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Does a creature who successfully saves against Loathsome Veil have to make saves while it continues to view the spell, or is it safe for the rest of the duration?
I had a similar question (along with some others). Although from the opposite direction. I assume that someone who saves once is safe forever. But if someone fails their save once, are they going to be affected for the normal duration of the spell (or until they divert their eyes), or do they have opportunities to keep making saves?
From the spell:
"School illusion (pattern) [mind-affecting]"
"The creature is nauseated while it can see the veil, nauseated for 1d4 rounds after it last saw the veil"
"A successful saving throw ignores all effects of the veil."
From illusion magic:
"Pattern: Like a figment, a pattern spell creates an image that others can see, but a pattern also affects the minds of those who see it or are caught in it. All patterns are mind-affecting spells."
"Creatures encountering an illusion usually do not receive saving throws to recognize it as illusory until they study it carefully or interact with it in some fashion."
"A character faced with proof that an illusion isn't real needs no saving throw. If any viewer successfully disbelieves an illusion and communicates this fact to others, each such viewer gains a saving throw with a +4 bonus."
So is it like other illusion magic where if they have proof it isn't real they automatically save, and if someone else in their group saves and says something, they get a new save with a +4 bonus? What would "proof" even be, since I'm not sure what a "real" loathsome veil is even supposed to be.
I assume they instantly get a save when you cast the spell, to avoid ill effects. But do they keep getting a new save every time they "interact" with it, and what counts as an interaction? Is every round that they see it and are sick a new interaction? How about if they look away and look back, or blink? How about after the pattern is gone, but they're still sick for 1d4 rounds, do they still get new saves or are they done interacting with the illusion?" The fact that they are still sick for a while after the illusion is gone suggests that there is more to it than just "believing" the illusion is real and that passing a subsequent save after initially failing it wouldn't immediately relieve them of the effects.
The whole rules about disbelieving illusions don't sound like a good fit here, when it's a mind affecting pattern rather than just pure trickery like a figment. But I'd like someone to help clarify the interpretation on this. For anyone planning to actually use this spell (like me), these logistical details will make a huge difference. I'd like to have some idea of how it will work before deciding to learn this spell.
As a point of comparison, consider Stinking Cloud, available at the same spell level. It nauseates targets over a large area WITHOUT the severe limitations on hit dice imposed by loathsome veil. And the nausea lasts for 1d4 rounds even after they leave the cloud. All for what is clearly just a single save rather than (possibly) multiple saves due to the fact that it's an illusion. Stinking cloud has disadvantages of its own (greater risk of friendly fire, providing cover to enemies), but at least it doesn't become obsolete due to hit dice limits.
Another data point:
Traditional illusion spells like Silent Image say things like this:
"Saving Throw: Will disbelief (if interacted with)"
All Loathsome Veil says is this:
"Saving Throw Will negates"
Nothing about belief or interacting. It looks exactly like the saving throw might look for a regular non-illusory mind affecting spell. Most of the illusion spells have some sort of language about disbelief, but the pattern spells seem like an exception to the rule. Scintillating Pattern, another mind affecting pattern illusion, doesn't even allow any saving throw, it just straight up just applies a harmful status to up to 20 hit dice of creatures in its area of effect.
Everything leads me to believe that Loathsome veil is just a regular single save all or nothing effect. But I'd prefer to hear any other arguments or opinions that people may have on the subject.