Zala's Deception

This spell combines aspects of mirror image and blink. It creates two or more exact duplicates within 50 feet of the caster. The caster's true location jumps randomly from image to image at the beginning of each round, before any other action occurs. Zala's deception creates 1d4 illusory duplicates, plus 1 additional image for every five levels of experience. A 10th-level wizard creates 1d4+2 images, a 15th-level wizard creates 1d4+3, and so on to a maximum of 1d4+5 at 25th level.

Unlike the images of the mirror image spell, this spell's illusory duplicates do not vanish if struck. Instead, any creature successfully striking an image in hand-to-hand combat at any time during the round (including touch-delivered spells) is allowed a saving throw vs. spell. If successful, the duplicate vanishes; failure means the image remains. Otherwise, the caster has considerable control over the movement of the duplicates, which will not become entangled with walls, furniture, or other obstacles. If the wizard takes one full round to cast the spell (instead of a casting time of 5), the images will appear in precisely the spots and orientation desired, instead of being generally placed by the DM. After that, the images mimic the caster's general movements in a believable fashion. The images can be dispelled normally, though each is checked individually. Magics such as true seeing can easily determine which the images are and which the true wizard is.

Notes: Very rare spell. Known to be in the Book of Zaia (the Lakharemtolma Zalarem). (Updated from Dragon Magazine.)