Illusion/Phantasm

Conceal: The spell hides objects or creatures, rendering them undetectable for the duration of the spell.

At base difficulty (20), the target becomes undetectable to one ordinary sense for the duration of the spell. The spell’s area must be large enough to cover the entire target, and each multiple to the base difficulty eliminates one additional sense. Concealment from magical senses, such as ESP and detection spells, double the difficulty (40). A single type of detection counts as one sense. For example, a spell that conceals a target from both ESP and magical detection has a difficulty of at least 40. A true seeing spell always defeats a conceal spell, but a target can be warded against detection.

If a concealed creature makes an attack, the spell is broken unless the conceal is combined with an imbue with the same duration as the conceal spell—this is an exception to the general rule about combining spells. Damage from a successful attack is never concealed, even if the attacker is concealed from the sense of touch. Magical items that produce visible effects, such as a fireball from a wand of fire, are not concealed along with a creature.

Delude: The spell confounds or distorts the senses, making the target seem like something else.

At base difficulty (30), one of the target’s sensory aspects can be changed for the duration of the spell. The target does not actually change, but it looks, feels, smells, sounds, or tastes like something else. Changing the target’s apparent size more than one category (see Tables 29 and 30) doubles the difficulty, and each additional multiple of difficulty allows one additional category of change.

Doubling the base difficulty (60) changes the way the target appears to extraordinary senses such as ESP. For example, making an astral deva seem mindless or an agitated storm giant appear calm doubles the difficulty. This is in addition to any multiplier for changing the target’s apparent size. For example, making a 30-foot-tall storm giant look like an unintelligent halfling has a minimum difficulty of 150.

Phantom: The spell creates a sensory or mental image that can effect any thinking creature if the creature believes the image.

At base difficulty (40), the image impacts one sense—smell, sound, sight, taste, or touch—or exists solely as a mental image in the target creature’s mind. Each multiple added to the base difficulty adds one sensory attribute to the image. If a sensory image is given a mental attribute, the image appears to have thoughts or emotions. Adding a specific thought or emotion adds 40 to the difficulty.

If the image’s duration is instantaneous, the image lasts only as long as the caster concentrates. If a duration is specified, the image follows a simple program of action, as specified by the caster, for the duration of the spell. A programmed illusion can be made to activate itself in response to a specific trigger if combined with an imbue spell. A programmed illusion can react logically any situation it encounters if combined with an imbue spell at triple difficulty (135).

Unlike a shadow shape, an image cannot inflict real damage, even if the target believes it is real (see Player’s Handbook, Chapter 7).

An image can be used to kill, however, by drawing on the target’s fears. Such images are purely mental and function just like slay spells.

Shadow Shape: The spell allows the user to manipulate material from the Demiplane of Shadow, creating partially real illusions that retain their effectiveness even if disbelieved. The caster can employ a shadow shape as a conjure, summon, or strike spell. A shadow shape’s base difficulty is the same as the spell it mimics.

If disbelieved, the shadow shapes retain an Armor Class of 4 and 80% of their hit points and damage potential. Special attacks, such as petrifaction and level draining, generally persist for as long as the spell lasts or until dispelled or disbelieved, but there is a 50% chance that they remain even after the spell fades.

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