One I remember seeing someone do was give one enemy the illusion of their ally attacking them to try and get them to attack their own partner in addition to everything else.
Okay, you've read the title. I'm just curious what your favorite choices are. For me, Either creating an image of myself casting spells is the best one in combat. Creating an image of a spiked wall is also good control.
The only times I've ever cast this spell, my GM gave the target the miraculous ability to realize they needed to Investigate the force, sharply cutting down on how useful the spell was - the target just spent all of their actions investigating until they saw through the spell. It was very disappointing.
Okay, you've read the title. I'm just curious what your favorite choices are. For me, Either creating an image of myself casting spells is the best one in combat. Creating an image of a spiked wall is also good control.
The only times I've ever cast this spell, my GM gave the target the miraculous ability to realize they needed to Investigate the force, sharply cutting down on how useful the spell was - the target just spent all of their actions investigating until they saw through the spell. It was very disappointing.
phantasmal force makes it so that if the creature fails the initial save, they always believe that it's real and rationalize things like not being able to hit the illusion. sounds like your dm didn't read the full text.
Okay, you've read the title. I'm just curious what your favorite choices are. For me, Either creating an image of myself casting spells is the best one in combat. Creating an image of a spiked wall is also good control.
The only times I've ever cast this spell, my GM gave the target the miraculous ability to realize they needed to Investigate the force, sharply cutting down on how useful the spell was - the target just spent all of their actions investigating until they saw through the spell. It was very disappointing.
phantasmal force makes it so that if the creature fails the initial save, they always believe that it's real and rationalize things like not being able to hit the illusion. sounds like your dm didn't read the full text.
He was a weird GM - another personal foible of his was that an incredibly large number of the Charisma ability checks he called for were Performance checks, even when a different skill seemed much more appropriate to me from the RAW.
I like using it against players, target the player whose turn is next in the initiative and then just plop down a miniature of a large demon like a Glabrezu in front of them and pretend it was just summoned. It works well if the player doesn't question how an enemy was able to summon a demon with a spell that had an intelligence saving throw and means their reaction to the illusion is legitimate, either attempting to flee or trying to attack it.
I like using it against players, target the player whose turn is next in the initiative and then just plop down a miniature of a large demon like a Glabrezu in front of them and pretend it was just summoned. It works well if the player doesn't question how an enemy was able to summon a demon with a spell that had an intelligence saving throw and means their reaction to the illusion is legitimate, either attempting to flee or trying to attack it.
In a situation like that I would do the saving through for them. First time I used phantasmal force against a player barbarian, his roll meant he would save if his Int modifirt was 0- fail if it was -1, had to waffle for few seconds while I dug out the relevent nifo on hos character sheet. I was expecting the party to click when I said to the next player you don't see it. As it was a bear totem barbarian I also had fun doubling the damage and then halfing it again. [Secetly roll a d6 for a 4] "The elemental hits you for 8 fire damage reduced to 4".
I've used it in various situations to either create something that immobilizes a creature or harms them. One instance I used it to create a swirling fire tornado to hurt a frost troll. Another time I used it to create a heavy rock attached to a chain that fastened around the next of a creature to stop it from flying, giving our barbarian the chance to wail on it while it was trapped on the ground. Sometimes the best use of it can be something to occupy an enemy instead of doing damage to it.
I've found that it's one of those spells that depends heavily on the creativity of the player and how much leeway the GM is willing to give, so when I do use it, I try to make to be fair and not break the game with it, unless it's done by accident, which I've also done.
I don't know about favorite, but the best use I've seen was to fool a Hook Horror into thinking there was an Umber Hulk attacking it. As a low intelligence creature, it was completely fooled and just stood there continuing to attack and get hurt in return. The illusion tanked the Horror while we dealt with the other one.
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Canto alla vita alla sua bellezza ad ogni sua ferita ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
Used it once to secretly point out a thief to another party member who was close enough to stop him without raising the villains alarm. Made the PC see large, neon signs pointing directly at the man with the word "Thief" over him. Since the PC was the only one who could perceive the message, thief didn't realize he'd been made until our rogue had him down.
This spell REQUIRES your DM to be on board with your shenanigans or you will hate everything about this spell and the DM's calls about your ideas. I always ask when I have an idea if it will work for the effect I am looking for and my GM is good at letting me know if they are cool with it in that scene before I waste the casting to have them hand wave it as just a D6 damage concentration spell. I have used all of these to varying success, but each time was very fun.
Swarms of stinging insects/small pecking birds/mephits of all varieties/etc... have proven useful for frustrating opponents, especially if the swarm is crawling into their full plate armor.
Suddenly having patches of flooring fall away with writhing, barbed tentacles sweeping through the air to impede movement has had a few targets locked in place like a wall spell is around them.
Battling near a precipice and either creating an extra area which does not exist so they fall over or acting like the nature around is pushing them toward the edge to convince them to surrender.
Twinning it on two allies so they view the other as being adversarial.
Have an opponent's ally perform obvious micro-cues that only the target see the other doing in their peripheral view to instill discord in social situations.
Have a guard/noble see a target doing something unsavory.
