Anything is possible with Illusion magic—or, rather, anything seems possible.
A tradition steeped in artifice and subterfuge, Illusion spells fool the senses, causing creatures to see, hear, smell, taste, and feel things that aren’t real. The potency of Illusion magic is such that although it traffics in the unreal, people affected by the spells perceive the illusions as if they were real, often to their detriment.
Some people deride students of the tradition, calling them fantasists, fakers, and swindlers, but few can help but marvel at the wonders they can create with a wave of the hand. Illusionists can create a monster from threads of magic or use those same spells to create walls of fire or steel-clad henchmen or to conceal a yawning pit. They can alter the cut and color of their clothing with a gesture, or conceal the taste of poison that darkens the king’s cup. They create their own realities, and that’s just the way they like it.
The Illusion tradition most likely has its origin with the faeries, since those immortals often make use of such spells to deceive and mislead their foes. Its utility and flexibility have caused it to spread across the continent, and magic-users of all walks and backgrounds benefit from discovering it and learning its spells.
Clamor
Target One point in space within medium range
Duration 1 minute
The target point emits sound you choose for the duration. This can be noise or speech in a language you know, and its volume can range from as quiet as a whisper to as loud as thunder. For the duration, you can change the sound as you wish to mimic effects such as the clash of blades, a conversation, or the approach or retreat of footsteps.
Conceal Object
Target One Size 1/2 or smaller object within short range
Duration 1 minute
You cause the object to become hidden for the duration. When a creature would encounter the target through one of its senses, such as by touching it or seeing it, the creature must make a Perception challenge roll with 1 bane. On a success, the creature can perceive the object as normal. On a failure, the creature cannot perceive the object until the spell ends.
Sacrifice When a creature you can see attacks you, you can use a triggered action and expend a casting of this spell to impose 1 bane on the triggering attack roll.
Disguise
Target One creature you can reach
Duration 1 hour
You touch the target and confer an illusory disguise that lasts for the duration. You decide what the disguise looks like. You can increase or decrease the target’s apparent height or weight by up to 25 percent. You can change the appearance of the target’s clothing and equipment, though the effect does not mask any sounds it normally makes.
Flash/Bang
Triggered You can use a triggered action on your turn to cast this spell. After a flash and a bang, smoke fills your space, totally obscuring it for 1 round.
Obscuring Cloud
Area A 2-yard-radius sphere centered on a point in your space
Duration 1 minute
A billowing cloud of smoke in a color you choose spreads out to heavily obscure the area. The smoke remains for the duration or until dispersed by wind.
Triggered On your turn, you can use a triggered action to cast this spell.
Befuddle
Target One creature within short range
You weave minor illusions around the target that leave it reeling. Make an Intellect attack roll against the target’s Perception. On a success, the target makes Perception rolls with 3 banes for 1 minute, and during this time it also grants 1 boon on attack rolls made against it.
Attack Roll 20+ The target also falls prone.
Delusion
Target One creature you can see within short range
You fill the target’s mind with false belief about its capabilities. Choose one of the following effects:
- You enable the target to speak, read, or write a language it does not know or gain a profession it does not have. The effect lasts for 1 hour.
- The target becomes impaired for 1 minute.
Figment
Area A cube, 2 yards on a side, originating from a point you can see within short range
Duration 1 hour; see the effect
A silent visual illusion of a creature, object, or force appears in the area. If you create an illusion of a creature, it moves and behaves in a lifelike manner for the duration. If the illusion is attacked, or if you cannot see it at the end of the round, the effect ends immediately.
Kindred Soul
Duration 1 hour
For the duration, creatures that can see and that have the same Size or range of Sizes that members of your ancestry commonly possess perceive you as sharing their ancestry. In addition, when you speak, creatures that hear you speak and know at least one language can understand what you say as if you had spoken in a language they know.
Thimblerig
Duration 1 hour; see the effect
Four illusory duplicates spring into existence in open spaces within your reach. For the duration, each duplicate moves with you, continually exchanging places so that observers cannot discern which one is the real you. The duplicates’ movement does not trigger free attacks.
When a creature gets a success on an attack roll against your Defense, Strength, or Agility, roll a d20 to see whether the attack affects you or one of the duplicates. If it affects a duplicate, reduce the number of duplicates by one. The effect ends when the last duplicate disappears.
