This spell doesn't have enough description for me to understand how it works.
1) Most importantly, does the illusion remain in the square where I cast it, even if I move? Or does it move where I move?
2) If the former is true, will monsters attempt to attack the illusory double that was left there?
Thanks,
m
It is a figment you cast on yourself. As far as I can tell it follows you and gives you the illusion that you are not doing anything, and therefor do not provoke. The illusion ends for a creature when they make their saving through to disbelieve, the other creatures still see you as standing there perfectly calm though. That help?
This spell doesn't have enough description for me to understand how it works.
Yes it does. I suspect that you, like many, many others, just don't like the way it works because it's incredibly weak and stupid and so assume it must do something else undefined.
"While under the effects of this spell, you do not provoke attacks of opportunity when you cast a spell, make a ranged attack with a thrown weapon, or move out of your first square during a move action. It does not hide ranged attacks made with any type of projectile weapon."
What the spell does is make it so that you don't provoke attacks of opportunity when you cast a spell, throw a weapon, or move. That's it. That is 100% of what it does right there plainly spelled out. The fluff text is messing with your head.
1) Most importantly, does the illusion remain in the square where I cast it, even if I move? Or does it move where I move?
First, it doesn't matter if it remains or moves or anything else, because the spell very plainly prevents you from provoking from spellcasting, throwing weapons, or moving. The visual representation of why it does that is irrelevant.
Second, it says plainly in the spell: "When casting this spell, you create an illusory double that takes the same space of you." It takes the same space as you, so it must move when you do or else it wouldn't be taking the same space as you anymore.
2) If the former is true, will monsters attempt to attack the illusory double that was left there?
It's not true, but even if was, it doesn't cause monsters to attack the illusionary double because the spell doesn't say it does. The spell says flat out that it prevents AoOs for casting spells or throwing weapons. Again, that is literally all it does. It is a terrible waste of a spell.
Spells and abilities do exactly what they say they do and no more.
How "takes the same space of [sic] you" necessarily implies that the illusion then remains with you irrespective of where you move is beyond me.
But thank you for your condescension! I knew my Saturday was missing a certain je ne sais quoi. :)
Illusion of Calm
School illusion (figment); Level alchemist 1, magus 1, sorcerer/wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Component V, S
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 minute/level
Saving Throw Will disbelieve (on hit; see below); Spell Resistance no
When casting this spell, you create an illusory double that takes the same space of you. That double makes it look like you are standing still, even when you are not. While under the effects of this spell, you do not provoke attacks of opportunity when you cast a spell, make a ranged attack with a thrown weapon, or move out of your first square during a move action. It does not hide ranged attacks made with any type of projectile weapon.
When a creature hits you with an attack of any type, it gains a saving throw to disbelieve the figment. On a successful saving throw, it successfully disbelieves and the spell's effect ends for that creature.
First, it doesn't matter if it remains or moves or anything else, because the spell very plainly prevents you from provoking from spellcasting, throwing weapons, or moving. The visual representation of why it does that is irrelevant.
and
It's not true, but even if was, it doesn't cause monsters to attack the illusionary double because the spell doesn't say it does.
While I agree that people shouldn’t try to assume that this spell will give a bunch of mechanical bonuses that it say it doesn’t (such as protecting against any other attacks of opportunity than listed, bonuses to pickpocket skills, etc), it also wouldn’t be correct to say the visual description is irrelevant, especially in how other creatures would react. Point me to the section of the rules that has the mechanics how creatures react to all the possible things that go on in the world around them. The description isn’t broken down into ‘relevant’ and 'fluff'.
With that there seems to be a discrepancy in what the visual description says and the mechanical rule advantages it grants.
How "takes the same space of [sic] you" necessarily implies that the illusion then remains with you irrespective of where you move is beyond me.
Sorry, but how are seeing that it would be anything else? Is it due to the "makes it look like you are standing still, even when you are not." part of the spell description?
How "takes the same space of [sic] you" necessarily implies that the illusion then remains with you irrespective of where you move is beyond me.
But thank you for your condescension! I knew my Saturday was missing a certain je ne sais quoi. :)
Hmm, I guess that does sound a little condescending if you read it a certain way. Oops, sorry (and about the typo, apparently)!
But seriously, the spell says what it does, and this is a really commonly asked about spell, so I've given answers on this a lot in the past, which is why it probably came out snarkier than intended.
That said, I am confused by your confusion. The spell says it takes the same space as you. If you move and it doesn't move with you, it no longer takes the same space as you, so that, by virtue of the fact that the spell clearly states that it takes the same space as you, can not possibly be correct.
