showard@udenva.UUCP (showard) (11/25/85)
There's been some talk about Illusionists lately, and I should start by say-
ing I'm glad that we're talking about game topics and not 60 Minutes.
On to the topic, how to handle illusionist spells:
1. Damage Causing Spells: This includes illusionary monsters, weapons, and
pits, as well as simulations of other spells. Here's how (in my opinion,
natch) the spells work: the illusionist creates a three-dimensional picture
perhaps with sound, heat, smell, and sensurround. The victim perceives this
image and believes it can do him harm. The picture "attacks" the victim,
the victim perceives the attack and suffers mental shock equal to some amount
of the damage the victim expected.
This interpretation makes it impossible for illusionists to cast fireballs,
lightning bolts, etc. as these phenomena occur so fast that the victim would
have no time to perceive the illusion. Besides, if Phantasmal Force could
simulate a fireball, why have a separate spell, Shadow Magic, to do it?
The key word is of course "believes". How to determine this? For NPCs and
Monsters, I use intelligence or wisdom (whichever is higher) and roll a d20
(with situational modifiers if needed). If the d20 is over the ability score
rolled against, then the NPC or monster believes the illusion.
Player characters, on the other hand, must state disbelief AND a reason for
why they disbelieve what they see (We heard that an illusionist lives in this
castle, The monster didn't make any sound, It doesn't look like the dragons
I've seen at all, etc.). Once they touch the illusion in disbelief, it is
dispelled.
2. Static Illusions: This includes bridges, doors, and once again pits.
These illusions, whatever the level of the illusionist and whatever spell (ex-
cept of course for Alter Reality) he cast are still just pictures. You can't
walk on a picture of a bridge, or open a picture of a door and walk through,
no matter how real it looks. Similarly, leaning against an illusionary wall
or walking on an illusionary floor will cause a character to fall through. This
will probably not dispel the illusion, as it was not touched in disbelief (i.e.
the character thought it was real, or he wouldn't have put his weight on it).
On the other hand, if a character says "That wall appeared out of nowhere, so
I think that illusionist cast a spell" and proceeds to charge headlong at the
illusionary wall, it will be dispelled, as he touched it in disbelief.
This has gotten much longer than I'd intended, so I'll end it here.
--Steve Howard
--...udenva!showard
--"So that's what an invisible barrier looks like"