How can a group's appearance be magically changed without the group noticing?

Question

It's early days yet of Queen of the Spiders (1986), but in converting the classic adnd module for use in my dnd-3.5e campaign, I've already hit a snag. Here's the plot point, quoted for your reading pleasure:

The party has been set up once again [n.b. This is the third time!], but this incident is not what they might think. The newcomers [to the inn where the PCs are dining] are actually members of the city guard. [And, by the way, there are twenty of them!] Tipped that a dangerous fugitive could be found on the scene, they have come bursting in. However, just before they appeared, a hidden magic-user (an agent of the slave lord) cast a phantasmal force about them, disguising them as the PCs' nemesis. The magic-user hopes that the PCs attack, of course, and maintains the illusion only until they do so. (7)

(You don't need to tell me that the phantasmal force spell doesn't actually work that way—this is freakin' Gygax (re)writing this adventure! It works like he says it works, darn it.) Anyway, there should be a 3.5 spell or a magic item that can accomplish what the adventure demands—changing the appearances all at once of a group of 20 creatures without the group realizing that any of their number have had their appearances changed—, but I can't find it.

The lowest-level spell I can find that gets close is the 5th-level Sor/Wiz spell seeming [illus] (Player's Handbook 298) that can change a group's appearance without its permission, but the spell seeming—as other similar higher-level spells also apparently do—still leaves each group member cognizant of his own and other group members' changed appearances, therefore ruining the plot.

Is there a way to simulate the effect the adventure demands using the 3.5 rules, or must this magic-user have researched an original greater veil spell? (The spell veil being already pretty much greater seeming.) Almost anything short of epic spells is available here: the magic-user can be a psion or shadowcaster or whatever if that's what it takes, or the magic-user could possess a ridiculous magic item that allows him to employ the needed effect. (The PCs aren't supposed to be fighting the magic-user but, instead, the involuntarily disguised folks; the magic-user's just going to leave once the battle starts. I simply want to be able to explain how the magic-user perpetrated the ruse after its revealed.)

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Note: While I agree with answers that would have official spells like those mentioned in the question create maybe 1 round of disarray, I also figure at least one of the twenty subjects will almost immediately notice that his friends just changed appearances and tip off those who don't notice, ending any conflict with the PCs and seeing the subjects withdraw to determine what other effects this sinister magic may have had. I'd prefer this complicated scheme to create disarray that lasts longer than 1 round.

Answer 1

The Screen spell seems to be what you are looking for from the one time I have seen it in use. Here is the description:

This spell combines several elements to create a powerful protection from scrying and direct observation. When casting the spell, you dictate what will and will not be observed in the spell’s area. The illusion created must be stated in general terms. Once the conditions are set, they cannot be changed.

Attempts to scry the area automatically detect the image stated by you with no save allowed. Sight and sound are appropriate to the illusion created.

Direct observation may allow a save (as per a normal illusion), if there is cause to disbelieve what is seen. Even entering the area does not cancel the illusion or necessarily allow a save, assuming that hidden beings take care to stay out of the way of those affected by the illusion.

I think this will achieve the effect you are looking for.

Answer 2

Here are some ideas:

1. Have the wizard cast seeming or veil immediately as they enter.

It will take at least a few seconds for the group to actually notice that they've changed. If you time it right, they won't have time to work out what's happened before they're attacked.

2. Just invent a new spell.

You're the DM. Not every arcane spell in the world necessarily appears in the Player's Handbook, and an illusionist may very easily have created his own signature illusion spell which works like veil but is imperceptible to the people it's cast on.

Answer 3

Stack the effects, counting on the PCs to make their Will saves and the unwitting NPCs to fail their saves. The primary illusion will create the desired perception for the PCs, the secondary illusion or enchantment will prevent the unwitting NPCs from detecting the primary illusion.

From the information provided you have indicated that the PCs are likely to succeed at their Will saves but there is no indication that the unwitting NPCs have any particular bonuses. If so, use one of the suggestions such as Seeming to create the desired effect for the PCs' perception. Immediately follow it with Reflective Disguise, Mass (Spell Compendium p 171) cast by the spellcaster on themselves and the unwitting NPCs, assuming that the NPCs are racially homogenous. The NPCs fail their saves and continue to see each other as friendlies, the PCs make their saves and see them as per the Seeming. Reflective Disguise is not a perfect fit for what you are trying to achieve, but maybe you can fudge it a little by using exotic material components, ritual preparations for the casting, a special magic item etc. Note that this requires that the spellcaster is very briefly appearing to the unwitting NPCs to be one of them. This has the potential to work even better if some of the PCs make their save and others do not, as it will look like an attempt at a cunning illusion.

Alternatively, if you are willing to both customise and borrow from Pathfinder then a Mass version of Memory Lapse (Pathfinder Advanced Players Handbook p 232) cast on the unwitting NPCs on a couple of successive turns after the initial Seeming will remove their memories of anomalous events. If you are willing to borrow the spell from Pathfinder but not create a Mass version then you would need more spellcasters (one spellcaster per two dupes assuming they can each cast one normal and one Quickened Memory lapse each round). I realise this does not meet the 3.5e restriction, but I suggest that it is a balanced spell to allow as a new spell in 3.5.

Answer 4

I suggest the Hallucination power as your base

According to the Master Psionics List, the Hallucination power allows the following:

You can project visions or images in the subject's mind. This acts as major image, except the illusion is only visible to the target.

The power as-is unfortunately only affects one creature, but the simple addition of a custom homebrew augmentation:

For every 'x' power point(s) spent, you can increase the number of target(s) by one.

... would solve your challenge admirably.

According to the List, this power is found in the 3.5 Dark Sun campaign setting book. (Athas.org)