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Keld Denar
2010-03-29, 09:14 PM
1. Do spells have an oder? I mean, spells that don't indicate that they have a scent, things other than say, Ghoul Touch or Major Image.
2. Like, would an Evard's Black Tenticles smell like anything?
3. What if you had scent?
4. If spells do have a smell, would a creature with Scent be able to tell the difference between a real spell and a [Shadow] spell (partially real) mimicing a real spell?
5. If it can, how would that affect the illusion? Would the creature with Scent still have to make a save? Would they get a bonus to resist it?

For reference:


Scent
This extraordinary ability lets a creature detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell.

A creature with the scent ability can detect opponents by sense of smell, generally within 30 feet. If the opponent is upwind, the range is 60 feet. If it is downwind, the range is 15 feet. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the ranges noted above. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at three times these ranges.

The creature detects another creature’s presence but not its specific location. Noting the direction of the scent is a move action. If it moves within 5 feet of the scent’s source, the creature can pinpoint that source.

A creature with the Track feat and the scent ability can follow tracks by smell, making a Wisdom check to find or follow a track. The typical DC for a fresh trail is 10. The DC increases or decreases depending on how strong the quarry’s odor is, the number of creatures, and the age of the trail. For each hour that the trail is cold, the DC increases by 2. The ability otherwise follows the rules for the Track feat. Creatures tracking by scent ignore the effects of surface conditions and poor visibility.

Creatures with the scent ability can identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar sights.

Water, particularly running water, ruins a trail for air-breathing creatures. Water-breathing creatures that have the scent ability, however, can use it in the water easily.

False, powerful odors can easily mask other scents. The presence of such an odor completely spoils the ability to properly detect or identify creatures, and the base Survival DC to track becomes 20 rather than 10.

Sinfire Titan
2010-03-29, 09:18 PM
1. Do spells have an oder? I mean, spells that don't indicate that they have a scent, things other than say, Ghoul Touch or Major Image.

No, only Psionic Powers have this. I'm kidding. Fireball smells like Fire. Lots of it.


2. Like, would an Evard's Black Tenticles smell like anything?

What do you expect tentacle **** to smell like?


3. What if you had scent?

Some spells would be really bad for you. Like Cloudkill, or Power Word Maladroit.


4. If spells do have a smell, would a creature with Scent be able to tell the difference between a real spell and a [Shadow] spell (partially real) mimicing a real spell?


It would give him a different means of interacting with the spell, allowing a save. If the save fails, no special advantage.



5. If it can, how would that affect the illusion? Would the creature with Scent still have to make a save? Would they get a bonus to resist it?

For reference:

1: Addressed. 2: Yes. 3: Not unless the duplicated spell applies a penalty or a bonus for having scent.

Bibliomancer
2010-03-29, 09:22 PM
1. One would hope that (in a sane world) Nauseating Cloud would have an odor.
2. Probably not, since the fluff of the spell is to create something from nothing. If you create something that perfect, it won't lose pieces of itself into the surrounding air (which is what causes scents).
3. You can't smell smoething that doesn't have a small. Nauseating Cloud would probably jam your scent ability, even if you made the save.
4. Technically an illusion spell simply creates a duplicate of the spell's affects directly into the minds of the targets, so you could make a Will Save as normal to tell the difference (and you'd interact with the illusion of a nauseating cloud or a person if they came within your scent range). If you failed the Will Save, the illusory scent would register as normal.
5. A being with scent would simply get a chance to make a save earlier, since its automatically interacting with it on a level far above looking at it would be for a human. They wouldn't get any other benefit, I think.

CockroachTeaParty
2010-03-29, 09:25 PM
Fun Fact: Many psionic powers have smells.

AslanCross
2010-03-29, 09:41 PM
In Monster Manual III, the Canoloth's blindsight is said to be partially negated in an area of strong odor (such as a cloudkill). It's up to you if you want to extrapolate that for other creatures.



Some spells would be really bad for you. Like Cloudkill, or Power Word Maladroit.


Wait, why Power Word Maladroit? Doesn't it just make its victim clumsy? :smallconfused:

gdiddy
2010-03-29, 09:53 PM
Wait, why Power Word Maladroit? Doesn't it just make its victim clumsy? :smallconfused:

Well, when you're clumsy, you might bump your nose.

Sinfire Titan
2010-03-29, 10:07 PM
Wait, why Power Word Maladroit? Doesn't it just make its victim clumsy? :smallconfused:

Woops, wrong spell. The art on the page for Power Word Maladroit got me confused. Whatever that spell's name is.

hewhosaysfish
2010-03-30, 06:56 AM
4. If spells do have a smell, would a creature with Scent be able to tell the difference between a real spell and a [Shadow] spell (partially real) mimicing a real spell?
5. If it can, how would that affect the illusion? Would the creature with Scent still have to make a save? Would they get a bonus to resist it?


Lower level illusions (like Silent Image) specifically create only images. As the spell level increases, sound is added, then things like heat, smell and even touch.
Check the individual spell descriptions.

A scentless illusion would appear to a creature with the Scent ability as a Silent Image appears to a creature that can hear: it could potentially be explained with magic (Silence/Remove Scent) but would still be notable as an oddity and probably bear investigating. Investigating will almost certainly involve something which counts as "interacting" for the purposes of saves to disbelieve.

Greenish
2010-03-30, 07:06 AM
Woops, wrong spell. The art on the page for Power Word Maladroit got me confused. Whatever that spell's name is.Power Word Malodorous?

Optimystik
2010-03-30, 08:14 AM
No, only Psionic Powers have this. I'm kidding. Fireball smells like Fire. Lots of it.

Also poop.


Fun Fact: Many psionic powers have smells.

Yes and no. While you do smell something due to the power, most of the time what you smell is unrelated to the power itself:


Olfactory

An odd but familiar odor brings to mind a brief mental flash of a long-buried memory. The scent is difficult to pin down, and no two individuals ever describe it the same way. The odor originates from the manifester and spreads to a distance of 20 feet, then fades in less than a second (or lasts for the duration, at the manifester’s option).

Keld Denar
2010-03-30, 11:31 AM
Lower level illusions (like Silent Image) specifically create only images. As the spell level increases, sound is added, then things like heat, smell and even touch.
Check the individual spell descriptions.


Ah, but the character is a Shadowcraft Mage. The Silent Image is no longer a [Figment], but a [Shadow] spell that is partly real. I'm thinking that changes the rules on what the Silent Image can and cannot produce.

gdiddy
2010-03-30, 11:49 AM
Shadows don't smell, though.

Unless Neil Gaiman is describing something. Then he'll say something whimsical and British, like "The duke's boudoir smelled like brooding shadows and old pride."

So unless you're George R. R. Martin and thus DM for Neil Gaiman, shadow smells are unlikely to come up.

Keld Denar
2010-03-30, 12:01 PM
You are correct, shadows don't smell. [Shadow] spells, however, are created from material from the Plane of Shadow. While its not real, its a mimicry that is close enough that even if you know its not real, it still burns you. Thus, if the spell they mimic has a smell, the Shadow spell should have a smell too, and even if the save is made, it should smell kinda like the spell it mimics, right?