Illusion Magic

Content for the FATE system; released under the Open Game License

Overview

Illusion mages create extremely realistic illusions that are very difficult to break out of.

Note:: this is a difficult mechanic to adapt into a TTRPG. I’m not yet happy with how it turned out.

Skills

Illusion Magic

Single-cost skill. Describes how skilled you are at crafting and maintaining illusions.

Using Illusion Magic

1. Preparing the illusion

As a full-round action, you concentrate on the illusion you wish to craft and imagine it in great detail. Describe the illusion to the GM and roll Illusion Magic against a target number set by the GM. If you succeed, the illusion takes form in your mind. Note down the amount of shifts you succeeded with, as Illusion Quality. You can hold on to the prepared illusion for as long as you can keep concentrating. You can only hold on to one prepared illusion at a time.

When crafting an illusion, for each sense, choose the first possible of:

  • Fool: the sense is fed false information by the illusion. Choose this option only for senses you know of, and also have yourself.
  • Block: the sense is blocked (blind, deaf, etc). Choose this option only for senses that you know of.
  • Ignore: the sense is completely unaffected by the illusion and functions normally.

Affecting fewer senses makes the illusion easier to notice, but it is also more magically efficient and thus harder to escape.

When the illusion is applied to a target, for each sense the target has:

  • If you chose Block, the target has +Aspect Bonus on checks to notice the illusion and you have +Aspect Bonus/2 (round down) on checks to break free of the illusion.
  • If you chose Ignore, the target has +Aspect Bonus * 2 on checks to notice the illusion. If you could have chosen a different option, you have +Aspect Bonus on checks to break free of the illusion.

2. Applying the illusion

As an action, you reach out to a creature you know the precise location of and attempt to trap it in an illusion you have prepared. Make an opposed check of your Illusion Magic against the target’s Resolve, Alertness, or Illusion Magic (defender’s choice). If you win, the target is engulfed by your illusion. If the target wins or the check is a tie, then:

  • If the target defended using Resolve, your illusion fails to take hold. If the target won by a number of shifts greater than your Illusion Magic Aspect Bonus, the illusion is shattered and you no longer have it prepared.
  • If the target defended using Alertness, your illusion still takes hold, but the target knows they are in an illusion.
  • If the target defended using Illusion Magic, your illusion fails to take hold. If the target won by a number of shifts greater than your Illusion Magic Aspect Bonus, they may steal the prepared illusion from you.

Note: if the creature is not at the location you thought it was, this action simply fails and your illusion dissipates with no effect.

3. Maintaining the illusion

You must spend a Supplemental action on each of your turns to maintain control of an ongoing illusion. You must do this separetely for each target affected by one of your illusions. When you do, you may make minor changes to the illusory world. You may use your action instead of a supplemental action. If you do, you can make major changes to the illusory world. This upkeep also allows you to keep the illusion prepared if you still have it.

If the illusion’s target does not know they are in an illusion, they make an opposed check of Alertness or Illusion Magic (their choice) against your Illusion Magic. For the purposes of this check, you have a bonus to your Illusion Magic equal to the Illusion Quality of this illusion (noted down in step 1). On a success, the target becomes aware that they are in an illusion.

If the illusion’s target is aware they are in an illusion, they may attempt to break out. The target makes an opposed check of Resolve or Illusion Magic (their choice) against your Illusion Magic. On a success, the illusion is shattered and you no longer have it prepared. If the target escaped using Illusion Magic and won by a number of shifts greater than your Illlusion Magic Aspect Bonus, they may steal the illusion from you and have it prepared.

Stunts

Illusion Recall

  • Prerequisite: Illusion Magic 10
  • Cost: 50 XP

If you maintained an illusion this turn, you may use your action to delve into it and prepare it or prepare a copy of it.

Illusion Connoisseur

  • Prerequisite: Illusion Magic 30
  • Cost: 100 XP

You always know whether you are in an illusion.

Perfect Memory (Illusions)

  • Prerequisite: Illusion Magic 30
  • Cost: 125 XP

You cannot lose a prepared illusion as long as you are conscious, unless another illusion mage wrests it from you. You can hold a number of prepared illusions equal to your Illusion Magic Aspect Bonus.

Rapid Construction

  • Prerequisite: Illusion Magic 20
  • Cost: 75 XP

You may prepare an illusion using an action rather than your entire round. When you prepare an illusion this way, the resulting Illusion Quality is halved (round down).

Economical Illusions

  • Prerequisite: Illusion Magic 20
  • Cost: 100 XP

When crafting an illusion, for each sense, you may choose any option among Fool, Block, and Ignore that you meet the conditions for.