What level spell would you make this?

[JacktheRabbit]

I am thinking about a custom spell as a great bad guy spell.

It would be an illusion and have a duration of 1 minute per level.

The spell would cover the caster in an illusion of perfect health. Any damage inflicted on the caster would be masked and would appear to have no effect on him at all.

The caster would of course take full damage the spell would be purely cosmetic.

So what level would you make this?

 

[der_kluge]

I would think you could argue that the spell 'change self' could serve this purpose. So, I think you could just use that spell to achieve that result.

However.... given that if you hit someone, and you would expect them to take damage, and they didn't visibly so, it might constitute another will save to impose the effects of the illusion.

So, it might work as a 2nd level spell.

 

[daTim]

I would say 5th lvl Illusion. It may seem high, but "Seeming" covers most of the things you need for your illusion (but not quite), and it affects 1 person per level. Basicly you would just create an illusion of yourself to stand over you, that would be like a projected image spell, but not quite as powerful. The only problem is if you dripped blood on the floor, or if someone could smell blood.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

I don't want wiggle room. If a 2nd level spell might do this then a 3rd level spell should certainly do it correct?

 

[Merlion]

I'd say 3rd to do everything...disguise blood loss etc.

 

[Kerrick]

Yeah, I'm leaning toward 3rd too. It only affects the caster, and viewers get a Will save only when they obviously run the guy through and there's no mark.

 

[Merlion]

I like the idea very much. A nice use for illusion. and liable to make the PCs waste time trying to figure out what sort of defense he has and how to bypass it

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

It clearly does less than Project Image (7th).

It does less than Mislead (5th?)

According to the Spell Design Templates (HOHF: Elves) it should be about 3rd.

It's a glamer (because it must both suppress existing senses and create new sensory output) and the opponents should get a Will save every time they interact with the illusion-- ie, every time they score a hit.

Practically speaking I don't think it will be that useful-- somebody is going to make the save and tip off the rest of the group, metagame or otherwise.

EDIT: Looking again at my templates, you can create a "persistent" glamer that only allows the original target (ie, the caster) a saving throw, but no saving throws to others who subsequently interact with it. That would bump it up to about 4th.

Caveat: I'm at work and can't really crack open my books, so take these as an estimate-- a safe estimate, though...

The ultimate answer, however, is that you're the DM. Do whatever you have to do to challenge the players.

Wulf

 

[daTim]

You could have it affect 1 person/ caster lvl, and have him cast on himself and affect all his cronies so that there appears to be 100 of him all in perfect health *pictures Agent Smith army from Matrix 2* bwahaha