Taking a Closer Look at Illusion Spells (in Pathfinder)

A while back I wrote a post titled Illusion Spells Are Far More Tactical Than We Give Them Credit For. While a lot of folks came away from that article with a new-found interest in this school of magic, a lot of people insisted that I was wrong on a fundamental level about just how useless this school of magic is in Pathfinder. As such, I wanted to take this week's update to talk about some of the incorrect assumptions a lot of us go into the game with when it comes to these spells.

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Understanding Illusion

Illusion is one of the more complicated schools of magic, because it isn't just one thing. Illusion spells are broken down into the following categories:

- Figment: Figments create illusory sensations. Everyone who sees a figment, hears a figment, etc., experiences the same thing. Figment food all seems to be the same food to observers, figment fire feels the same to those around it, and so on.

- Glamer: Glamers change and alter something's sensory quality. It makes something look, feel, smell, etc., different. This includes making things disappear.

- Pattern: Patterns create things people can see, but patterns affect the mind directly so that the image doesn't appear in reality.

- Phantasm: Phantasms create images that, typically, only the caster and the subject can see. This also reaches directly into the subject's mind.

- Shadow: Shadow illusions are quasi-real. So even if someone makes the save against a shadow illusion, a shadow creature can still hurt them, a shadow fire still burn them, etc., just not as badly.

Your world is what I want it to be.

As you can see, only two types of illusions (phantasms and patterns) directly affect the minds of enemies. So the most common complaint against illusions, them being they're useless against foes like constructs and mindless undead who are immune to mind effects, applies to only two of the five types of illusion spells. So you could still use shadow, glamer, and figment effects against those enemies.

The other thing to keep in mind is that saving against an illusion isn't done by just causally glancing at it, or hearing an illusory noise. An observer has to study the effect with some kind of focus, or otherwise interact with it in some way. That might mean running their hands over an illusory wall, standing and listening to the approaching snarls of a hellhound to realize it's on a loop, or putting their foot into an illusory fire. And even if a creature does interact with an illusion, that doesn't mean it immediately breaks... an illusionist with a good casting stat, feats to boost the DC of their spells, etc., can create illusions that fool all but the strongest of minds.

While there are lots of things that can give away an illusion, such as it not having a smell if a target has scent, or it not making any impact on the floor if a target has tremorsense, those tend to be specific scenarios that can be dealt with on an individual basis. And while true seeing allows one to see through illusions, that's either a 6th or 7th level spell, or a very rare creature ability. It's entirely possible to go a full campaign, and never once deal with a foe who has that ability... and when it does happen, that's when the illusionist reaches deeper into their bag of tricks for some non-illusory spells, or counts on the rest of the party to pick up the slack.

It's All About Creativity

Of all the spells in Pathfinder, illusions are the ones that are most left up to the spellcaster's creativity in terms of what they look like, smell like, etc. And a large part of their success is going to be based on how well your imagination can fit the scene, and what sorts of things you can spin out of thin air.

Illusions can create amazing disguises for the party, allowing them to look like a squad of prison guards while they're in the middle of an escape. It can create billowing clouds of smoke to hide the party from archers trying to draw a bead on them. It can create false darkness, blocking enemies' ability to see. Illusionists can even make things like ropes, bridges, bars, and more that are woven through with shadow, allowing them to support the party's weight long enough to get them to the other side of a chasm, or to help them get down from a high wall.

The question you face, as an illusionist, is how creative you can be. Because if you've got that, then the rest is just figuring out the best way to match the image in your mind to the spells you can drop on the board.

Before You Go, I Have a New Release!

There's not really a good segue for this, but I wanted to let my readers know that a supplement I've been waiting on has finally dropped! The third installment in what I've been calling my meta series, it began with 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better Game Master, and then followed up with 100 Character Goals and Motivations. But now I've got the third part of it out... 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better RPG Player!

I wouldn't have written it if I didn't think there were folks who needed it.

Much like the supplement that started this side series off, this player's guide is full of some of the best tips and tricks I've come across over the past decade of writing this blog, along with all my own experiences as a player. So whether you've found these supplements useful and want to check out the new installment, or this is your first time hearing about them, consider giving these books a look!

