seeming vs veil

[messy]

seeming is a close-range spell that disguises a group of creatures for 12 hours.

veil is a long-range spell that disguises a group of creatures for concentration+1 hour/level.

these spells seem awfully similar. why do both exist? why are they different levels?

[Jared Walter 356]

messy wrote:

seeming is a close-range spell that disguises a group of creatures for 12 hours.

veil is a long-range spell that disguises a group of creatures for concentration+1 hour/level.

these spells seem awfully similar. why do both exist? why are they different levels?

Primary difference is that with seeming, you cannot appear to be a another creature type. Humanoids will always be humanoids. Veil is much more flexible and therefore stronger.

Seeming references disguise self which as quite a few restrictions on what it can do.

[Falkyron]

Veil wrote:

You can make the subjects appear to be anything you wish. The subjects look, feel, and smell just like the creatures the spell makes them resemble.

This is a big deal. It's also in line with how illusions scale. Typically higher level illusions have lower level equivalents that don't fool as many senses.

[Mysterious Stranger]

Seeming is a lot more limited than veil. With seeming I can only change the appearance of the targets slightly. Not only do they have to appear as the same type their heights can only be changed by about a foot. That means I cannot make a group of gnolls appear as halflings. With veil I can make them appear as anything I want. So the group of gnolls could be made to look like bushes or rocks.

Many spells duplicate and improve lower level spells. This is one reason that spontaneous casters can change out some of their spells as they gain levels. This combination is a classic example of that.

[messy]

thanks for the clarification, everyone!