Detect Scent (3.5e Spell)
3e Summary::You can detect and track scents as magical emanations visible to the eye. The amount of information revealed depends on how long you study a particular area and how adept you are with Survival (or Wisdom if you have no ranks in Survial).
Author: PaladinKD
| Divination | |
| Level: | Drd 1, Rgr 1 |
|---|---|
| Components: | V,S |
| Casting time: | 1 Standard Action |
| Range: | Personal |
| Area: | : 60 ft. Cone |
| Duration: | Concentration, up to 10 min/level |
| Saving Throw: | None |
| Spell Resistance: | No |
To find scents or to follow them for 1 mile requires a successful Survival check. You must make another Survival check every time the scents become difficult to follow. You move at half your normal speed (or at your normal speed with a –5 penalty on the check, or at up to twice your normal speed with a –20 penalty on the check). The base DC is 10 and is modified by the prevailing conditions, as given on the table below:
| Per scent that is crossing/mingling with the Targets | +1 (Max +20) |
| Every hour since the scent was present | +1 |
| Scent is Indoors | - 4 |
| Into an area not visible to the eye | +2 |
| Moderate Winds | +1 |
| Strong Winds | +4 |
| Over still water | +1 |
| Over Running Water | +2 |
| Under Water | +5 |
| Particularly Strong Scent | - 4 |
| Scent blocker has been used | . +10 |
The information you can gain depends on your Survival roll and the time you spend studying a scents aura.
- 1st Round: DC10+ Number of scents in a given area. (More than 10 creatures becomes an answer of ‘many’.)
- 2nd Round: DC14+ The times in which the scents crossed the area. AND what sources are currently in the area.
- 3rd Round: DC16+ Type of creature (if familiar with) and direction the trail is going/coming from.
- 4th Round: DC18+ Creatures position within 5 ft. of source. / Ability to identify and catalog a particular individuals scent*
* The creature must be currently present within the area of the spell to catalog their individual scent.
Very Strong odors or multiple scents, may distort or conceal creature scents, acting as a Scent Blocker at the DM’s discretion.
Scent traces linger for varying degrees of time depending upon weather, terrain, regular use and the strength of the original scent. It’s up to the DM to determine when a scent is no longer traceable but the following can be used as a guideline for normal conditions...
| A cleanly humanoid passing | (1d4 days) |
| A dirty humanoid passing by (or) a clean humanoids rest spot | (1d10 days) |
| An average Troglodyte passing by (or) a dirty humanoids rest spot | (2d8 days) |
| A very smelly creature (or) a Troglodytes rest spot | (3d6 days) |
| A creatures long-term home may retain it’s particular scent for months. | |
Each round, you can turn to detect scent in a new area. The spell can penetrate porous barriers like unsealed doors and even small cracks in a stone wall but the caster cannot determine exact position or catalog individual scents through such barriers (though they can identify previously cataloged scents). Combat or damage requires a Concentration check or the spell is ended. Creatures in flight or using the Trackless Step special ability cannot be tracked with this spell (though they can be detected if still within the spells area).
While this spell is active, you gain a -10 to any saving throw against smell-based effects, such as a stinking cloud.
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Complex Special Ability Components → Spells
→ Druid
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Complex Special Ability Components → Spells
→ Ranger