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From: prs@aicchi.UUCP (Schmidt)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: Illusionists
Message-ID: <610@aicchi.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 20-Nov-85 01:32:35 EST
Article-I.D.: aicchi.610
Posted: Wed Nov 20 01:32:35 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 21-Nov-85 04:03:19 EST
References: <620@drutx.UUCP>
Organization: Analysts International Corp; Chicago Branch
Lines: 67

This is my first posting to the net ever  so please be patient if I mess 
up a bit.(A lot even! :-))

Sue Brezden writes:
> How do illusionist spells work?  How do you play them?  If an
> illusionist uses Phantasmal Force to make a bridge across a chasm
> for his friends, can they walk on it?  If so, how?  Would the 
> illusionist have to cast it secretly, to avoid disbelief by the other 
> players--leading to a sudden descent? . . .

In Dragon magazine (Issue #66, pg. 31), Tom Armstrong writes,

	" ... the damage taken as a result of belief in an illusory
	 pit, for example, ... is not ACTUAL damage, but 'mental'
	 or 'shock' damage: i.e., damage induced by the believer's mind
	 because the mind 'knew' that the 'fall' would cause harm to
	 the body."

 While I have never DM'ed, I do have many hours of play time to my 
credit and the people I've played with have discussed this at length.
The general consensus was that in order for an illusion to be effective
it must be perceived (i.e., seen/heard/felt/smelt/etc.) by the person
you wish it to affect.  It must also not violate the laws of physics
(real and/or magical).  There is a caveat to this second rule, see below
for an explanation.  This means that if you cast a Phas. Force lightning
bolt into the face of Joe orc, it will quite likely make orc crispies
of him because he THINKS/BELIEVES it does. Now, if Joe happens to be
sleeping at the time it would have no affect whatsoever because Phas.
Force creates an illusion that is exclusively visual (i.e, it must be
seen to work).  Your bridge example wouldn't work with Phas. Force because
even if the characters believe there is a bridge there, their bodies would  
actually fall.  They might even seem to them that they are walking
across the bridge until their bodies are smashed to pieces from the
real, physical damage of falling to the bottom of the chasm.


> I have not seen illusionist spells discussed here, and they seem
> to be the most confusing ones around.  Some of them, the high level
> ones, seem VERY powerful.  (Point and you're dead sorts of things.)
> Any tips on DMing illusionists and/or playing them?  Thanks.

This is where the aforementioned caveat comes into play.  The reason
that the upper level illusionist spells are so powerful is to demonstrate
that the illusionists has become so great as to make their illusions a
reality.(That was a run-on I know!). This is the only point at which an
illusionist spell can violate/change the laws of physics.  To use the
above examples -- If you used an Improved P. Force lightning bolt on
Joe orc, he wouldn't need to be looking at you for the spells to zap
him because IPF has an audio component as well so he could hear the bolt.
Even better still, the 3rd level Spectral Force might even kill Joe whilst
he slept because it has a thermal component ast well.  As for the bridge
scenario,  while PF wouldn't work an Alter Reality (7th level, probably
the most powerful Illusionist spell there is) would because it changes
the actual physical reality upon which it is cast.

	This turned out to be a little longer an less coherent than I
wanted it to be but like I said this is my first attempt at posting news.
I hoped it helped.

					Paul R. Schmidt
					ihnp4!aicchi!prs

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