D&D 4E Seeing through Illusions in 4e

[DreamChaser]

I would think it would be insight vs illusions rather than perception since the point of an illusion is to decieve your senses...

"Perception - use this skill to notice clues, spot imminent dangers, and locate hidden objects."

"Insight - Use this skill to discern intent and decipher body language, making a best gues as to a target's motives, attitudes, and truthfulness."

More likely, I'd just do an attack against Will of some sort since illusion generally required will saves in 3.x.

To me, the difference between Perception and Insight is the "human" element. Insight is sense motive, wild empathy, innuendo, etc. You are being intuitive about a person or creature. Call it "sixth sense" perhaps.

Perception is the main 4 or 5 senses (taste really being the same as smell). You see or hear or smell or feel something wrong. It is spot, listen, and search.

So, figments and (some) glamours would definitely be perception in my opinion. Other glamours (like disguise self) would be insight.

So, illusory wall:

Very challenging passive perception. DC 25 or something. We're talking noticing differences in echoes from footsteps and air movements, which are things that the average (or even above average) person doesn't pay any attention to (human(oid)s being primarily visual creatures).

The wall isn't "doing" anything in my opinion, any more than a secret door is, so no Will defense, IMO. If the character is actively exploring, it really depends. If they touch the wall, clearly they pass through it. No check needed. If they are actively searching, it becomes an active Perception check, with bonuses dependent upon what strategies are being applied.

I've never liked the "disbelief" roll. It discourages strategy and makes illusions all but useless. Once created, an illusion (figment) should (IMO) be treated as any other object or creature. With rules structured more like puzzles or traps than like other spells.

DC