Phantasmal Killer

When this spell is cast, the wizard creates the illusion of the most fearsome thing imaginable to the victim, simply by forming the fears of the victim's subconscious mind into something that its conscious mind can visualize — the most horrible beast. Only the spell recipient can see the phantasmal killer (the caster sees only a shadowy shape), but if it succeeds in scoring a hit, the subject dies from fright. The beast attacks as a 4 Hit Dice monster. It is invulnerable to all attacks, and it can pass through any barriers. Once cast, it inexorably pursues the subject, for it exists only in the subject's mind.

The only defenses against a phantasmal killer are an attempt to disbelieve (which can be tried but once), slaying or rendering unconscious the wizard who cast the spell, or rendering unconscious the target of the spell for its duration. To disbelieve the killer, the subject must specifically state the attempt and then roll an Intelligence check. This roll has a -1 penalty for every four levels of the caster.

Special Modifiers Apply to This Attack

Condition	Modifier
Surprise	-2
Subject previously attacked by this spell	+1
Subject is an illusionist	+2
Subject is wearing a helm of telepathy	+3

Magic resistance, bonuses against fear, and Wisdom adjustments also apply. Magic resistance is checked first to determine spell operation, and then the fear/Wisdom bonus applies as a minus to the dice roll to match or score less than Intelligence.

If the subject of a phantasmal killer attack succeeds in disbelieving, and he is wearing a helm of telepathy, the beast can be turned upon the wizard, who must then disbelieve it or be subject to its attack and possible effects.

If the subject ignores the killer to perform other actions, such as attacking the caster, the killer may, at the DM's option, gain bonuses to hit (for flank or rear attacks. etc.). Spells such as Remove Fear and Cloak of Bravery, cast after the killer has attacked, grant another check to disbelieve the effect.

[Player's Handbook]

School: Illusion/Phantasm
Level: 4
Rarity: Common

Range: 5 yards/level
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 round/level
Casting Time: 4
Area of Effect: 1 creature
Saving Throw: Special