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IMHO, Earthdawn is still the best fantasy realm, Shadowrun is the best Sci-Fi realm, and Dark Sun is the best D&D realm.
I just wrap the target in barbed chains. Immobilizes and does damage.
Things like that are a popular idea, but you're pushing the practical effect of the spell. The chains are still intangible, so really if they try to move out of them they'll manage it; they'll just perceive that they somehow worked their way out of them rather than just walked through. I find creating creatures or terrain hazards works best; with creatures they can't generally perceive that they're attacking an illusion, and terrain hazards discourage the target from experimenting in the first place. Really, this is one of those spells that vary a lot by DM's, though.
I just wrap the target in barbed chains. Immobilizes and does damage.
Things like that are a popular idea, but you're pushing the practical effect of the spell. The chains are still intangible, so really if they try to move out of them they'll manage it; they'll just perceive that they somehow worked their way out of them rather than just walked through. I find creating creatures or terrain hazards works best; with creatures they can't generally perceive that they're attacking an illusion, and terrain hazards discourage the target from experimenting in the first place. Really, this is one of those spells that vary a lot by DM's, though.
The_Ace_of_Rogues pointed out the biggest trap of this spell which gets lost in its reading versus how we all want it to work, the spell cannot impose conditions because it does not state it imposes conditions. Its bones are a 5' illusion with a d6 damage rider that only affects one target for your concentration. It feels like it might be implying that the illusion the player creates could cause a condition to be applied, but the DM is under no RAW to apply one. Illusions are all about your relationship with the DM and being very open about your intent and being flexible when something is allowed in one session, but then thwarted in another.
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IMHO, Earthdawn is still the best fantasy realm, Shadowrun is the best Sci-Fi realm, and Dark Sun is the best D&D realm.
Pit trap opening up under a foe- the illusion is of them falling so the image runs up around them with the damage when they hit the base 10’ down and they see 10’ of sheer vertical walls around them while they hear the battle they can’t see.
Pit trap opening up under a foe- the illusion is of them falling so the image runs up around them with the damage when they hit the base 10’ down and they see 10’ of sheer vertical walls around them while they hear the battle they can’t see.
This could work for a round until they begin trying to climb out and pass through the wall freely. Maybe if the pit was covered in something the character would never interact with? Like the interior becomes coated with swirling fire, lightning, or something that can flex to respond to the character probing the environment. It needs to be something that a reasonable character would not try to bash at with their body so they don't fall right through the illusion. I always try to focus on getting the target to be put in a situation that they need to make an investigation roll to get out of. It takes a round and eats their whole action.
This also falls to the DM being cool with applying the Blinded condition to the target, maybe Deafened for being in a pit and unable to clearly hear anything.
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IMHO, Earthdawn is still the best fantasy realm, Shadowrun is the best Sci-Fi realm, and Dark Sun is the best D&D realm.
10 feet up a sheer wall ( especially rock) is not something you are going to climb out of if you need more put spikes pointing down in all around. Flames don’t work as you should feel the burn, lightning doesn’t as it hound be zapping you.
Temperature and shock are both covered by the spell; it specifically says the phantasm produces “sound, temperature, and other stimuli”. The fiddly bit is how something solid is handled; some people aim for the perception of actual resistance or force, but from what I can tell that’s generally considered outside the scope of the effect.
One I remember seeing someone do was give one enemy the illusion of their ally attacking them to try and get them to attack their own partner in addition to everything else.
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I have yet to find that sweet spot between what I wish it could do and what the DM will allow it to do.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
The only times I've ever cast this spell, my GM gave the target the miraculous ability to realize they needed to Investigate the force, sharply cutting down on how useful the spell was - the target just spent all of their actions investigating until they saw through the spell. It was very disappointing.
phantasmal force makes it so that if the creature fails the initial save, they always believe that it's real and rationalize things like not being able to hit the illusion. sounds like your dm didn't read the full text.
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Spells, Monsters, Magic Items, Feats, Subclasses.
I am an Archfey, but nobody seems to notice.
Extended Signature
He was a weird GM - another personal foible of his was that an incredibly large number of the Charisma ability checks he called for were Performance checks, even when a different skill seemed much more appropriate to me from the RAW.
I like using it against players, target the player whose turn is next in the initiative and then just plop down a miniature of a large demon like a Glabrezu in front of them and pretend it was just summoned. It works well if the player doesn't question how an enemy was able to summon a demon with a spell that had an intelligence saving throw and means their reaction to the illusion is legitimate, either attempting to flee or trying to attack it.
In a situation like that I would do the saving through for them. First time I used phantasmal force against a player barbarian, his roll meant he would save if his Int modifirt was 0- fail if it was -1, had to waffle for few seconds while I dug out the relevent nifo on hos character sheet. I was expecting the party to click when I said to the next player you don't see it. As it was a bear totem barbarian I also had fun doubling the damage and then halfing it again. [Secetly roll a d6 for a 4] "The elemental hits you for 8 fire damage reduced to 4".
