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.
In game terms, the target is reduced to -10 HP and loses one additional HP per round. The beast attacks with a strike chance (SC) of 40 + caster's MA + (rank x 3). The target is allowed their normal defense At ranks 1 to 10, it gets one attack per round. This increases to 2 attacks per round at ranks 11 to 21 and 3 attacks per round at rank 22. It is invulnerable to all attacks and 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, rendering unconscious the target of the spell for its duration, or successfully avoiding the killer's attacks for the duration of the spell. To disbelieve the killer, the subject must specifically state the attempt and then succeed in a Disbelieve roll. This roll has a -1 penalty per rank of the caster.
Special modifiers apply to killer's attack and the target's Disbelieve roll:
| Condition | Modifier to killer's SC | Modifier's to target's Disbelieve roll |
| Surprise | +10 * | -10 |
| Subject previously attacked by this spell | -5 | +5 |
| Subject is an illusionist | 0 | +10 |
| Subject is wearing a helm of telepathy | 0 | +15 |
| * Initial attack only |
Magic resistance and bonuses against fear also apply. The subject's magic resistance is checked first; if the spell overcomes the resistance, the subject's fear bonuses (if any) then apply as modifiers to his Disbelieve roll.
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. |