Illusion

Illusion is the magic of appearance and perception: spells that disguise, misdirect and reshape what others think they see and hear. It creates convincing images and sounds, cloaks people and objects, distorts distance and motion, and makes the real seem unreal. It wins through uncertainty: foes waste effort on phantoms, take the wrong path, or hesitate at the worst moment because they can't trust their senses.

Illusion Spells at a Glance

Spells

Minor Mirage

Cantrip · Strain 0 · Invocation, 2 AP · Duration 1 minute · Save: Perception
Creation, Image

You create a small, silent visual illusion that fits in a 5-foot cube at a point your delivery reaches. It can't deal damage, hold anything up or block movement; creatures and objects pass through it. A creature that studies it carefully, touches it or passes through it can make a Perception save opposed by your Channeling result; on a success it knows it's an illusion for the duration.

Push: take 1 Strain to cast for 1 AP instead of 2.

Critical Success: The illusion can include simple repeating motion: flickering flame, drifting smoke, swaying cloth, a turning wheel.

Optional Modifiers

• Bigger Mirage (+1): It can fill a 10-foot cube.
• Lasting Mirage (+1): The duration becomes 1 stretch.
• Fine Detail (+1): It can include intricate details, recognizable symbols or a short piece of writing.
• Obscuring Mirage (+1): Until a creature recognizes it, it hides what is behind it (things still pass through).
• Anchored Mirage (+3): The spell gains Invested. Created on or around an unattended object or a fixed point, it stays anchored there and the duration becomes 1 hour.

Phantom Jab

Cantrip · Strain 0 · Invocation, 2 AP · Duration Instant · Save: Perception
Damage, Psychic

You lash one target with a brief phantom strike. It makes a Perception save opposed by your Channeling result; on a failure it takes 1d4 psychic damage and suffers 1 level of Disadvantage on its next attack roll. On a critical failure it is also Dazed until the end of its next turn.

Delivery restriction: one creature, no area deliveries.

Push: take 1 Strain to cast for 1 AP instead of 2.

Critical Success: The damage becomes 1d6.

Veil

Cantrip · Strain 0 · Invocation, 2 AP · Duration 1 round
Buff, Brewable, Concealment

Illusory distortions blur your outline: until the start of your next turn you are Concealed (attacks against you suffer 1 level of Disadvantage).

Push: take 1 Strain to cast for 1 AP instead of 2.

Critical Success: You also have 1 level of Advantage on Stealth checks until the start of your next turn.

Mirage

Complexity 1 · Strain 3 · Invocation, 2 AP · Duration 5 rounds · Save: Perception
Creation, Image, Concentration

You create a visual illusion that looks real within the area of your delivery. It can show creatures, objects, terrain features or other visible things, and it can include simple movement and changes of appearance. It is intangible: it can't deal damage, hold anything up or block movement, and creatures and objects pass through it. A creature that touches it, passes through it, studies it carefully or has reason to doubt it can make a Perception save opposed by your Channeling result; on a success it recognizes the illusion and sees through it for the duration. The spell needs Concentration and ends the moment you stop concentrating.

Delivery restriction: with a delivery that has no area, the illusion is limited to a single 5-foot cube at the target point.

Critical Success: Perception saves to see through this casting have 1 level of Disadvantage.

Optional Modifiers

• Lasting Mirage (+1): The duration becomes 10 rounds.
• Fine Detail (+1): The illusion can include intricate detail: readable writing, recognizable symbols and clearly identifiable features.
• Mobile Mirage (+1): While you concentrate, you can move the illusion up to your standard range once per round for 1 AP.
• Scripted Behavior (+1): The illusion can repeat a simple sequence of actions or movements you define when you cast it.
• Obscuring Mirage (+1): Until a creature recognizes it, the illusion blocks line of sight through the area (things still pass through it).
• Audible Mirage (+2): The illusion can include simple continuous sound that suits what it shows, up to the volume of a loud shout.
• Lingering Mirage (+2): Cast it as a Chant; the duration becomes 1 stretch.
• ★ Anchored Mirage (+3): Cast it as a Ritual; the spell gains Invested, and if the illusion is made on or around an unattended object or a fixed point, it stays anchored there for the duration, which becomes 1 hour. [School Mastery, 6+ ranks]

