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From: mwe@astrovax.UUCP (Web Ewell)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: Re: RE: How do you DM an illusionist - (nf)
Message-ID: <159@astrovax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 1-Dec-83 15:21:33 EST
Article-I.D.: astrovax.159
Posted: Thu Dec  1 15:21:33 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 3-Dec-83 12:23:42 EST
References: <2594@hp-pcd.UUCP>
Organization: Princeton Univ. Astrophysics
Lines: 21

No one has yet expressed the opinion that the Gygax definition of an
illusion is simply too powerful, so I'll come down on that side of the
wall. (Whether I'm inside or outside is left as an exercise to the
reader :-)). How you DM an illusion of course depends on the rationale
for your magic system. In my world, an illusion is simply a visual
deception (add other senses if more powerful) that can have NO PHYSICAL
EFFECTS. If you touch an illusory wall, your hand goes through it, 
whether or not you had any notion that it was an illusion. This
means that illusionists can only accomplish things by bluff and misdirection.
You either have to scare off the bad guys, or misdirect their attack, etc.
This seems to be much more in keeping with the concept of illusionists,
and in my opinion does not make them effectively powerless. Then again,
I don't use the tactical nuclear AD&D magic system, so balance is not that
much of a problem. I'll post more details if anyone else is interested in
strictly non-physical illusions.

Oh yes: AD&D and Gygax are trademarks of TSR Hobbies, Inc.

-- 
Web Ewell	Princeton Univ. Astrophysics
{allegra,akgua,burl,cbosgd,decvax,ihnp4,kpno,princeton}!astrovax!mwe