And if you've already got your copies, don't forget to rate, review, and share it around to spread the word! I've only managed to get two of them to Silver so far, and I'd like to push past Electrum and up into Gold if possible.

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That's all for this week's Crunch topic! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio! Or if you'd like to read some of my books, like my alley cat noir novel Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well! And if you'd like to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little bit of help can go a long way, trust me on that one.

Illusion Spells Are Far More Tactical Than We Give Them Credit For

When we think of magic, we tend to picture the big, flashy spells first; lightning bolts, mind control, walls of fire, and raising the dead to do our bidding. The spells a lot of us ignore, though, are illusions. After all, outside of disguising the party to look like guards or townsfolk during a stealth mission, becoming invisible, or creating the occasional distraction, what is illusion good for, anyway?

Well, if you're creative with it, this particular school of magic can be a literal game changer.

May not be real, but it sure is effective.

While the following tips are geared toward Pathfinder, make sure you read the fine print in your particular edition. You may find that the power level of illusion is something you underestimated in a lot of other games, too.

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Wasting The Enemy's Time, Energy, and Resources

Illusionists are never going to deal the most damage in a combat situation. That role will go to the sorcerers and evokers if we're talking about spellcasters, or to the fighters, rangers, and barbarians overall. Actually putting the hurt on the enemy isn't an illusionist's job once initiative is rolled... it's ensuring that the enemy can't make sound tactical decisions because you have limited their options.

What do you mean there's no gunships? I can SEE them!

Take, for example, one of the most basic illusion spells; silent image. This spell allows you to create a rather large illusion that takes up several 10-foot squares even at a low level. Even better, you can make larger and larger illusions as you go up in level. Now say there are archers up on the hill, and they're preparing to tear apart your allies with a vicious volley... you have the ability to conjure an illusory wall between them and your allies. While the wall isn't real it will block their ability to see. This gives your allies a 50% miss chance, and if they step out of the squares they were in before the wall manifested then the archers are essentially firing blind. While the wall won't stop any projectiles, or hinder movement, it is an effective protection that enemies would have to interact with in order to disbelieve it.

For a 1st-level spell, that's not nothing.

This mindset can put a lot of other illusion spells into a different perspective for many players. For example, minor image might be able to conjure an image of a warrior about to strike that would fool a mindless undead, or distract a goblin from a fellow PC. Even if they just waste one turn attacking that smoke and mirrors, that's one turn their actions didn't harm your party. And if they fail a save after interacting with it, then hoo boy, your illusion can eat up several rounds of that enemy's efforts as they try to fight something that isn't even there while your allies seize the advantage.

While bigger illusion spells may be quasi-real in the case of shadow effects, or impose negatives on those who fail saves against them (like you see with illusory poison or wall of nausea), the way to get the most out of them in a tactical situation is to make sure they waste as much of the enemy's time (or suck up as many of their resources) as possible. Even if it's just putting a misty barrier between an ally and the enemies surrounding them that can cut off flanks, grant concealment, and buy the ally some much-needed relief as they try to do their job.

Because while mirror image and invisibility spells are useful, and phantasmal killer is always going to be classic, your real job is to ensure the enemies are swinging, shooting, and casting at things that aren't really there. Because they have to interact with the illusion to know it isn't real, and that buys you and your allies time.

Assuming, that is, you don't use your illusions to avoid combat in the first place by turning invisible and getting the guards to chase figments that look like you and the party down a side corridor.

Weaknesses to Watch Out For

While illusions are more useful than a lot of us give them credit for, they're also a nuanced school of magic that has a lot of holes in it. Illusions come in many different shapes and sizes, and with a lot of different labels. Some are mind-affecting, and some aren't. Some are patterns, some are shadows, and some are figments. It's important to read them carefully so that you know which ones are going to be effective on which enemies, and in what situations.

Additionally, creatures that have alternative senses simply aren't going to be affected by certain illusions. A blind creature with tremorsense, for instance, isn't going to react to a purely visual illusion. A creature who tracks by scent, or by hearing, won't react to an illusion with no smell or sound respectively. Any creatures with true sight are going to look right past anything that isn't real (a major concern for later in the game), and spell resistance is going to be an issue for a lot of creatures.

None of these are deal breakers, of course. It's simply important to know and understand what the strengths and limitations of your spells are before you go too deep into using your special effects to alter the battlefield in favor of your friends.

