Believing in the "shadow" you cast

[Driddle]

When an illusionist casts a "shadow" spell to conjure an object that he wants to interact with -- a rope to climb, for example, or water to drink -- doesn't he have the problem that, as the creator, he inherently disbelieves the item's solidity, and therefore it won't really work for him?

Remember, we're talking about shadow conjurations, which mimic to a degree (i.e. percentage) lower-level conjuration spells. "Against disbelievers, they are (X) percent likely to work."

 

[Quasqueton]

You need to play the illusionist with a *very* short memory. Or have the rogue sneak attack you with a sap right after you cast the spell. Then he won't remember that the rope or water is illusional.

Quasqueton

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

If it's actually a shadow spell, then it is at least partially real.

You could even make the case that an illusionist has a better understanding of how to interact with shadow. The rope, for example: He can clearly see and grasp the 20% real, narrow thread of shadow-rope to scamper up easily, where someone else finds the rope wispy and insubstantial because their brains are telling them to grap the 80% illusory part instead.

 

[HellHound]

It is still 20% real, so you just have to make something 5 times stronger than what you need, and it'll be strong enough for the illusionist.

 

[Driddle]

re "20 percent real": the rules don't say you can make use of the 20 percent of an object that exists -- that shadow-conjured ladder is there or it isn't, 80-20.

But this is a secondary issue to the larger question of whether an illusionist is, by his nature as the caster, an automatic disbeliever in his own stuff.

 

[Quasqueton]

What if he *thinks* he's a conjurer? Perhaps his master/teacher tricked him with his school of magic?

Quasqueton