what's the point of scrolls / potions of detect thoughts?

[TamTroll]

Doesn't the tadpole give is infinite uses of that ability?

[Beytran70]

You can only use your tadpole once per long rest I believe.

[Jolly Devil]

If you don't use the tadpole then those abilities won't work. A barbarian can't learn detect thoughts, so using a scroll can be a good method in a pinch.

[OnlyOffensive]

you can only connect tadpole to other tadpole users, but there is much more opportunities for detect thoughts on "normal" npcs

[TamTroll]

pretty sure I've used the tadpole to detect thoughts on multiple non-true-souls though. like, i used it on multiple goblins in the same day.

[Dr.Fumetastic]

Originally posted by TamTroll:

pretty sure I've used the tadpole to detect thoughts on multiple non-true-souls though. like, i used it on multiple goblins in the same day.

Those are specifically marked by the cult with their brand. (The one where the narrator says authority).
Even then you cannot read their minds. You can only order them around without the ability to detect thoughts.
Regular NPC's are not affected by the tadpole and you need detect thoughts to read their minds.

[TamTroll]

Originally posted by Dr.Fumetastic:

Originally posted by TamTroll:

pretty sure I've used the tadpole to detect thoughts on multiple non-true-souls though. like, i used it on multiple goblins in the same day.

Those are specifically marked by the cult with their brand. (The one where the narrator says authority).
Even then you cannot read their minds. You can only order them around without the ability to detect thoughts.
Regular NPC's are not affected by the tadpole and you need detect thoughts to read their minds.

no this was definitely detect thoughts. i was able to detect that the blue-pants goblin loved poety, and i'm pretty sure i was also able to use it on the "Chicken game" goblin, possibly the owlbear cub, and the Goblin who imprisoned Volo. And i think maybe something with the Goblin reading Volo's book too. All without doing any kind of "Detect thoughts" spell anytime recently.

The one time i did anything with the spell was drink a "Detect thoughts" potion shortly before meeting Astarian, which might explain why i was able to detect the thoughts of Kagha.

Pretty sure i was able to detect the thoughts of some of the Duegar in the Underdark, as well as Omeluum too, all without the potion.

[⇧⇨⇩⇩⇩]

Originally posted by TamTroll:

Originally posted by Dr.Fumetastic:

Those are specifically marked by the cult with their brand. (The one where the narrator says authority).
Even then you cannot read their minds. You can only order them around without the ability to detect thoughts.
Regular NPC's are not affected by the tadpole and you need detect thoughts to read their minds.

no this was definitely detect thoughts. i was able to detect that the blue-pants goblin loved poety, and i'm pretty sure i was also able to use it on the "Chicken game" goblin, possibly the owlbear cub, and the Goblin who imprisoned Volo. And i think maybe something with the Goblin reading Volo's book too. All without doing any kind of "Detect thoughts" spell anytime recently.

The one time i did anything with the spell was drink a "Detect thoughts" potion shortly before meeting Astarian, which might explain why i was able to detect the thoughts of Kagha.

Pretty sure i was able to detect the thoughts of some of the Duegar in the Underdark, as well as Omeluum too, all without the potion.

Omeluum is a mindflayer lol, he litterally exists in his current form because of a tadpole. XD

[PirateGal8]

detect thots is a good spell!

[TamTroll]

Originally posted by morrganstain:

Omeluum is a mindflayer lol, he litterally exists in his current form because of a tadpole. XD

Well yes, but that can't be said for literally every other example.

I'm getting detect thoughts for free here, it's not on every NPC mind you, but it's coming up often enough, and I've only ever had the one potion of the spell at the very start.

[⇧⇨⇩⇩⇩]

Originally posted by TamTroll:

Originally posted by morrganstain:

Omeluum is a mindflayer lol, he litterally exists in his current form because of a tadpole. XD

Well yes, but that can't be said for literally every other example.

I'm getting detect thoughts for free here, it's not on every NPC mind you, but it's coming up often enough, and I've only ever had the one potion of the spell at the very start.

Sure, detect thought and using the tadpole offers some different dialogue stuff tho. If you think they are the same you just havnt explored the game properly.

[TamTroll]

Originally posted by morrganstain:

Originally posted by TamTroll:

Well yes, but that can't be said for literally every other example.

I'm getting detect thoughts for free here, it's not on every NPC mind you, but it's coming up often enough, and I've only ever had the one potion of the spell at the very start.

Sure, detect thought and using the tadpole offers some different dialogue stuff tho. If you think they are the same you just havnt explored the game properly.

i mean it literally says [Detect thoughts] on the dialogue option that leads to me reading their mind.

I'm not sure how that could be any more explicitly clear that this is detecting thoughts.

[Empath demon]

I think when you are offered the detect thoughts option, sometimes it's asking if you want to use a potion. you may be using them automatically without realizing it?

[Forblaze]

Originally posted by TamTroll:

i mean it literally says [Detect thoughts] on the dialogue option that leads to me reading their mind.

I'm not sure how that could be any more explicitly clear that this is detecting thoughts.

It's automatically consuming a scroll or potion in your inventory to allow you to do this.

[TamTroll]

Originally posted by Forblaze:

Originally posted by TamTroll:

i mean it literally says [Detect thoughts] on the dialogue option that leads to me reading their mind.

I'm not sure how that could be any more explicitly clear that this is detecting thoughts.

It's automatically consuming a scroll or potion in your inventory to allow you to do this.

oohhh, that makes sense then.

[Ghost from warp]

Spell require concentration I believe, potion do not and works till long rest.