Phantasmal Force

[Padoodle]

So I just picked this spell up and it looks like a ton of fun, but I have some questions about how it works. First off, if I make the target think a creature is attacking it, does it have to roll to hit? If so, does it use the stats of the creature? And can it use actions like grappling, opportunity attacks, or follow them around?

Secondly, if I were to use it to make the target believe they were restrained, like with a chain or web, would strength checks on their part break it?

And lastly for now, what are some good uses you guys can think of for it? So far I wanna try web, a bottomless hole, and an iron maiden.

[Draken]

So I just picked this spell up and it looks like a ton of fun, but I have some questions about how it works. First off, if I make the target think a creature is attacking it, does it have to roll to hit? If so, does it use the stats of the creature? And can it use actions like grappling, opportunity attacks, or follow them around?

Secondly, if I were to use it to make the target believe they were restrained, like with a chain or web, would strength checks on their part break it?

And lastly for now, what are some good uses you guys can think of for it? So far I wanna try web, a bottomless hole, and an iron maiden.

By the way it is written, I can derive these ways to deal with PF.

1. Movement impairing effects: If the target is affected by the illusion, it should by all means treat its movement impairing as fully real. So it would be restrained/grabbed/whatever. Strength doesn't help, however. It is an illusion and takes Investigation checks to overcome.
1.1. That said, just because the target thinks it is real, doesn't mean anyone else does. If someone force-moved the target away from the illusion, the rationalization clause would kick in. The victim would still think PF is fully real, but would think they were released from the Iron Maiden/whatever, by their ally. Coming back into contact with the thing would leave them stuck again, however.

2. Damage: The damage happens automatically, no attack rolls or saves involved. The counterplay to Phantasmal Force is the Intelligence save and then the Investigation check, not Armor Class or other saving throws.

[critter3of4]

I was thinking about picking up this spell next level.

Does the victim get a save check every round?

Eta: Nevermind. Answered in the simple q&a thread.

[BRC]

So I just picked this spell up and it looks like a ton of fun, but I have some questions about how it works. First off, if I make the target think a creature is attacking it, does it have to roll to hit? If so, does it use the stats of the creature? And can it use actions like grappling, opportunity attacks, or follow them around?

Secondly, if I were to use it to make the target believe they were restrained, like with a chain or web, would strength checks on their part break it?

And lastly for now, what are some good uses you guys can think of for it? So far I wanna try web, a bottomless hole, and an iron maiden.
IIRC the spell specifically cannot take the appearance of a creature. That said, the damage happens automatically, so if, say, you made the Phantasmal Force of a projectile (Like, say, a Spell) coming from another creature, that could convince the first creature that it was attacked.

I think restraining with a chain or web would work. The Target could try to make Strength checks, but it wouldn't work. The Target just thinks that the chain is too strong for them.

A bottomless Pit I don't think would work, since the Target can't actually fall down the pit. It would believe with all it's heart that there is a pit there, and would come up with bizzare reasons why things are not falling down it. If you opened up the "Pit" under it's feet, it would jump away as soon as possible, and be thoroughly convinced that it made it to the edge before falling in.

[critter3of4]

IIRC the spell specifically cannot take the appearance of a creature.

You can create a creature in the 5e version

[Chronos]

A bottomless pit won't work because the spell has a volume limit (a 10' cube, IIRC). But you could still do a 10' deep pit. With spikes on the bottom.

[SharkForce]

well, if you're gonna do a 10 foot pit, make the sides perfectly smooth and greased, put a trapdoor on the top, and put spinning blades in the bottom :P

[Easy_Lee]

Spell's open to interpretation, and I suspect that different DMs will have entirely different rules regarding the spell. For the sake of balance, I'd assume most DMs will allow clever use of the spell to restrain or otherwise knock one target out of the fight, but not completely kill or incapacitate a target just for failing the save. Presumably you could conjure some Lovecraftian monstrosity that a foe would fight or run from, but it would not actually kill them (unless they had a heart attack via DM fiat). I suspect that's how most would rule.