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Thu Mar 19, 2015 6:25 pm Doppleganger Shapeshifting

Is this an ability that can be detected by magic?

The write-up says nothing that it is a spell-like ability, so my DM and I are debating if it can be 'detected' by a spell or not.

-Lanthorn

Thu Mar 19, 2015 7:21 pm

I think that it is more of a natural effect than a magical one.

Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:05 pm

Fri Mar 20, 2015 1:13 am

It is correct to think of a doppleganger's shapechanging ability as being similar to a chameleon or cuttlefish changing color to blend in. It isn't a magical effect, so detect magic and similar spells will reveal nothing. True seeing is very broad in what it reveals, including "...changed...things...", so a true seeing spell will reveal the true appearance of a doppleganger. As to lesser magics, a know alignment spell may give a clue that a doppleganger is false, if the alignment of the persona the doppleganger has adopted is known. If a doppleganger has also formed items as part of its new form, such as clothing (because it didn't have time to do otherwise), one can always say "Take off your boot.", which it would not be able to do. Wink

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Fri Mar 20, 2015 10:15 am

I'd say this is a natural ability that can't be caught by Detect Magic.

As others have said, there are other ways of finding it out though.

Fri Mar 20, 2015 2:07 pm

Sat Mar 21, 2015 5:40 pm

I agree with the others about it being natural, like the aforementioned chameleon's ability to change color, which the doppleganger must have as part of the shapeshifting I imagine.

Now, the ESP ability you mentioned. It could be psionic, if it's not magical.

Dragon, issue 80 I believe, has that article on dopplegangers. Have you had an opportunity to look at that? Not sure if that will provide any help though.

Sun Mar 22, 2015 7:47 am

I don't think I have Dragon Magazine #80.

Also wondering if the doppleganger's ESP ability can be detected magically...

Thoughts on that?

-Lanthorn

Sun Mar 22, 2015 5:02 pm

Sun Mar 22, 2015 9:25 pm

I prefer it to be a psionic ability too, as a detect magic spell will not detect psionic effects, as psionic effects are non-magical. Dopplegangers are supposed to be insidiously difficult to detect/expose, not able to be revealed using the most rudimentary of spells that nearly every single spellcaster has access to at the start.
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Mon Mar 23, 2015 2:28 pm

Fair enough. I wish the writers/creators made it a bit more clear in the descriptions, especially in later source guide editions.

thanks to all,

-Lanthorn