Phantasmal Killer: Nothing to be Afraid Of

Usable By: Wizard

Spell Level: 4

School: Illusion

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 120 feet

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Components: V, S

You tap into the nightmares of a creature you can see within range and create an illusory manifestation of its deepest fears, visible only to that creature. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target becomes frightened for the duration. At the end of each of the target’s turns before the spell ends, the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or take 4d10 psychic damage. On a successful save, the spell ends.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 4th.

Review by Sam West, Twitter: @CrierKobold

You reach 7th level; new 4th level spells await you. 5th level powered you up to Fireball and Fly; what could be waiting for you in the new world of 4th level spells? Polymorph? Banishment? Conjure Minor Elementals?

If, for some reason, none of those speak to you, you may consider Phantasmal Killer. Don’t. This spell would be bad as a 3rd level spell. This spell might be slightly usable as a 2nd level spell. Instead, it's priced at a whole 4th level slot. Oof.

The spell both requires your action and your concentration for a save or die; if they save, the spell does nothing. Alright, that’s not a deal breaker normally; Polymorph is pretty backbreaking from a balance perspective, and it's a save or die. What follows in Phantasmal Killer’s case is… Cause Fear. That’s what it does, it just frightens the target of you. For a 4th level slot.

If, by some miracle, at the end of its turn you’re still concentrating on it and it fails ANOTHER save, you get to deal a whole 4d10 damage to it. 4d10 is roughly 22 damage; Fireball, for a lower level slot, hits multiple targets, always deals damage, and averages 28 damage. That’s a yikes from me.

Should luck favor you and you manage to get the thing to fail THREE saves in a row over two rounds while maintaining concentration, you’re getting 8d10 damage and a fear, and at that point the spell becomes fine. It's not amazing or anything; 8d10 over two turns requiring your concentration is still pretty bad comparatively, but this is the floor you need to reach to have the effect be remotely worth the slot.

You know what could easily happen? You frighten something with the spell; it then, on its turn before you’ve even dealt damage with the spell, it starts hitting you as hard as it can, as it’s horrified of you. Sure, these attacks have disadvantage, but you’re not a martial class; your AC is dependent on Shield and Mage Armor, and even with both sometimes you’re still getting hit and can immediately lose concentration. You just functionally took the Dodge action but worse, as now all attacks from other sources still are made normally, and it cost you a 4th level spell slot.

For this save or suck to go well, you need a creature to fail three consecutive saves. Three. Don’t cast Phantasmal Killer. Sure, it sounds cool and edgy and invokes the feeling of a twisted mental mage torturing their foes with their worst nightmares, but if you want that, just take Phantasmal Force. Don’t waste your time on Phantasmal Killer.

5e Spells

Phantasmal Killer: Nothing to be Afraid Of