Check Out Some Gaming Stories!

For folks who haven't been keeping up on my recent changes, I've been largely hosting my Table Talk feature on Vocal, rather than here on Improved Initiative. I talked about this a bit ago in You're Not Missing My Updates (They're Over on Vocal). The short version is that Vocal pays a lot more than my blog does, and I'm trying to capitalize on that as much as I can... but it's tough getting eyeballs and fighting the algorithm. So take a moment to check out some of the following pieces!

- Game Masters Shouldn't Leave Players Twisting in The Breeze (A Red Flags Story)

- Silver Raven Chronicles Part One: Devil's Night

- Silver Raven Chronicles Part Two: From The Ashes

- Silver Raven Chronicles Part Three: The Raven's Nest

Any reads and shares are much appreciated. And, of course, the more traction particular articles get, the more likely it is I'll write more like them in the future. So if you see something you like, help me spread the word on it!

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That's all for this week's Crunch topic! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio! Or if you'd like to read some of my books, like my alley cat noir novel Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well! And if you'd like to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little bit of help can go a long way, trust me on that one.

The Escaped Slave Wizard

There is no denying the power of the written word. Education opens doors, and makes things previously thought impossible into a reality. In fact, the right words can often be what sets you free. Especially if you happen to be a wizard, and no one around you suspects it.

Clearly a wizard.

Former slaves become adventurers all the time, but it tends to be a background we associate with martial characters. Barbarians and fighters may be former gladiators, or trained soldiers who fought so their masters wouldn't have to (speaking of, check out my character conversion for The Unsullied). Slaves who picked their own locks might become rogues (as we see in my Harriet Tubman character conversion), and those who hid in the forests or deserts from pursuers might take levels of ranger. In some cases a slave might be a sorcerer, whose powers awaken unexpectedly, which he then uses to escape his bondage.

But rarely do we give this background to wizards. Because, after all, wizards have to train and study intensively. They need to practice, and practice, and practice to get their gestures, words, and magic just right. Something that's hard enough to do under regular circumstances, and nearly impossible to do if you're in the fields working the land, carrying stones, or doing any other sort of forced labor.

The Words of "Nightjohn"

When I was in middle school, my teacher read us the book Nightjohn by Gary Paulsen. For those of you who don't know the book, it takes place on a plantation in the pre-Civil War south. Not a nice place to be, especially if you are one of the people who make up the enslaved workforce. While I don't remember all of the book, I do recall an exchange between our protagonist, and a recently-arrived slave who is the Nightjohn of the book's title. It goes something like this:

John: "I can trade you for some of that."

Lead: "Trade me what? When they brought you in here you was naked as the day you was born."

John: "Girl, I can read. And I'll teach you."

Libraries are dangerous places, as any adventurer knows.

 

Though the rest of the details have escaped me, that scenario is one that could make a compelling wizard. You were just another slave, until a fateful meeting. Perhaps you were allowed to play with the master's children, and they taught you some of their parlor tricks. Your owners, infuriated, made sure you were kept far in the fields, and worked hard, but you never forgot what you learned. Maybe you snuck into the house on pretenses, and made off with old copies of the son's lessons. Perhaps you heard his instruction, crouching beneath a window. Or, it's possible that your teacher is, as in Nightjohn, one of your fellow slaves. He no longer has his spellbook, perhaps, but he still has his knowledge. Knowledge that, if imparted, may present opportunity.

What Kind of Wizard Would You Be?

This concept could be used for every school of magic. Did you find you have a knack for evocation, blasting off your chains and burning down your master's home? Or did enchantment come more easily to you, allowing you to simply ask your owners to unlock your chains so you could walk away? Did you create illusions to make them think you were all still in the field while you were really making a break for it? Or did you conjure allies from the ether, creating chaos in what had been an orderly world?

The other question you need to answer, though, is what did you do with your freedom? Did you enhance your learning? And to what purpose? Did you walk away, panting and relieved, or did you go back to give freedom to all those who didn't come with you?

If you're looking for further inspiration, check out 5 Tips For Playing Better Wizards!

Like, Follow, and Stay Tuned For More!

That's all for this installment of Unusual Character Concepts. Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a game master.

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my alley cat noir novel Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my most recent collection of short stories The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!