Way to block detection of illusions?

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Putting players up against an illusionist BBEG is almost impossible when a single detect magic spell will put them on track to knowing that a lot of what they'll be encountering will be illusions.

Is there anything that can be used to disguise the type/school of magic spells that are in effect? For example, many reasonably high-level wizards will have a permanent detect magic active, thus making illusions very short-lived.

Any solutions to this problem?

 

[DevoutlyApathetic]

You realize with a detect magic it still takes time and concentration, even if it's permanencied? If a big fight presents itself and the primary arcane cast a cantrip for three rounds....your party has trouble.

 

[Thanee]

In combat, there is the additional problem, that Spellcraft will easily single out any illusions being cast, unless you prevent the use by casting without verbal and somatic components.

You could use my house rule for Detect Magic and Spellcraft interaction with illusions.

At the time the Spellcraft check to determine the school of the illusion, or the specific spell is made, a (secret) Will save is done for the observer in the same way as if he or she was interacting with the illusion.

If the save fails, the school/spell is determined falsely (the illusionist sets the "false school/spellname" when he or she casts the spell).


Normally, Detect Magic, or worse Arcane Sight and Spellcraft easily foils illusions.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Targos]

I've found the best defense for this is making illusions that they never consider as being possible illusions. (Hence no disbelief attempts.) Or better yet mixing illusions with real spells. That doesn't do the job when casting illusions in front of somebody with spellcraft ranks however. There should be a feat that disguises the components as another spell when spellcraft is attempted.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

Remember that a caster only gets to identify the illusion as such after 3 rounds and a successful Spellcraft check. If the check fails or hasn't been made yet, the illusionary thing will seem magical, but there's no way to tell if it's because of an illusion or because it has Bless cast on it. Also, if the caster misses one round of scanning (if, for example, he tracks one illusory creature that moves away from the others), or if something breaks his concentration, he has to start over.

However, an illusionist worth his salt will also know plenty of conjurations, enchantments, and evokations. Greater Invisibility will conceal his somatic components, and Silent Spell will conceal both his location and his vocal components. If you have any Forgotten Realms books, consider feats that mess up Spellcraft checks like Spell Thematics or Runesmith (in Player's Guide to Faerun and Races of Faerun, respectively).

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

I'm talking more about non-combat situations. Once an illusion is detected, every other illusion quickly falls apart like a collapsing house of cards.

For example, it's almost impossible to have the stereotypical illusionist's castle where illusions fill every room b/c a single detect magic spell will reveal that the whole place is a charade. In comparison, without detect magic the players would have to find out through the much more interesting trial and error process. Sure, once they figure out illusions are around they'll be much more likely to disbelieve and not take things for granted, but a lowly 1st-level spell basically negates the whole concept of an illusionist's lair.

I don't necessarily think the spell is broken, but I think there needs to be some way to disguise a spell's school. Probably more than any other school, illusions really get the shaft by being able to be weakened/negated thru a 1st-lvl spell (well, enchantment and prot from evil also comes to mind). If you're an evocation or abjuration specialist, it doesn't matter if people know what school your spells are. But when you're an illusion specialist, it means almost everything...

 

[Whimsical]

Greater Invisibility will conceal his somatic components, and Silent Spell will conceal both his location and his vocal components.

Illusionists, heck wizards, have an even better trick for concealing verbal components. Use Ventriloquism to throw your voice way away from the combat scene. Including verbal components.

Well...with the range of Close I guess you can't throw your voice "way away." But I'm sure it's still worth doing if you are trying to misdirect.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

Again, this is why it's important to have several schools of magic available. If the party starts to wise up to your illusions, drop a few real monsters, Wall spells, etc. on them to keep them from getting cocky. Then, when they're paranoid, scare them with some more illusions. If you give all your hench-things coins with Light cast on them, or some other minor magical doodad or dweomer, they'll trip off the Detect Magic spell--perhaps making the party say "oh, that displacer beast is just an illusion." Summoned creatures are always magic, so that's another good option. Nystul's Magic Aura cast on interesting sections of wall will slow them down as they struggle to find the secret door that's "obviously there."

However, even if you have a party wandering around detecting stuff, there are other defenses. Guards and Wards causes the entire affected area to detect strong Abjuration magic...and the Detect Magic spell notes that strong magic auras tend to conceal weaker auras...

 

[UltimaGabe]

Sure, once they figure out illusions are around they'll be much more likely to disbelieve and not take things for granted, but a lowly 1st-level spell basically negates the whole concept of an illusionist's lair.

I know it doesn't make things better, but... it's actually a 0-level spell.

 

[DevoutlyApathetic]

SRD: "If the items or creatures bearing the auras are in line of sight, you can make Spellcraft skill checks to determine the school of magic involved in each. "

....so what if the spell isn't cast on an object or a creature?