Detect Alignment

You can sense the presence of an alignment. The amount of information revealed depends on how long you study a particular area or subject.

1st round: Presence or absence of alignment.

2nd round: Number of alignment auras (creatures, objects, or spells) in the area and the power of the most potent alignment aura present. If you are of the opposite alignment, and the strongest opposite alignment 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 can discern its direction but not its exact location.

Aura power: An alignment aura's power depends on the type of alignment 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.

For example, as indicated on the table, an evil outsider with 12 HD has an overwhelming aura of alignment. An opposite alignment cleric who casts this spell and directs it at the location of such a creature for longer than 1 round loses the spell and is stunned for 1 round if his character level is 6th or lower. * Except for undead and outsiders, which have their own entries on the table.

** Some characters who are not clerics may radiate an aura of equivalent power. The class description will indicate whether this applies.

Lingering Aura: An alignment 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 Alignment 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:

Animals, traps, poisons, and other potential perils are not alignmnet, and as such this spell does not detect them.

Each round, you can turn to detect alignment 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.