Need help with an illusion-based serial killer


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One of the arcs I wanted to add to my game was to have the PCs chase down a serial killer who uses illusion magic to essentially horrify his victims into killing themselves. While the idea seems to have a lot of merit, from a mechanical perspective it doesn't seem like there is much to support it. Specifically, I don't see any illusion spells that are one person delusions. I could hand wave that away, but that seems like cheating. Does any have any advice on this sort of thing, or any ideas they think would be cool?


I mean This spell already comes very close to what you are looking for. Upping the spell level by one to make them kill themselves by their own hand seems legit.

Afterwards, just allow the PCs to find the spell.


Yeah, I agree. I would base it on phantasmal killer as well. It does pretty much exactly what you're talking about, with the exception that instead of being scared to death by whatever the fear most it is instead something so...vile...they want to kill themselves.

I would probably make the spell one level higher, and then require a will save to overcome the horrific sight and to refrain from killing themsleves. After which, they perform a coup-de-grace on themself, ignoring the normal need to be helpless. The coup-de-grace would still have a fort save as is normal for a coup-de-grace.

However, no spells in the game that I am aware of really present this as an already vested opportunity.

I guess technically some version of mind control could cause them to kill themselves, but normally you can't really mind control someone into commiting suicide.


I don't think you even need a new spell. Phantasmal Killer causes the target to die if they fail their save and take damage if they succeed. Whether the death is by the victim's own hand or by some vaguely defined magical energy is purely a special effect. Mechanically you don't need to change it at all.


JoeJ wrote:

I don't think you even need a new spell. Phantasmal Killer causes the target to die if they fail their save and take damage if they succeed. Whether the death is by the victim's own hand or by some vaguely defined magical energy is purely a special effect. Mechanically you don't need to change it at all.

I'd argue that's not completely true. Death by suicide and death by being scared to death are very different from a story/investigative perspective. Besides a higher spell level means a higher DC :).

Here's an idea, add an element of shadow to it like with the shadow conjuration spells.


Ehhhh, I'd have to agree with JoeJ. Phantasmal Killer basically just says that if they don't make two saving throws the illusion kills them. You can redo fluff however you want, and it's a pretty simple and straightforward answer. Besides, Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus can make it a tough spell for anyone without multiple levels to succeed on. Level 1 NPCs would drop pretty consistently.


Terrible Remorse.

You could amp it up to a higher level if you wanted, with more damage or even a save or die effect (attempts to Coup de Grace itself, perhaps?).

But for the average peasant with like 4-6 HP, it's already buff enough.


For investigative purposes, simply make this a variant of the spell that isn't widely known, or perhaps was invented by the killer (depending on how hard the investigation is supposed to be). Some combination of Spellcraft, Knowledge (Arcane), library research, and consulting sages should let the PCs figure out that it's possible.


Alternatively, "suicide" isn't really anything covered in the book. Mental states aren't listed as any kind of penalty or anything, so who's to say that casting major image on someone night after night and making good Diplomacy or Bluff or Intimidate checks isn't enough to eventually convince them?

Scarab Sages

Add some class levels onto a boogeyman, give him a few bugbear minions, stir with some fear and dread, and you should have something close to what you are looking for.


Puna'Chong's idea is probably the best one story-wise, but the worst if you want him to eventually come up against the PCs and turn it on them.


That could be his/her MO, but that's not to say they don't have a lot of other ways of killing people. Really, though, casting major image doesn't really leave any trace of having happened. The person just goes crazy, commits suicide, and nobody really knows why. But yes, this does mean that they'll need other abilities to combat PCs.

Realistically, I guess, throwing figments at people means the serial killer can be working on multiple victims at once. Throw in stuff like vision of hell or whatever and it can really start becoming a pernicious, undetectable psychopath's dream. On that note, nightmare is also a thing.

Scarab Sages

From a practical perspective you want your NPC to be able to follow people around undetected. A hat of disguise is useful here. Also, you don't need to be an illusionist to pull this off - for example a teleportation conjurer can get in and out of most buildings very easily. Give him a trait that grants him stealth as a class skill, and the silent spell feet, and there you go.


Kind of a neat concept, but seems more enchantment than illusion.

I could see a pretty nasty bard built with a variant of House of Imaginary Walls, maybe a masterpiece that only they have access to or an "artifact masterpiece" that causes those who learn it to become a particular type of killer and gain the ability to use performance to create the horrific illusions you're thinking of. Combined with message, ventriloquism, mage hand, and invisibility and you could quite easily drive others mad with no one else the wiser. This with the bardic suggestion ability would be a particularly insidious combination. The only problem would be the aura of magic remaining afterwards, so you may want to try to find or invent something that would take care of that if you don't want detect magic to "win" and let the PCs figure out that it's magic early.

-TimD


TimD wrote:

The only problem would be the aura of magic remaining afterwards, so you may want to try to find or invent something that would take care of that if you don't want detect magic to "win" and let the PCs figure out that it's magic early.

-TimD

At best, this would probably be "Moderate" magic. So it would last 6 minutes at max.

Even Strong magic (7-9th level spells) is at most an hour.

Unless the killer is a deity, he's in the clear.


When looking at the OP's post, I'm not sure how close the PCs are supposed to be on the trail of the killer when this is going on, thus my recommendation.
If the PCs are literally only moments (ie longer than breathe of life) too late, it might be an issue, which is why I brought it up. Investigation scenarios are often foiled by divination magic.

-TimD

Grand Lodge

Puna'chong wrote:
Alternatively, "suicide" isn't really anything covered in the book. Mental states aren't listed as any kind of penalty or anything, so who's to say that casting major image on someone night after night and making good Diplomacy or Bluff or Intimidate checks isn't enough to eventually convince them?

That's where I was going to go with it. Have the serial killer torment their victims with fairly low level illusion spells - maybe throw in some enchantment like "Crushing Despair", and then at the end of it, they come in like an Angel of Light and offer their victim a 'solution.'

Actually, that could be a great set up to introduce them as a big bad, too. They can start taunting the PCs. Casting "Nightmare". Stuff like that. Oooh, this could be so much fun.


TimD wrote:

When looking at the OP's post, I'm not sure how close the PCs are supposed to be on the trail of the killer when this is going on, thus my recommendation.

If the PCs are literally only moments (ie longer than breathe of life) too late, it might be an issue, which is why I brought it up. Investigation scenarios are often foiled by divination magic.

-TimD

Eh, seems like a serial killer who has people bust in on him only moments after he's finished his work isn't a very good serial killer.


Maybe aside from using the illusions to kill people, he uses illusions to stage the crime scene dramatically for eventual discovery. This way, he can taunt the authorities, scare witnesses, and foreshadow for the PCs.

The murder weapon was the victim's own sword, the investigators say "Why would he do this?", Programmed Image is set to trigger on anyone saying "Why". As the words leave the detective's mouth, the victim steps out from the kitchen sharpening his sword and introduces himself

"Hello, I'm Victim 574, do you think my sword is sharp enough?" Then he stabs himself enthusiastically while saying *something relevant to the plot* Now the guy is a prolific serial killer (We've only found 4 bodies...) but aside from the

Or maybe the PCs get word that a notable noble is to be assassinated tonight, they rush to his aid but he seems perfectly unharmed. Then, a figure clad in black is seen perched on the rooftop, the PCs give chase, but that was just an illusion. As the PCs leave the noble, the killer breaks invisibility and goes for the kill. The PCs return after their goose hunt and find the noble dead. Now the killer follows the party and taunts them with images of their failure.

Before progressing, why is the killer killing? Is he part of some plot, is he just a sadist, does he have a cause?

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