Number of Duplicates | Hits a Duplicate on... |
---|---|
4 | 16 or less |
3 | 15 or less |
2 | 14 or less |
1 | 10 or less |
Vertigo
Target One creature within short range
The target perceives its immediate environs as spinning. Make an Intellect attack roll against the target’s Perception. On a success, the target becomes afflicted with vertigo for 1 minute. If it moves more than 2 yards on its turn while afflicted in this way, it must make an Agility challenge roll. On a failure, it falls prone and ends its turn.
Attack Roll 20+ While afflicted with vertigo, the target also falls prone, when it takes damage.
False Healing
Target One creature you can see within short range
Duration 1 minute
You touch the target and make it believe it has healed damage. Until the spell ends, the target has a +10 bonus to Health.
Aftereffect The target takes 1d6 damage from overexertion.
Glamer
Area A cube, 2 yards on a side, originating from a point you can see within short range
Duration 1 hour; see the effect
A visual and auditory illusion of a creature, object, or force appears in the area. If you cannot see the illusion at the end of the round, the effect ends immediately.
If you create an illusion of a dangerous force, such as fire or boiling water, a creature moving into its space must make a Perception challenge roll, taking 2d6 damage on a failure.
If you create an illusion of a creature, it moves and behaves in a lifelike manner and uses your Intellect score for its attributes, Defense, and Health. It ignores all afflictions and disappears when it becomes incapacitated, which ends the effect. For the duration, you can use an action to move the illusion up to 10 yards and attack one creature within 1 yard of it that can see the illusion and that believes it to be real. Make an Intellect attack roll against the target’s Perception. On a success, the target believes it was injured, burned, or otherwise harmed by the illusion and takes 2d6 damage.
Attack Roll 20+ The target takes 2d6 extra damage.
Invisibility
Target One creature or object you can reach
Duration 1 minute
You touch the target, which becomes invisible for the duration.
Lasting Image
Area A cube, 2 yards on a side, originating from a point you can see within short range
Duration 24 hours
You create an illusion in the area that remains for the duration. The illusion has both auditory and visual components, if you like, though you can choose one or the other. The magic from the spell allows you to decide how the image moves (if it does) and what sounds the image makes. Any movements and sounds created by the spell continue for 1 hour before starting over at the beginning, as if you had just cast the spell. Although realistic, the illusion is harmless and its illusory nature is revealed to any creature entering the area.
Permanence You must cast this spell in the same area each day for 1 year and 1 day.
Decoy
Triggered You can use a triggered action to cast this spell when a creature gets a success on an attack roll against you. The success instead becomes a failure, and you teleport to an open space of your choice within short range.
Mundane Robe
Duration 1 hour (see effect)
You weave together threads of magic to garb yourself in a loose, shapeless robe. The robe remains for the duration or until you remove it, after which it unravels into sparkling motes. The robe masks the auras emitted by any ongoing magical effects on you or your possessions, and you make challenge rolls to hide with 1 boon while you wear it. Also, while the robe remains, you can cast the disguise Illusion spell on yourself without expending a casting of that spell or even if you have not learned it. If you have learned the disguise spell, you can cast it using a triggered action on your turn instead of an action.
Phantasm
Area A cube, 4 yards on a side, originating from a point you can see within long range
Duration 1 hour; see the effect
An illusion of a creature, object, or force that looks, sounds, and otherwise seems real appears inside the area. If you cannot see the illusion at the end of a round, the effect ends immediately.
If you create an illusion of a dangerous force, such as fire or boiling water, a creature moving into its space must make a Perception challenge roll, taking 3d6 damage on a failure.
If you create an illusion of a creature, it moves and behaves in a lifelike manner and uses your Intellect score for its attributes, Defense, and Health. It ignores all afflictions and disappears when it becomes incapacitated, which ends the effect. For the duration, you can use an action to move the illusion up to 10 yards and attack one creature within 1 yard of it that can see the illusion and that believes it to be real. Make an Intellect attack roll against the target’s Perception. On a success, the target believes it was injured, burned, or otherwise harmed by the illusion and takes 4d6 damage.
Attack Roll 20+ The target takes 2d6 extra damage.