Regardless, though, the spell is crappy. Don't waste your time using it. That's the easiest answer.
With that there seems to be a discrepancy in what the visual description says and the mechanical rule advantages it grants.
And that's why I say the description is irrelevant, because it confuses things.
In general, if your conception of how something works makes no sense or conflicts with the mechanics, the mechanics should not change to match your conception, you need to change your conception.
Also, it amused me that you referenced exactly the past threads I was thinking of (especially the pick pocket one!).
A Magus could use this spell to avoid AoO's while using spell combat.
I honestly don't get why this spell earns so much hate. It's a cantrip with a 1 minute/level duration, meaning you can cast it every few minutes and almost never have to worry about it running out mid-encounter. And it saves you from taking AoOs from casting, gives you basically an auto-Withdraw ability, and lets you throw s%%! at people.
I mean, really—what? What's that? Oh, sorry. I was looking at the Charlatan listing from the Terah manual. Yeah, this spell kiiiinda sucks for pretty much everyone else. I could see it working for combat casters (never have to make a Concentration check), and definitely for infusion-based alchemists (give the warriors easy mobility and the cleric an easier route to heal folk), but otherwise...eeeeh.
No it technically wouldn't. Though, as a GM I would allow it because the spell is weak enough on it's own. If you want to waste an extract to not provoke AoO on subsequent extract use, I would allow it.
It seems that many people imagine different things from the same description. What I understand is that the spell creates an illusion of you, covering your real you. And the illusion does nothing. Because of that, you can cast spells or the other things in the list because people don't know you are casting a spell, and so they cannot make an attack of opportunity (staying still does not provoke attack of opportunity, it seems).
BUT! Because of the part that "you don't provoke for the first square of movement" it makes me think that the illusion stays in place, so it protects you only when you are in the same place. he "occupies your same space" I read it as "same size", not "same square, moving with you"
My guess is the illusion just stands still while you move, then phases to follow you, which is why you only avoid an AoO for the first square.
I honestly don't get why this spell earns so much hate. It's a cantrip with a 1 minute/level duration, meaning you can cast it every few minutes and almost never have to worry about it running out mid-encounter.
It's first-level, not a cantrip.
My guess is the illusion just stands still while you move, then phases to follow you, which is why you only avoid an AoO for the first square.
I see it more as a still image of you that just drifts along. Nobody notices it's moving right away because there are no clear clues like moving limbs.
I honestly don't get why this spell earns so much hate. It's a cantrip with a 1 minute/level duration, meaning you can cast it every few minutes and almost never have to worry about it running out mid-encounter.It's first-level, not a cantrip.
Way to ignore the rest of my post. :P
The spell prevents AoOs because no one can tell what you're doing, but it doesn't prevent anyone from knowing what you're doing?
Ah but with our ever present spell manifestations, how does it work. Sure you're not visibly moving (hides the somatic and material components), but the illusion doesn't hide either the verbal component or the manifestations of the spell, so how does this even mechanically work? Or are we going to say that it can mask the manifestations?
The AOO is based on knowing that a spell is being cast, that the caster is distracted. If I can see above the "not moving" mage pretty blue lights, and spellcraft tells me that you're casting fireball, why wouldn't I get the AOO? I'd certainly get a disbelief check.
Manifestations don't provoke because combat casting doesn't provoke and still has manifestations. The smart consensus is that normal combat stance dodging and weaving is what prevents provoking. Either you do that and take a concentration check, or you don't and take an attack of opportunity. So illusion of calm is actually an illusion of dodging.
And yes, this interpretation suggests helpless and maybe dazed or stunned people should also provoke.
The spell prevents enemies from taking an AoO when you cast. The spell says nothing about preventing enemies from making spellcraft checks when you cast, so it does not prevent that.
They know you cast a spell. They just didn't see an opportunity to attack you while you did so. (Kind of like a quickened spell can also be spellcrafted, but generates no AoOs).
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It doesn't change anything about spell manifestations, because it doesn't say it does. So people can use Spellcraft to know what you're doing.
Note that it never stopped verbal components of spellcasting either.
But you still don't provoke for spellcasting, because the spell says so.
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If you need a more fluffy explanation beyond "the rules say so", consider the following. If you have full concealment your actions don't provoke.
This spell basically conceals your physical movements, so enemies can't see the openings in your defenses. There might be some lights and sounds emerging from beyond the cloaking field, but that's not direct enough to know where to place an AoO because the enemy still can't see the real you clearly.