Real illusions - Can you make your save?

[Zander]

If you've ever wondered what being fooled by a magical illusion would be like, here are a couple of photos I took at the museum of illusions near Mount Takao, Japan. One photo appears to show an Egyptian statue but in reality the 'statue' is only a painting on the wall. The other photo appears to show a slab, an opening and some stairs leading down. Again, they're all fake; just paintings on the floor.

Can you make your save to disbelieve these illusions?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I imagine trompe-l'œil painting would require a high Craft (Painting) check. Still, lots of fun for an illusionist to mix in to his lair. Detect magic won't help against that!

 

[Mouseferatu]

I've always loved paintings like that.

I can't see any flaws in the statue painting. On the other one, the stairs look a little flat to me, so I'd say I made my save there. Everything else besides the stairs looks real, though.

 

[Schmoe]

Wow, that statue would get me for sure. The other one looked a little bit static, though.

Very impressive!

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

The statue is really good. Without you telling me I would never have known it was a painting. With the knowledge, there is something off about the pedestal the statue is standing on.

The floor one has a noticeable problem in that you can see the reflection of the painting on the wall on the floor where the staircase is painted.

 

[Umbran]

The issue, of course, is that such illusion paintings are made to be viewed from a very specific angle. As you move away from the optimal viewing point, they look more and more skewed. So, ifyou want to make your save, step three feet to the left.

 

[Asmor]

I also imagine it would be quite different viewing them IRL, where you've got two eyes (compared to the camera's one) and can actually use depth perception.

Still, the statue was very cool. I couldn't figure out what the catch was until I went back and read your post. As someone else said, though, with that knowledge and upon examining it the pedestal does look a bit off.

 

[Edgewood]

The statue was really well done. The painter really understands how light falls on the form. The pedestal gives it away. The front of the pedestal goes down to where the wall joins the floor. However, the rest of it is simply amazing. The one with the slab and the stairs are obviously a painting (but still well done).

This certainly is giving me an idea for some upcoming lairs for certain NPCs.

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

I don't remember, off-hand, how big a bonus is afforded to disbelieve something you're told is an illusion, but for me, that bonus is what allowed me to see the deception.

Otherwise, I would have to have taken 20 on an Appraise check to have seen the illusary nature.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The issue, of course, is that such illusion paintings are made to be viewed from a very specific angle. As you move away from the optimal viewing point, they look more and more skewed. So, ifyou want to make your save, step three feet to the left.

In a dungeon, you could resolve this by having them only be visible when a door is opened and place them at the end of a corridor with even (magical) light.