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Arcane Eye

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Arcane Eye
  • Level: 4
  • School: Divination
  • Class: Wizard
  • Casting Time: Action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a bit of bat fur)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

You create an Invisible, invulnerable eye within range that hovers for the duration. You mentally receive visual information from the eye, which can see in every direction. It also has Darkvision with a range of 30 feet.

As a Bonus Action, you can move the eye up to 30 feet in any direction. A solid barrier blocks the eye's movement, but the eye can pass through an opening as small as 1 inch in diameter.

Tactical Usage​

When to Choose Arcane Eye:

  • Essential for scouting dangerous areas before party entry
  • Excellent for tracking enemies or monitoring strategic locations
  • Strong choice for gathering intelligence during stealth missions
  • Valuable for maintaining surveillance while remaining hidden

Movement Strategy:

  • 30 feet per bonus action allows rapid exploration
  • Can pass through 1-inch openings for access to restricted areas
  • Invisible and invulnerable nature provides perfect safety
  • Plan efficient routes to maximize area coverage

Information Gathering:

  • 360-degree vision provides complete environmental awareness
  • Darkvision extends utility into underground or nighttime scenarios
  • Silent observation prevents detection during reconnaissance
  • Duration allows extended surveillance operations

Spell Combinations​

Reconnaissance Synergies:

  • Message: Communicate findings to distant party members
  • Sending: Report discoveries across vast distances
  • Invisibility: Keep yourself hidden while controlling the eye
  • Detect Magic: Combine with eye for magical reconnaissance

Tactical Coordination:

  • Suggestion: Influence behavior based on observed information
  • Misty Step: Quickly relocate based on eye's discoveries
  • Counterspell: Ready to counter threats the eye reveals
  • Alarm: Set up early warning systems in observed areas

Material Component Details​

Bit of Bat Fur:

  • Availability: Natural caves, attics, or from animal handlers
  • Cost: Minimal (few copper pieces)
  • Symbolism: Bats' exceptional sensory capabilities and flight
  • Preparation: Small amount needed, easily stored

Roleplay Opportunities:

  • Describe the eye's bat-like sensory capabilities
  • Reference the connection between nocturnal vision and magic
  • Use component as connection to natural surveillance methods
  • Emphasize the spell's relationship with creature abilities

Creator Notes​

Adjudication Guidance:

  • Eye is completely invulnerable to all damage and effects
  • Invisible means it can't be seen by normal vision
  • Can see in all directions simultaneously, not just forward
  • Solid barriers block movement but not vision through openings

Encounter Design Considerations:

  • Provides players with significant tactical advantages
  • NPCs can use this for realistic intelligence gathering
  • Creates opportunities for discovery and revelation moments
  • Consider magical detection methods enemies might employ

Balancing Notes:

  • 4th-level slot cost appropriate for powerful reconnaissance
  • Concentration requirement limits simultaneous magical options
  • 1-hour duration covers most tactical scenarios
  • Invulnerability prevents easy counter-strategies

Environmental Interactions​

Movement Limitations:

  • Cannot pass through solid barriers thicker than 1 inch
  • Unaffected by wind, weather, or environmental hazards
  • Can hover at any height within movement range
  • Follows normal physics for opening traversal

Detection Considerations:

  • Invisible to normal sight but may be detected by magical means
  • True Seeing and similar effects can reveal the eye
  • Detect Magic might reveal its presence as a magical aura
  • Some creatures have special senses that might notice it

Surveillance Applications:

  • Perfect for observing enemy camps or fortifications
  • Useful for monitoring ritual casting or important ceremonies
  • Can track moving targets from safe distance
  • Ideal for verifying information from other sources

Common Rulings & Clarifications​

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Can the eye see through walls or other solid barriers? A: No, it needs line of sight just like normal vision, but can peek through small openings.

Q: Can the eye be detected by Detect Magic? A: Yes, it radiates divination magic and can be detected.

Q: What happens if I lose concentration while the eye is far away? A: The eye disappears immediately, regardless of distance.

Q: Can the eye see invisible creatures? A: No, unless they have special sight abilities like True Seeing.

Alternative Applications​

Non-Combat Uses:

  • Archaeological Exploration: Survey dangerous ruins safely
  • Urban Surveillance: Monitor suspects or gather evidence
  • Diplomatic Intelligence: Observe negotiations or meetings
  • Construction Planning: Survey building sites and structural details

Creative Problem-Solving:

  • Scout ahead for traps and hazards
  • Verify the contents of locked or dangerous containers
  • Track the movements of important NPCs
  • Gather evidence for legal proceedings

Divination Magic:

  • Clairvoyance: Similar remote viewing with different mechanics
  • Scrying: Observe distant creatures or locations
  • Locate Creature: Track specific individuals
  • Detect Thoughts: Read minds from a distance

Surveillance Alternatives:

  • Find Familiar: Permanent scout with different capabilities
  • Invisible Stalker: Physical scout that can interact with environment
  • Animal Messenger: Living courier for information gathering
  • Sending: Direct communication across distances

4th-Level Alternatives:

  • Greater Invisibility: Personal stealth enhancement
  • Dimension Door: Tactical positioning magic
  • Polymorph: Transformation for infiltration
  • Locate Creature: Targeted tracking magic

Scaling Analysis​

Level Progression:

  • Early Access (Level 7): Significant tactical advantage for mid-level play
  • Mid Game (Levels 9-15): Remains valuable for strategic planning
  • Late Game (Levels 17+): Situational but still useful for specific scenarios

Tactical Evolution:

  • Early Use: Primary reconnaissance tool for dangerous areas
  • Advanced Applications: Component of complex intelligence operations
  • Master Level: Coordination with party for maximum tactical advantage

Long-Term Viability:

  • Information gathering never becomes obsolete
  • Concentration cost becomes more significant at higher levels
  • Competing with more powerful divination options
  • Essential tool for characters focused on intelligence and planning

Narrative Flavor​

Extended Description: You carefully place the fragment of bat fur between your palms as you speak the incantation, feeling the essence of nocturnal sight flowing through your hands. With a subtle gesture, an invisible eye materializes in the air before you—a magical organ of pure perception that hovers silently, awaiting your mental commands. Through this mystical connection, you suddenly possess the ability to see from two perspectives simultaneously, your consciousness split between your physical location and your floating sentinel.

Sensory Details:

  • Visual: Dual perspective creating slight disorientation
  • Mental: Awareness of remote location through magical connection
  • Magical: Sense of extended consciousness and enhanced perception
  • Spatial: Unusual perspective of viewing areas from above or unusual angles

Cultural Context: Many wizards consider the Arcane Eye to be one of the most elegant expressions of divination magic, representing the scholarly pursuit of knowledge and understanding. The spell embodies the wizard's role as observer and chronicler, gathering information that shapes both tactical decisions and scholarly understanding of the world.