D&D 5E Illusion - which spell would you need?

[patwil]

I'm a bit confused as to what can be cast with the different illusion spells. Let's say I'm walking into town that doesn't allow martial weapons to be worn, so I cast an illusion on my sword so it looks like a dagger. Which spell do I need?

What about if my party is ambushed by archers across a deep raging river. They are attacking from cover and we have no cover. I want to create an illusion of a wall of water rising from the river. I don't need it to make sound as the sound of the river is enough, but I do want it to look like water flowing. Which spell do I need here and do I need to use an action to keep it looking like its flowing each round?

My party has just killed the big bad and why they are celebrating, I notice a small room in the back. Walking in I see an obviously magical longsword lying on an alter and a dead guard lying in front of the alter who also carries a longsword (non-magical). Being greedy I immediately pick up them guard's longsword and place it on the alter and place the magical one next to the guard. I then cast an illusion to make each sword look like the other. Knowing that the party member who also uses a longsword might get suspicious if his sword suddenly stops looking magical once I let the illusion drop, I want to create an illusion of the sword flaring brightly when he picks it up, a divine note sounding, and then it fades back into looking like the sword it really is. Which spell do I use?

Thanks in advance


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[jaelis]

I'm a bit confused as to what can be cast with the different illusion spells. Let's say I'm walking into town that doesn't allow martial weapons to be worn, so I cast an illusion on my sword so it looks like a dagger. Which spell do I need?

Disguise self

What about if my party is ambushed by archers across a deep raging river. They are attacking from cover and we have no cover. I want to create an illusion of a wall of water rising from the river. I don't need it to make sound as the sound of the river is enough, but I do want it to look like water flowing. Which spell do I need here and do I need to use an action to keep it looking like its flowing each round?

Depends how big you want the wall to be. Possibly silent image.

My party has just killed the big bad and why they are celebrating, I notice a small room in the back. Walking in I see an obviously magical longsword lying on an alter and a dead guard lying in front of the alter who also carries a longsword (non-magical). Being greedy I immediately pick up them guard's longsword and place it on the alter and place the magical one next to the guard. I then cast an illusion to make each sword look like the other. Knowing that the party member who also uses a longsword might get suspicious if his sword suddenly stops looking magical once I let the illusion drop, I want to create an illusion of the sword flaring brightly when he picks it up, a divine note sounding, and then it fades back into looking like the sword it really is. Which spell do I use?

I would let Major image work for the sword the other character picks up. But you can't easily do that and also disguise the sword you want.

 

[iserith]

I'm a bit confused as to what can be cast with the different illusion spells. Let's say I'm walking into town that doesn't allow martial weapons to be worn, so I cast an illusion on my sword so it looks like a dagger. Which spell do I need?

Disguise self.

What about if my party is ambushed by archers across a deep raging river. They are attacking from cover and we have no cover. I want to create an illusion of a wall of water rising from the river. I don't need it to make sound as the sound of the river is enough, but I do want it to look like water flowing. Which spell do I need here and do I need to use an action to keep it looking like its flowing each round?

Silent image. I would not have a player spend an action to make it look like it is flowing unless it is actually being moved from one area to another. Your DM may rule otherwise.

My party has just killed the big bad and why they are celebrating, I notice a small room in the back. Walking in I see an obviously magical longsword lying on an alter and a dead guard lying in front of the alter who also carries a longsword (non-magical). Being greedy I immediately pick up them guard's longsword and place it on the alter and place the magical one next to the guard. I then cast an illusion to make each sword look like the other. Knowing that the party member who also uses a longsword might get suspicious if his sword suddenly stops looking magical once I let the illusion drop, I want to create an illusion of the sword flaring brightly when he picks it up, a divine note sounding, and then it fades back into looking like the sword it really is. Which spell do I use?

Phantasmal killer, targeting yourself. Because don't be that guy.

 

[patwil]

Phantasmal killer, targeting yourself. Because don't be that guy.

