Divination [Cold]
Level: Cleric 1
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 60 ft.
Area: Cone-shaped emanation
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You detect heat energy from normal fire, fire spells, fire magic items, clerics of fire deities, and all living beings other than those with the cold subtype. The amount of information revealed depends on how long you study a particular area or subject.
1st Round: Presence or absence of heat energy.
2nd Round: Number of fire auras (creatures, objects, or spells) in the area and the power of the most potent fire aura present. If you have the cold subtype, and the strongest fire aura’s power is overwhelming (see below), and the HD or level of the aura’s source is at least twice your character level, you are stunned for 1 round and the spell ends.
3rd Round: The power and location of each aura. If an aura is outside your line of sight, then you discern its direction but not its exact location.
Aura Power: An fire aura’s power depends on the type of fire creature or object that you’re detecting and its HD, caster level, or (in the case of a fire deity cleric) class level; see the accompanying table. If an aura falls into more than one strength category, the spell indicates the stronger of the two. For example, as indicated on the table, an fire outsider with 12 HD has an overwhelming aura of fire. A cleric with the cold subtype who casts this spell and directs it at the location of such a creature for longer than 1 round loses the spell and is stunned for 1 round if his character level is 6th or lower.
Living beings without the fire subtype are detected with a heat aura strength of faint only, regardless of level or Hit Dice.
| Creature/Object | Aura Power | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faint | Moderate | Strong | Overwhelming | |
| Fire subtype creature (HD) | 10 or lower | 11–25 | 26–50 | 51 or higher |
| Fire subtype outsider (HD) | 1 or lower | 2–4 | 5–10 | 11 or higher |
| Cleric of a fire deity1 (class levels) | 1 | 2–4 | 5–10 | 11 or higher |
| Fire magic item or spell (caster level) | 2nd or lower | 3rd–8th | 9th–20th | 21st or higher |
| ||||
Lingering Aura: An fire aura lingers after its original source dissipates (in the case of a spell) or is destroyed (in the case of a creature or magic item). If detect fire is cast and directed at such a location, the spell indicates an aura strength of dim (even weaker than a faint aura). How long the aura lingers at this dim level depends on its original power:
| Original Strength | Duration of Lingering Aura |
|---|---|
| Faint | 1d6 rounds |
| Moderate | 1d6 minutes |
| Strong | 1d6×10 minutes |
| Overwhelming | 1d6 days |
Each round, you can turn to detect fire in a new area. The spell can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.
Source: Frostburn, page 92. This is one of the most badly defined spells in this publication, and that’s saying a lot.