The spell phantasmal force is level one but this only produces static light images. To add the other attributes increases the level of the spell. Any of the attributes can be added in any combination however the increases in level are cumulative.
| Attribute |
Level increase |
Minimum Spell Level |
|---|---|---|
| Movement | 1 | 2 |
| Sound | 1 | 2 |
| Heat | 1 | 3 |
| Smell | 2 | 4 |
| Touch | 3 | 5 |
Soft light used to create the touch sensation has a light slightly spongy feel to it. When pressed it possesses enough resistance to let you know it is there but anything heavier than a shrew would sink into it. It has very little thickness, only about that of a gold mark. It is both gas and water permeable though water would pass through slowly.
The absence of relevant attributes decreases the difficulty of the saving throw. Thus a skunk which did not smell, or a lion which did not roar, would be unlikely to be believed. The additional attributes are not created in the fullness of the original, merely enough to aid the deception.
As illusions create actual images in the air they can be seen by all creatures regardless of whether they believe in them or not. If they disbelieve they have noticed the slight imperfections and recognise the illusion for what it is.
The saving throw in this case is the attempt of your rational thoughts to persuade irrational fears and beliefs.
Knowing that an apparition was an illusion would gain a bonus to the saving throw. When an illusion is cast the believability is rolled by the caster, this is the saving throw that must be rolled by the subjects for them to disbelieve the spell. Each characters' saving throw is the degree to which they believe the apparition, this figure is recorded, any subsequent knowledge will add to this roll until the illusion is disbelieved or it disappears.
A normal SPOT save is made against an illusion if the illusion is missing important attributes or the charcter has another reason to disbelieve it such as touching or hitting it. Each appropriate attribute missing will make the save easier by 0-3 points.
Attributes excluded |
Save adjustment |
|---|---|
| Sound | +1 to +3 |
| Heat | +3 |
| Smell | +3 |
| Touch | +4 |
| Each successful hit | +1 |
| Informed of reality | -4 |
For example Against an simple illusionary lion if the target was far enough away to not smell its fetid breath and was obviously quiet a normal save would be made. Thus for perception of 10 the character would save on a 5 or less. If the character walked up to pat the lion (a stupid barbarian perhaps) then the smell, touch and heat would be missing and the save would rise to
13 Base
-2 Smell
-3 Touch
-1 Body heat
= 7
and if the lion was to appear menacing it should roar. If the lion
looked like it roared but no sound came out it would be an automatic
save, if it was possible just growling then the additional +3 would be
given.
When a save is failed the number is noted. Further saves are not made; instead when the modifiers to apply take the figure up to the save rolled the character recognises the illusion for what it is. In the above case if a 11 was rolled the character would recognise the illusion when he patted it enough to feels its body heat. If it was only a quick brush of the coat the heat factor would not count and the save still failed as it would only reach a 10.