Silence

Complexity 1 · Strain 1 · Invocation, 2 AP · Duration 5 rounds · Save: Perception
Control, Sound

You muffle sound for each creature or area your delivery affects. If you target unwilling creatures (with Remote or Imbue, say), each makes a Perception save opposed by your Channeling result and ignores the casting on a success; creatures caught only in an area version get no save. Affected creatures suffer 2 levels of Disadvantage on actions that rely on or need sound (talking, listening and the like).

Critical Success: All sound is fully muted for the affected creatures or area: actions that strictly require sound automatically fail while it lasts, including sound-dependent spell trappings.

Optional Modifiers

• Greater Silence (+1): Perception saves to resist the spell have 1 level of Disadvantage.
• Mobile (+1): For an area version, once per round you can move the area up to your standard range for 1 AP.

Sound

Complexity 1 · Strain 1 · Invocation, 2 AP · Duration Instant · Save: Perception
Communication, Sound

You create a specific sound at a point in range, up to the volume of a loud shout: a voice, an animal call, a snapping twig, a ticking device, a bell and so on. If you use it to distract or disrupt a creature, it makes a Perception save opposed by your Channeling result; on a failure it suffers 1 level of Disadvantage on its next Perception check or its next hearing-based action (choose when you cast).

Critical Success: The target suffers 2 levels of Disadvantage instead.

Optional Modifiers

• Greater Sound (+1): Perception saves against the distraction have 1 level of Disadvantage.

Disguise

Complexity 3 · Strain 2 · Chant (1 minute) · Duration 1 stretch · Save: Perception
Brewable, Modify

You change the target's appearance so it looks like another creature of the same size and general shape, including its visible clothing and gear. The disguise is purely visual: no new abilities, movement, senses or physical traits. A creature with reason to doubt it, that studies it closely or notices something off can make a Perception save opposed by your Channeling result, seeing through it for the duration on a success.

Delivery restriction: one willing creature unless modified.

Critical Success: Perception saves to see through it have 1 level of Disadvantage.

Optional Modifiers

• Alter Size (+1): The target can appear up to one size category larger or smaller.
• Lasting Disguise (+2): Cast it as a Ritual; the duration becomes 1 hour.
• Additional Target (+2): Affect one more willing creature.
• Unwilling Disguise (+2): Target an unwilling creature; it makes a Charisma save opposed by your Channeling result and is unaffected on a success.

Invisibility

Complexity 3 · Strain 5 · Invocation, 2 AP · Duration 5 rounds
Buff, Brewable

The target and its personal items turn invisible, leaving only the faintest visual distortion. Attacks against it that need sight suffer 2 levels of Disadvantage, and so do Perception checks to spot it by sight. When its position is partly given away (by water, mud, smoke, heavy rain, footprints or similar), reduce the penalty by 1 level in that situation.

Delivery restriction: one willing creature unless modified.

Critical Success: The penalty becomes 3 levels of Disadvantage.

Optional Modifiers

• Extended Invisibility (+2): Cast it as a Chant; the duration becomes 1 stretch. If the target makes a damaging attack or targets an unwilling creature with a spell, the spell ends right after that action.
• Additional Target (+3): Affect one more willing creature.
• Unwilling Invisibility (+2): Target an unwilling creature; it makes a Charisma save opposed by your Channeling result and is unaffected on a success.

Illusion Wild Surges

Roll on Wild Surge — Illusion: 1d30 on a failed Channeling check; 2d8 on a critical failure (negative entry 2 × roll − 3) or critical success (positive entry 2 × roll − 2). Use the severity for the triggering spell's Total Strain: Minor 0–4, Moderate 5–9, Major 10+.

− negative (odd), + positive (even).