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| Spell Information | |
| Spell level : | Innate level: 5, Cleric: 5, Druid: 7, Sorcerer/Wizard: 6, Other: Knowledge domain 4, Animal domain 4 |
|---|---|
| School : | Divination |
| Components : | Verbal and Somatic |
| Range : | Touch |
| Target/Area : | Single |
| Duration : | 1 min. * cLevel 10 Rounds(cLevel) |
| Save : | Harmless |
| Spell resistance : | No |
Description[]
The target creature can see through sanctuary and invisibility effects, and automatically spots hiding opponents.
Notes[]
Contrary to the in-game description, True Seeing does not assist in any way with the detection of enemies using mundane stealth, such as Hide in Plain Sight, nor does it enable to target to see through illusions (such as Mirror Image), illusionary attacks (such as Phantasmal Killer), illusionary creatures (such as those created by Shades), or reveal secret doors1. It does not allow the target to bypass magical concealment (such as from Displacement or Greater Invisibility).
Essentially, True Seeing grants the target creature the ability to see magically hidden/concealed things as they actually are (and explains what could otherwise be seen as inconsistencies between the spell description and gameplay notes as described above). For example, it allows the target to see through invisibility, sanctuary, ethereal (though they still can not target ethereal opponents) and magical darkness effects. This remains true even if the target is blinded because blindness in game-play almost always comes from the same named spell as a magical effect.
References[]
1 In ACT I, obtaining True Seeing from use of the Caretaker's Veil will reveal secret doors found in the Neverwinter archives, but casting the spell or reading it from a scroll will not. This effect, contrary to the way this spell normally functions, may have been coded into the veil for plot purposes.
PnP Comparison[]
As per the NWN2 implementation, True Seeing will not cause the caster to automatically spot hiding creatures. Below is an excerpt from the description of True Seeing from the Player's Handbook (D&D v.3.5),
"True seeing, however, does not penetrate solid objects. It in no way confers X-ray vision or its equivalent. It does not negate concealment, including that caused by fog and the like. True seeing does not help the viewer see through mundane disguises, spot creatures who are simply hiding, or notice secret doors hidden by mundane means. In addition, the spell effects cannot be further enhanced with known magic, so one cannot use true seeing through a crystal ball or in conjunction with clairaudience/clairvoyance."
True Seeing confers on the subject the ability to "see all things as they actually are." The subject sees through darkness, notices secret doors, and sees through blur, displacement, invisibility as well as through illusions and polymorphed/transmuted things. The subject is also able to see into the ethereal plane. The ability to see through illusions and magical disguises was not implemented in NWN2.