But, but, how do I get all the magical items then? I deal in illusions, deception is my game!


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[iserith]

But, but, how do I get all the magical items then? I deal in illusions, deception is my game!

There's a whole world of villains and monsters controlled by a person who won't get mad if you murder them, steal from them or deceive them. Why you'd want to do that to a fellow player character is therefore beyond me. But, hey, if your group has fun with that sort of thing, knock yourself out.

 

[Satyrn]

There's a whole world of villains and monsters controlled by a person who won't get mad if you murder them, steal from them or deceive them. Why you'd want to do that to a fellow player character is therefore beyond me. But, hey, if your group has fun with that sort of thing, knock yourself out.

Well that's terrible advice! If his group has fun with that sort of thing, he should be knocking them out.

 

[patwil]

There's a whole world of villains and monsters controlled by a person who won't get mad if you murder them, steal from them or deceive them. Why you'd want to do that to a fellow player character is therefore beyond me. But, hey, if your group has fun with that sort of thing, knock yourself out.

Sorry, it appears my attempts at humor are not coming across. I had assumed you were trying to be funny when you said phamtasmal killer and I responded in kind. To be clear, I'm not deceiving my group to steal magic items. I just wanted some feedback on what I would need to accomplish different illusions. In this case it was an illusion of something being magical and then fading to normal. My bad.


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[iserith]

Sorry, it appears my attempts at humor are not coming across. I had assumed you were trying to be funny when you said phamtasmal killer and I responded in kind. To be clear, I'm not deceiving my group to steal magic items. I just wanted some feedback on what I would need to accomplish different illusions. In this case it was an illusion of something being magical and then fading to normal. My bad.

No need to apologize. Perhaps I misread your intent. Sorry!

 

[Gadget]

I'm a bit confused as to what can be cast with the different illusion spells. Let's say I'm walking into town that doesn't allow martial weapons to be worn, so I cast an illusion on my sword so it looks like a dagger. Which spell do I need?

Disguise Self.

What about if my party is ambushed by archers across a deep raging river. They are attacking from cover and we have no cover. I want to create an illusion of a wall of water rising from the river. I don't need it to make sound as the sound of the river is enough, but I do want it to look like water flowing. Which spell do I need here and do I need to use an action to keep it looking like its flowing each round?

Silent Image, unless you want a wave bigger than that spell allows. As to requiring an action to simulate moving water, that may be a DM judgement call. Strict RAW may demand it, but I would be inclined to let such things ride (like a flaming torch as well), as long as you don't have the wave itself move.

My party has just killed the big bad and why they are celebrating, I notice a small room in the back. Walking in I see an obviously magical longsword lying on an alter and a dead guard lying in front of the alter who also carries a longsword (non-magical). Being greedy I immediately pick up them guard's longsword and place it on the alter and place the magical one next to the guard. I then cast an illusion to make each sword look like the other. Knowing that the party member who also uses a longsword might get suspicious if his sword suddenly stops looking magical once I let the illusion drop, I want to create an illusion of the sword flaring brightly when he picks it up, a divine note sounding, and then it fades back into looking like the sword it really is. Which spell do I use?

This one is quite tricky, as it is not easily covered by any of the illusion spells I'm aware of. Also, if you have some of the Illusionist sub-class abilities, like Malleable Illusion, it might be easier. You would probably have to use two spells, one for each sword, RAW, unless a DM would let both be covered by a Hallucinatory Terrain spell, but that is a stretch. The real magic sword could be covered by a minor image spell, as long as your friend does not touch it. The other "fake sword" may require a Programmed Illusion spell to pull off. A lower level illusion combined with Malleable Illusion might suffice or a liberal interpretation of Phantasmal Force.

It probably take more spell power to accomplish this last task than should be required, imo, but creating and wording illusions can be quite tricky.

 

[Satyrn]

Does the Nystul's magic aura spell exist in 5e? That would work for the swords.