Seeming
Target Up to five creatures inside a 5-yard-radius sphere centered on a point within medium range
Duration 8 hours
You mask each target with an illusory disguise that lasts for the duration. You can adjust the target’s height and weight by up to 50 percent, though its Size does not change. You can make the target appear to be a member of a different ancestry, and you can change the appearance of the target’s clothing and equipment. The spell masks any noise created by the target’s nature or gear and also alters the sound of the target’s voice to be appropriate for its new appearance. If you are within medium range of a target affected by your casting of this spell, you can use an action to alter the disguise or create a new one.
*Sacrifice You can use an action and expend a casting of this spell to cast the glamer spell.
Tormenting Hallucinations
Target One creature you can see within medium range
You besiege the target’s mind with unsettling noises and visions. Make an Intellect attack roll with 1 boon against the target’s Perception. On a success, the target becomes impaired for 1 minute. When impaired in this way, whenever the target gets a failure on an attack roll or a challenge roll, it becomes frightened for 1 round. In addition, the target grants 2 boons on attack rolls made against it until the spell ends.
Attack Roll 20+ The target also gains 1d3 Insanity.
Displace
Duration 1 hour
You make others see you where you are not. For the duration, you impose 2 banes on attack rolls made against you. When an attack roll made against you results in a failure, you can teleport to an open space within 2 yards of the space you occupy.
Triggered When a creature you can see attacks you, you can use a triggered action to cast this spell.
Mirage
Area A cylinder, 5 yards tall with a 10-yard radius, centered on a point within long range
Duration Until you complete a rest
Illusory terrain appears inside the area and remains there for the duration. It looks, sounds, smells, and feels real in every way. You can change the appearance of the existing terrain completely or incorporate its features into the illusion. The illusion can totally conceal any existing terrain feature in its area and hide its visual effects. For example, you could render a fire invisible and completely conceal the light it casts, though it would still emit heat and deal damage to creatures that come into contact with it.
Sacrifice You can expend a casting of this spell to cast phantasm.
Attack Roll 20+ The target takes 2d6 extra damage.
Sending
Area A cube of space, a number of yards on each side equal to your Size, originating from a point you have previously seen or visited
Duration 1 hour
You cause an illusory copy of yourself to appear in the area and remain for the duration. You can perceive from the area as if you were in it at the same time that you perceive from the space you currently occupy. The resulting double vision and overlapping hearing imposes 2 banes on Perception rolls you make until the spell ends. The copy mimics your movements and speech, though it cannot leave the area. The copy is immune to all damage.
Sacrifice You can use an action and expend a casting of this spell to cast the phantasm spell.
False Injury
Target Up to five creatures you can see within medium range
Your illusion attacks the minds of your targets, causing them to believe they have suffered some ghastly injury. For each target, make an Intellect attack roll with 1 boon against its Perception. On a success, the target takes a –4d6 penalty to its Health for 1 minute. A target that dies from this reduction to Health did so because it believed that it had sustained a mortal injury.
Illusory Double
Area A cube, large enough to accommodate a creature of your Size, originating from a point within short range
Duration 1 hour; see the effect
An illusory copy of yourself appears inside the area. The copy looks, sounds, and otherwise is identical to you in every way. It uses your attributes and characteristics. However, it ignores all afflictions and disappears when it becomes incapacitated, which ends the effect.
When you move, you can also move your copy up to your Speed in any direction and manner you can normally move. You can choose to cast spells from your space or the space your copy occupies.
When a creature gets a success on an attack roll against you, you can use a triggered action to instantly swap positions with your copy, making it the target of the attack instead.
Waking Nightmare
Target One creature you can see within medium range
Duration 1 minute
You reach into the target’s mind to find its worst fear and then experience that fear as a nightmare that appears before the target, remaining there for the duration. Only the target can perceive the nightmare, and the nightmare follows the target wherever it goes. When the nightmare appears and again at the end of each round, the nightmare attacks the target. Make an Intellect attack roll with 2 boons against the target’s Perception. On a success, the nightmare causes the target to gain 1d3 Insanity and take 1d6 damage. If Insanity gained in this way would cause the target to go mad, the target instead dies.
An affected target can use an action to fight back against the nightmare. The target makes a Perception attack roll with 1 bane against your Intellect. On a success, the target imposes 1 bane on attack rolls you make against it using the nightmare. Banes imposed on you by the target’s successful efforts to fight back are cumulative.