Detect Thoughts

A
Utility

Detect Thoughts is a Utility spell. Utility spells solve problems outside of combat or provide unique situational advantages.

See all Utility spells →
spell that reveals nearby minds, lets you read surface thoughts, and probe deeper into hidden motives with
swift follow-up

Detect Thoughts is a Action Economy spell. Action Economy spells grant you more choices on future turns.

See all Action Economy spells →
insight

Detect Thoughts is a Information spell. Information spells provide ways to transmit, perceive, detect, or reveal hidden or unknown information.

See all Information spells →
.

2024 Rules

Level & School
2nd-level divination
Casting Time
Action
Range
Self
Components
V, S, M (a copper piece)
Duration
Concentration, up to 1 minute
Classes
Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard

You activate one of the effects below. Until the spell ends, you can activate either effect as a Magic action on your later turns.

Sense Thoughts. You sense the presence of thoughts within 30 feet of yourself that belong to creatures that know languages or are telepathic. You don't read the thoughts, but you know that a thinking creature is present.

The spell is blocked by 1 foot of stone, dirt, or wood; 1 inch of metal; or a thin sheet of lead.

Read Thoughts. Target one creature you can see within 30 feet of yourself or one creature within 30 feet of yourself that you detected with the Sense Thoughts option. You learn what is most on the target's mind right now. If the target doesn't know any languages and isn't telepathic, you learn nothing.

As a Magic action on your next turn, you can try to probe deeper into the target's mind. If you probe deeper, the target makes a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, you discern the target's reasoning, emotions, and something that looms large in its mind (such as a worry, love, or hate). On a successful save, the spell ends. Either way, the target knows that you are probing into its mind, and until you shift your attention away from the target's mind, the target can take an action on its turn to make an Intelligence (Arcana) check against your spell save DC, ending the spell on a success.

2014 Rules

Level & School
2nd-level divination
Casting Time
Action
Range
Self
Components
V, S, M (a copper piece)
Duration
Concentration, 1 minute
Classes
Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard

For the duration, you can read the thoughts of certain creatures. When you cast the spell and as your action on each turn until the spell ends, you can focus your mind on any one creature that you can see within 30 feet of you. If the creature you choose has an Intelligence of 3 or lower or doesn't speak any language, the creature is unaffected.

You initially learn the surface thoughts of the creature-what is most on its mind in that moment. As an action, you can either shift your attention to another creature's thoughts or attempt to probe deeper into the same creature's mind. If you probe deeper, the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. If it fails, you gain insight into its reasoning (if any), its emotional state, and something that looms large in its mind (such as something it worries over, loves, or hates). If it succeeds, the spell ends. Either way, the target knows that you are probing into its mind, and unless you shift your attention to another creature's thoughts, the creature can use its action on its turn to make an Intelligence check contested by your Intelligence check; if it succeeds, the spell ends.

Questions verbally directed at the target creature naturally shape the course of its thoughts, so this spell is particularly effective as part of an interrogation.

You can also use this spell to detect the presence of thinking creatures you can't see. When you cast the spell or as your action during the duration, you can search for thoughts within 30 feet of you. The spell can penetrate barriers, but 2 feet of rock, 2 inches of any metal other than lead, or a thin sheet of lead blocks you. You can't detect a creature with an Intelligence of 3 or lower or one that doesn't speak any language.

Once you detect the presence of a creature in this way, you can read its thoughts for the rest of the duration as described above, even if you can't see it, but it must still be within range.

Detect Thoughts 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

Detect Thoughts now also works on telepathic creatures, and the “can’t sense it” cutoff changed to languages/telepathy instead of Int 3 or lower. The barrier limits changed to 1 foot of stone/dirt/wood and 1 inch of metal. Probing deeper now ends with an Intelligence (Arcana) check vs your spell save DC, not a contested Intelligence check.

Detect Thoughts popularity

Detect Thoughts is a commonly chosen level 2 spell. Choosing it adds an established option to your spellbook.

Spells similar to Detect Thoughts

  • Augury 2nd-level divination

    A short, ritual divination that gives you actionable information about immediate choices in a similar investigative, noncombat way.

  • Zone of Truth 2nd-level enchantment

    Both probe the minds or honesty of creatures to extract information and can shape social encounters rather than dealing damage.

  • Clairvoyance 3rd-level divination

    It’s a divination that remotely gathers sensory information over a distance, serving similar scouting and intel-gathering needs.

  • Beast Sense 2nd-level divination

    This spell lets you perceive through another mind, mirroring the idea of sensing or sharing perceptions rather than inflicting effects.

  • Detect Magic 1st-level divination

    A classic self-centered divination that reveals hidden presences within range, functioning as a utility sensory spell like the target.