daryen / Skeeve

By the way, I eventually realized I never played the Trade I gave Skeeve. I changed it to match his actual played background. So, it now says "Fae Servant" instead of "Hermit". There is no practical effect, as that is exactly how he had been played. This is why he can speak Sylvan and has advantage dealing with the Fae, which is what he has used in the past.

OK, since this is now relevant, let me try again with the magic. Again, I am intentionally restricting it to just four items so I am being consistent with the form of the published abilities..

Mask: You may change the appearance, to any degree, of any one person or object, and it will appear as that object to anyone observing it. If the disguised thing or person moves or speaks, roll at Advantage to avoid suspicion. If failed, someone will know something is wrong, but might not know exactly what or figure it out immediately.
Invisibility: You may make yourself or any one person or a single object human sized or smaller invisible. Anyone trying to find them is at disadvantage. All attacks on an invisible target are at disadvantage. If you or someone is invisible, they can make their first attack at advantage, but the invisibility is then broken.
Projection: You may create an image of anything with a volume of 1000 cubic feet (10x10x10) or less. It can move, make sound, and have smell. It may simulate a living creature, or an inanimate object. Anything within the image cannot be seen, but anything so concealed cannot leave the boundary of the image or it will ruin the effect.
Phantasm: You force the target to make a Save Test. If failed, the target thinks you are the most terrifying thing they have ever seen or heard. They are at disadvantage for all actions until they make a successful save test.

More explanation for the items above to help set parameters of what I am thinking ...

Mask is just Disguise Self. It basically puts an illusion around you, but you are still you. So, if Skeeve casts it on himself to look like an ogre, he looks like a full sized ogre, but he is actually still only his normal size and doesn't actually fill the entire volume of what the ogre takes up. He is also still Skeeve strength and does not have ogre strength. If Skeeve makes himself look like a duende, he looks as small as a duende, but, while everything bigger than the duende shape is effectively invisible, it is still there. So, if he has to go through a duende sized door, he will have to bend over, meaning his duende image will have to bend over, making things awkward.

Invisibility is just standard Invisibility and the mechanics use the typically TD implementation. It applies to one person or object and lasts until the invisible person attacks, or the caster dispels it, or the encounter ends. I figure the caster can only have one such effect going at a time.

Projection combines your Veil and Cloak and my Image. The idea is that it can make any kind of image. So, it can be a threatening creature that looks, sounds, and smells real (but is completely insubstantial), or it can be a stationary thing (like a big rock or a hut or a bonfire). If there is anything inside the bounds of the image, they are completely hidden. Not invisible; just hidden. So, if the image is a big rock, then anyone or anything "inside" the rock cannot be seen. Likewise, anyone behind the image cannot be seen. If that boundary is breached, the illusion is ruined. They don't have to be completely still, just "stay within the lines". Obviously, this will be very difficult if the image moves, and will be much easier if the image is static.

This is not really a group invisibility spell, due to the need to stay within the bounds of the illusion. (Or stay on the opposite side of the illusion.)

Phantasm is basically the same, but the roll is now a target's save test rather than an attack roll. (I can go either way. Whichever you think best.)

Does this revision work better?

Invisibility still seems off from earlier feedback but will review in detail when I have time
mask and projections seem overly complicated. I like and would like to stick to the simple descriptions as seen on on other abilities.

Life has been hectic, I have read but need to think on this, and Sunday is family time so I will need a bit.

No hurry. If you want and this needs time, I can just get a pedestrian Trait using a second Human Heritage Trait and worry about the fancy stuff later.

Or I can just an extra HP (or two) and kick things down the road a bit.

Revised feedback
Mask: Test to change the appearance, including size by a factor of x2 or x1/2, of any one person or object. If successful this will fool any casual observance but the Mask may be broken by a Save if the observer has reason to doubt.
Invisibility : Test to make yourself or one nearby creature or object invisible. Any invisible creature attacks with advantage and is attacked with disadvantage. Moving outside your near range, attacking, using mystic traits, or being hit causes the invisibility to instantly cease.
Phantasm: Select a target that must roll a Save Test. If fails the target thinks you embody one of their worst fears. Each round they repeat the save. While under the effects they are at disadvantage for all actions.

Projection: Test to create an image of anything with a volume of 1000 cubic feet (10x10x10) or less. It can move, make sound, and have smell. It may simulate a living creature, or an inanimate object. Anything within the image cannot be seen, but anything so concealed cannot leave the boundary of the image or it will ruin the effect.
Projection is too much. Pick either a creature or area. Note that Kaarik picked Veil, an area affect illusion.

I am good with the first three.

For Projection, how about:
Test to create an image of any single object no bigger than 1000 cubic feet. It can move, make sound, and have smell. This may be a single creature (like a Death Dog) or a single object (like a large rock). Anything entering the space of, or interacting with, the object will expose the illusion, but not immediately dispel the illusion.

Ok, it now creates a single thing and nothing can be in it. Obviously, it will block line of sight if something is behind it. For example, creating an illusory door in an open archway will prevent anyone from seeing to the other side of the archway. It also avoids the AoE type magic like Kaarik. Will that work?

Edit: I'm still workshopping which gem to use as the name of the Archmage power.

@Psybermagi,

Question on the Human Trait Persistent. It says:
Persistent: repeated rolls, 2nd ignore disadvantage, 3rd gain advantage

What is meant by "repeated rolls"? Does this mean that if I am repeating rolls because of a prior failure? Or does it just mean if I am doing the same action multiple times? Also, after the third roll, does it start over again, or stay with advantage? Does this give me the ability to make reroll attempts where I might not otherwise have them? (Like with a Death Save Test.)

So, in the second case, does that mean if I am making an attack, the first attack is normal, the second attack removes disadvantage, and the third attack gains advantage? If so, then combining this ability with my Shatter spell would be pretty ridiculous. (This is true of any ability that starts at Disadvantage. Shatter is just the one Skeeve has handy.)

The context for this is that I am contemplating deferring the Illusion Archmage ability and instead getting a second Human Trait now. My default is just to get Adaptable (Resolute), but before doing that I want to get clarification on Persistent.

The idea is repeated effort can overcome challenges. Attacking in combat is too dynamic so no effort is really repeated. You can apply this to any repeated Test outside of combat. This would allow you to gain advantage on magic traits if you perform the identical action 3 times.

OK, I am going to just go with Adaptable (Resolute). Skeeve has rolled enough Save Tests that I think this is a decent option. I'll save the third Archmage Trait until my next Trait acquisition.

Also, with the Dissertation on Magics, Skeeve will start studying the Alarm spell to learn its Word. Not sure what the word will be, but he'll go for it.

After that, he will study Flame Arrows, trying for Fire. (I assume it is Fire. I could be wrong.)

For the Wall of Light, if he still has it, he will study it after the first two. However, he won't prevent himself from casting that one if the need ever arises. Not sure what the Word for it would be. If it is Radiance, then he will instead try to understand the spell so he can recreate it using a Word he already knows.

He isn't worried about the Homunculus one as that will either be used or not used. I am not sure what the Word for that one would be, and even if he learned the word, he likely couldn't duplicate the spell anyway.