save Modifier |
|---|---|
| None1 | +10 |
| Secondhand (you have heard of the subject) | +5 |
| Firsthand (you have met the subject) | +0 |
| Familiar (you know the subject well) | –5 |
| 1 You must have some sort of connection to a creature you have no knowledge of. | |
| Connection | Will Save Modifier |
| Likeness or picture | –2 |
| Possession or garment | –4 |
| Body part, lock of hair, bit of nail, etc. | –10 |
If the save fails, you can see and hear the subject and the subject’s immediate surroundings (approximately 10 feet in all directions of the subject). If the subject moves, the sensor follows at a speed of up to 150 feet.
As with all divination (scrying) spells, the sensor has your full visual acuity, including any magical effects. In addition, the following spells have a 5% chance per caster level of operating through the sensor: detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect magic, and message.
If the save succeeds, you can’t attempt to scry on that subject again for at least 24 hours.
Arcane Material Component: The eye of a hawk, an eagle, or a roc, plus nitric acid, copper, and zinc.
Wizard, Sorcerer, or Bard Focus: A mirror of finely wrought and highly polished silver costing not less than 1,000 gp. The mirror must be at least 2 feet by 4 feet.
Cleric Focus: A holy water font costing not less than 100 gp.
Druid Focus: A natural pool of water.
Rules Sources and Licensing
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