[RPG] Why does detect magic last more than 3 rounds

pathfinder-1espells

The spell "detect magic" lasts for 1 minute/level.
It says:

You detect magic items and spells, or identify a magic item. On the
round you cast it, you sense if any are in range. On round 2, you
know how many there are. On round 3, you know exactly which
things are magic. If cast on a magic item, you learn its powers.

But It does not make sense: for my level 1 cleric the duration is one minute (1/1 right?). 3 rounds are 18 seconds. I don't get this. Does it mean that I need to take 4 rounds (72 seconds) just to make the first step of the spell? Or am I doing it wrong?

Best Answer

The duration on Detect Magic is a bit more detailed then that:

concentration, up to 1 min./level (D)

In order to use it, you have to keep concentrating. The more rounds you concentrate on a given target area or subject, you get more information as detailed in the spell.

You can turn to another target area or subject, and so long as you keep concentrating the spell lasts the full duration. But the information you get on the new target will depend on how many rounds you concentrate on it.

At level 1 you have 10 rounds maximum, so you could do the full 3 round duration on a sword, then 3 more on a shield, then 3 more on Bob the Barbarian, then 1 round on something else (with just one round looking at something, you get less information, as described in the spell).