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From: otto@whuxle.UUCP (George V.E. Otto)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Illusionist spells
Message-ID: <506@whuxle.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 5-Jul-84 13:20:22 EDT
Article-I.D.: whuxle.506
Posted: Thu Jul  5 13:20:22 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 6-Jul-84 01:14:44 EDT
Organization: Bell Labs, Whippany
Lines: 56


There have been some interesting discussion about illusions and how to
handle them in the Dragon magazine.  I agree that the illusionist spells are
the least well thought out and the hardest to play.  One question I have has
to do with the amount of light an illusionist spell can create.  It seems
reasonable to me that the lower illusionist spells (including the cantrips)
would have some restrictions placed upon them about how much light they
could introduce into the situation.  What if a low-level illusionist created
(with the Two-D'lusion cantrip, for example) the illusion of a torch in an
otherwise darkened room.  Do those who disbelieve see only darkness while
those who believe see the room lit up?   Is the light a real enough emission
of the illusion? or is it only suggested to observers but without the
property to illuminate other objects?

When it comes to how to handle the disbelief of spells, I use the table
presented on page 33 of Dragon #66.  It gives adjustments to the saving
throw of basic illusion spells based on the intelligence of the person
affected.  The article also argues that the concept of familiarity should
also be included, i.e., if an illusionist is trying to create the illusion
of something not directly experienced by the illusionist then more penalties
should be applied.

In the table there is more of a penalty for Phantasmal Force because it
lacks sound, etc.  I reproduce the table below.

		Phat.		Imp. Ph.	Spectral
	int	Force		Force		Force
	0	na		na		na
	1	+4		+3		+2
	2-4	+3		+2		+1
	5-7	+3		+2		0
	8-10	+2		+1		0
	11-12	+3		+1		0
	13-14	+3		+2		0
	15-16	+4		+2		+1
	17-18	+4		+3		+1
	19	na		+3		+2
	20	na		na		+3
	21-25	na		na		na

Please note that the intelligence most affected by the illusion spells is
8-10.  Those smarter than that or dumber are less affected.  The "na" in the
table means "not applicable."

As to how to handle the problem of finding out if a player detects the
illusion without signalling to the party that something is happening, I ask
for a list of roles from the party before the play begins.  Thus I have a
list of d6, d10, and d20 roles from each member that I can consult at key
moments.  When the party enters a room with an illusion in it, I consult the
d20 roles to see if they detect the illusion (including any adjustments such
as the table above).  If anyone detects the illusion, I send him or her a
note.

					George Otto
					AT&T Bell Labs, Whippany
					------------------------