Reconnaissance Spells

Reconnaissance spells neither inflict damage nor provide protection, but they serve a vital function in combat by furnishing crucial information in the following ways:

· By revealing the presence of enemies (detect evil)

· By revealing enemy motivations (ESP)

· By revealing enemy actions (clairvoyance)

· By revealing future events (foresight)

· By revealing past events (legend lore)

· By employing supernatural guidance (vision)

Obviously, most Reconnaissance spells come from the school of greater divination, but other schools have them as well, including abjuration (alarm), alteration (comprehend languages and wizard eye), and illusion (magic mirror). Following are some general situations in which a wizard will find Reconnaissance spells particularly useful:

The party is entering an unknown area. The more a party knows about the potential dangers of a previously unexplored castle, jungle, or stretch of enemy-occupied terrain, the better they can cope with whatever they meet. A quick survey of the territory by a wizard using clairvoyance, detect evil, or similar spells can be an effective deterrent against ambushes and other unexpected surprises.

The party is unsure of the enemy's motivations. Not all NPCs are enemies (maybe they are hostile because they assume the PCs are the bad guys), and not all enemies are bent on destroying the party (maybe they are trying to get back to their leader as quickly as possible and the PCs are in their way). A wizard using ESP, know alignment, or similar spells can clarify the motives of NPCs, possibly allowing the party to avoid combat entirely.

The party needs a lookout or a volunteer for guard duty. A wizard armed with spells such as clairaudience, clairvoyance, foresight, and wizard eye makes an excellent lookout. He can also serve as a party's communications officer in combat, keeping track of his companion's actions, tracking the actions of the enemy, and becoming alerted to companions in need of assistance.

The party needs a spy. The wizard who knows a variety of Reconnaissance spells makes a perfect spy, either acting by himself (in which case he should ensure that his chances of being discovered are small, since he has no armor) or in conjunction with a companion who can serve as his bodyguard. Unlike rogues or invisible characters, who are also good candidates for spying missions, a wizard using clairaudience, ESP, and similar spells can gain a lot of information from relatively safe distances.

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