Magic Circle Against Evil for an already called creature

[incog64]

Can you MAgic circle against a creature that is already "called"? Also is there a way to tell if a creature is "called"?

Thanks

[Duke of Urrel]

Can you Magic Circle against a creature that is already "called"?

I believe the answer to this question is "No."

There are two ways to cast the Magic Circle spells.

1. One is to touch a creature, so that the spell works in a 10-foot radius outward from the creature.

2. The other is to touch a spot on the ground, so that the spell works in a 10-foot radius around this spot but is focused inward rather than outward. After you cast the Magic Circle spell, you can use a Calling spell to conjure an Outsider to appear inside this circle.

You cannot cast a Magic Circle spell upon a creature so that it works inward, so as to capture it, rather than outward, so as to protect it against other creatures. Magic Circle spells are identified as "harmless," so they should not be effective as traps, unless you cast them in exactly the manner that the description of the Magic Circle against Evil spell specifies.

Also is there a way to tell if a creature is "called"?

If you identify a creature as an Outsider with the Extraplanar subtype (which you can do with Knowledge of the Planes skill) and you are presently not on this creature's home plane, then there is a good chance that the creature is here because of either a Summoning spell or a Calling spell.

The Detect Magic spell (or better, the Arcane Sight spell or the Greater Arcane Sight spell) may help you make educated guesses about this creature.

1. If the creature bears a full magic aura that represents the Conjuring school, you can guess that the creature was recently summoned.

2. If the creature bears only a residual magic aura that represents the Conjuring school, you can guess that the creature was recently called.

3. If the creature bears no detectable magic aura at all, then maybe it was called here some time ago, so that even the residue of the Calling spell has already dissipated. Or maybe the creature came here, to the plane of existence that you presently occupy, by some means other than a Summoning or Calling spell.

Post-Script: If you look at the observable effect of an active spell and you make a Spellcraft check at DC 20 plus the spell's spell level, you identify the spell. I believe you can always identify a Summoning spell in this manner. However, you can not always identify a Calling spell in this manner.

A Calling spell works instantaneously, so that after even the lingering residue of the spell has dissipated, there is nothing left to observe, thus nothing left to indicate what spell, if any, has been cast upon the creature at any time in the past. Thus, if there is no longer any residual magic aura around a called creature, your Spellcraft skill has no evidence of magic to work with. Conversely, if a called creature still bears a residual magic aura and you can detect it, then I believe you can make a Spellcraft check to identify the spell that called the creature.

The rules also allow you to make a Spellcraft check at DC 20 plus a spell's spell level to identify materials created or shaped by magic. This spell may even have an instantaneous duration, as the Wall of Iron spell does. So maybe your dungeon master will allow you to use Spellcraft skill to identify a called creature because it is "material" "created" by a Calling spell. I personally disagree that a called creature is "material created by a spell." A Calling spell does not create a creature but merely transports it from one plane of existence to another. Still, I am not your dungeon master, so ... Ask your dungeon master!

[incog64]

I believe the answer to this question is "No."

There are two ways to cast the Magic Circle spells.

1. One is to touch a creature, so that the spell works in a 10-foot radius outward from the creature.

2. The other is to touch a spot on the ground, so that the spell works in a 10-foot radius around this spot but is focused inward rather than outward. After you cast the Magic Circle spell, you can use a Calling spell to conjure an Outsider to appear inside this circle.

You cannot cast a Magic Circle spell upon a creature so that it works inward, so as to capture it, rather than outward, so as to protect it against other creatures. Magic Circle spells are identified as "harmless," so they should not be effective as traps, unless you cast them in exactly the manner that the description of the Magic Circle against Evil spell specifies.




If you identify a creature as an Outsider with the Extraplanar subtype (which you can do with Knowledge of the Planes skill) and you are presently not on this creature's home plane, then there is a good chance that the creature is here because of either a Summoning spell or a Calling spell.

The Detect Magic spell (or better, the Arcane Sight spell or the Greater Arcane Sight spell) may help you make educated guesses about this creature.

1. If the creature bears a full magic aura that represents the Conjuring school, you can guess that the creature was recently summoned.

2. If the creature bears only a residual magic aura that represents the Conjuring school, you can guess that the creature was recently called.

3. If the creature bears no detectable magic aura at all, then maybe it was called here some time ago, so that even the residue of the Calling spell has already dissipated. Or maybe the creature came here, to the plane of existence that you presently occupy, by some means other than a Summoning or Calling spell.

THanks for the insightful response.