I've used it in various situations to either create something that immobilizes a creature or harms them. One instance I used it to create a swirling fire tornado to hurt a frost troll. Another time I used it to create a heavy rock attached to a chain that fastened around the next of a creature to stop it from flying, giving our barbarian the chance to wail on it while it was trapped on the ground. Sometimes the best use of it can be something to occupy an enemy instead of doing damage to it.
I've found that it's one of those spells that depends heavily on the creativity of the player and how much leeway the GM is willing to give, so when I do use it, I try to make to be fair and not break the game with it, unless it's done by accident, which I've also done.
I don't know about favorite, but the best use I've seen was to fool a Hook Horror into thinking there was an Umber Hulk attacking it. As a low intelligence creature, it was completely fooled and just stood there continuing to attack and get hurt in return. The illusion tanked the Horror while we dealt with the other one.
Canto alla vita
alla sua bellezza
ad ogni sua ferita
ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty
To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me
The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
Used it once to secretly point out a thief to another party member who was close enough to stop him without raising the villains alarm. Made the PC see large, neon signs pointing directly at the man with the word "Thief" over him. Since the PC was the only one who could perceive the message, thief didn't realize he'd been made until our rogue had him down.
I just wrap the target in barbed chains. Immobilizes and does damage.
Food, Scifi/fantasy, anime, DND 5E and OSR geek.
This spell REQUIRES your DM to be on board with your shenanigans or you will hate everything about this spell and the DM's calls about your ideas. I always ask when I have an idea if it will work for the effect I am looking for and my GM is good at letting me know if they are cool with it in that scene before I waste the casting to have them hand wave it as just a D6 damage concentration spell. I have used all of these to varying success, but each time was very fun.
Swarms of stinging insects/small pecking birds/mephits of all varieties/etc... have proven useful for frustrating opponents, especially if the swarm is crawling into their full plate armor.
Suddenly having patches of flooring fall away with writhing, barbed tentacles sweeping through the air to impede movement has had a few targets locked in place like a wall spell is around them.
Battling near a precipice and either creating an extra area which does not exist so they fall over or acting like the nature around is pushing them toward the edge to convince them to surrender.
Twinning it on two allies so they view the other as being adversarial.
Have an opponent's ally perform obvious micro-cues that only the target see the other doing in their peripheral view to instill discord in social situations.
Have a guard/noble see a target doing something unsavory.
IMHO, Earthdawn is still the best fantasy realm, Shadowrun is the best Sci-Fi realm, and Dark Sun is the best D&D realm.
Things like that are a popular idea, but you're pushing the practical effect of the spell. The chains are still intangible, so really if they try to move out of them they'll manage it; they'll just perceive that they somehow worked their way out of them rather than just walked through. I find creating creatures or terrain hazards works best; with creatures they can't generally perceive that they're attacking an illusion, and terrain hazards discourage the target from experimenting in the first place. Really, this is one of those spells that vary a lot by DM's, though.
The_Ace_of_Rogues pointed out the biggest trap of this spell which gets lost in its reading versus how we all want it to work, the spell cannot impose conditions because it does not state it imposes conditions. Its bones are a 5' illusion with a d6 damage rider that only affects one target for your concentration. It feels like it might be implying that the illusion the player creates could cause a condition to be applied, but the DM is under no RAW to apply one. Illusions are all about your relationship with the DM and being very open about your intent and being flexible when something is allowed in one session, but then thwarted in another.
IMHO, Earthdawn is still the best fantasy realm, Shadowrun is the best Sci-Fi realm, and Dark Sun is the best D&D realm.
Pit trap opening up under a foe- the illusion is of them falling so the image runs up around them with the damage when they hit the base 10’ down and they see 10’ of sheer vertical walls around them while they hear the battle they can’t see.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
This could work for a round until they begin trying to climb out and pass through the wall freely. Maybe if the pit was covered in something the character would never interact with? Like the interior becomes coated with swirling fire, lightning, or something that can flex to respond to the character probing the environment. It needs to be something that a reasonable character would not try to bash at with their body so they don't fall right through the illusion. I always try to focus on getting the target to be put in a situation that they need to make an investigation roll to get out of. It takes a round and eats their whole action.
This also falls to the DM being cool with applying the Blinded condition to the target, maybe Deafened for being in a pit and unable to clearly hear anything.
IMHO, Earthdawn is still the best fantasy realm, Shadowrun is the best Sci-Fi realm, and Dark Sun is the best D&D realm.
10 feet up a sheer wall ( especially rock) is not something you are going to climb out of if you need more put spikes pointing down in all around. Flames don’t work as you should feel the burn, lightning doesn’t as it hound be zapping you.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
Temperature and shock are both covered by the spell; it specifically says the phantasm produces “sound, temperature, and other stimuli”. The fiddly bit is how something solid is handled; some people aim for the perception of actual resistance or force, but from what I can tell that’s generally considered outside the scope of the effect.
A party member was grappled by a monster. I used the spell to „turn“ the player into a bonfire in the monsters mind.
Attack: [roll]3d20dl2+6[/roll] Damage: [roll](if([roll:-1:critical], =0, 1d8, 2{1d8}.expand()))+4[/roll] Sneakattack: [roll](if([roll:-2:critical], =0, 2d6, 2{2d6}.expand()))[/roll]