Melee/Wizard newbie question

[hcobb]

Elementals are immune to damage from illusions.

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by hcobb

Elementals are immune to damage from illusions.

The GM either didn't know that or didn't wish to invoke that. But the question of whether an illusion of Magic Rainstorm is permissible or not remains.

[Skarg]

Originally Posted by Shostak

So, at your tables, how would you folks rule on an illusion of Magic Rainstorm? Is it unlawful because of how the water its broken into droplets? Or is the curtain of rain considered a single thing, but it can't leave water behind if it moves, which could be a bit of a giveaway? This came up once in my experience, and the GM kindly let the illusion stand to defeat a fire elemental. If he hadn't, it would have been a total party kill, so that could have colored his judgement.

I'd tend to not allow it because of the multiple drops aspect (ITL 138), though mainly as an excuse to not have to deal with it.

It would not actually put out fires, prevent room illumination by the fires it hit, nor stop fireballs, and not affect elementals, so if it were allowed, its only effect would be as a bluff. An Image (outside certain house rules) seems more legal, and to have almost as many actual effects as I'd expect from an illusion of one.

[tomc]

Originally Posted by Skarg

I'd tend to not allow it because of the multiple drops aspect (ITL 138), though mainly as an excuse to not have to deal with it.

It would not actually put out fires, prevent room illumination by the fires it hit, nor stop fireballs, and not affect elementals, so if it were allowed, its only effect would be as a bluff. An Image (outside certain house rules) seems more legal, and to have almost as many actual effects as I'd expect from an illusion of one.

Since elementals are IQ 8, I'd rule that since they are smart enough to believe in the illusion, they are smart enough to be damaged by it.

Illusions are tricky, and I don't think any two GMs play them the same.

[Steve Plambeck]

And we may have an elephant in the room where all this is concerned. Oops, sorry, not elephant, dragon.

Has anyone ever disallowed the illusion of a dragon from breathing fire? I doubt it -- that would rather undermine a major part of the reason for casting one in the first place. Yet the dragon illusion spitting fire across the room sounds lots like an illusion becoming two separate items.

You could rationalize that a couple ways. One would be to say a tendril of the fire always extends back into the mouth or nostrils, so the flame never quite becomes separated from the illusionary object of origin. But then you must further rule real dragons expel fire in the exact same way, or you could tell an illusion of one apart from the real deal just by observing its flame.

Or you might rationalize it as the dragon extending an invisible field of energy so intense it causes the air to catch fire, at the point the beam touches. In that case the flaming air was never part of the dragon illusion in the first place, so no separation is really occurring.

None of which is strictly necessary. Dragon illusions can spout fire simply if we say they can, debate over.

Does the fall of an illusionary tree make a sound if no one is around to hear it? Would an illusion of an electric fan cool you off? These questions are too much fun!

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by Steve Plambeck

Has anyone ever disallowed the illusion of a dragon from breathing fire?

Oh,yes. That was never allowed in my circles since back in the 70s. But the Magic Rainstorm question only came up last year.

[hcobb]

At least you can't cast the illusion of a fire breath attack.

[Skarg]

Not allowing dragon illusions to breathe fire makes sense to me both for logic and for balance purposes.


Illusions don't make real sound, no.


Illusionary fans (presumably, servants waving fans at you) make you feel cooled off, until they expire.

[MikMod]

Originally Posted by Steve Plambeck

Would an illusion of an electric fan cool you off?

Well, if an illusion of a warrior can 'chop you bits inside your armour' then surely the answer must be 'yes', since illusions can clearly affect the real physical state of bodies.

Originally Posted by Skarg

Illusionary fans (presumably, servants waving fans at you) make you feel cooled off, until they expire.

Illusory damage doesn't disappear when the illusion expires, so neither should any other physical affect. I mean illusions of fire leave real burns. An illusion of ice should leave real ice burns or cold damage. I can't see how any other conclusion is consistent.

[hcobb]

Can I create the illusion of a healing potion?

Illusion of a master physicker!