Pierce the Phantasm

Carcelli, Parchment Background by Zeta Gardner

-Carcelli the Arcane Priestess

"At first glance, Pierce the Phantasm is just an inferior cousin to the more powerful and versatile spell Truesight.   Truesight is a fourth circle spell that can penetrate pretty much every illusion spell known. Pierce the Phantasm is a Third Circle spell that only works on Phantasms, in other words it doesn't affect defend against invisibility or fake auras. Invisibility is one of the most terrifying things illusion can so that's a big weakness.   Pierce the Phantasm has an underrated advantage over Truesight and pretty much every other illusion piercing spell, including Illumination theurgy: Pierce the Phantasm always works, at least in part.

  Generally when an illusion spell and a counter illusion spell are pitted against each other, it's an all-or-nothing affair. The stronger caster wins. If the counter-Illusionist wins, the caster sees through the illusion perfectly, if the illusionist beats the counter-illusionist, the counter-Illusionist cannot even tell if an illusion spell was cast at all.   If Pierce the Phantasm caster beats the initial illusion casting, he pierces it completely, per normal. But if the illusionist had a stronger casting, the counter-illusionist at least partially sees through it, so of like Purple Mist but less clumsy and obvious, good for espionage."