Illusion • Dream-Borne Legacy Spell
Nightmare
Nightmare sends a named sleeping creature a terrifying phantasmal vision that disrupts rest, deals damage and leaves the victim fatigued. Pathfinder and D&D 3.5e retain the spell, but it is not a Pathfinder Witch spell by default.
Nightmare at a Glance
| 5.5e / 2024 | No spell by this name in SRD 5.2.1 |
|---|---|
| 5e / 2014 | No core spell by this name |
| Pathfinder 1e | 5th-level spell for several arcane/psychic classes; not default Witch |
| D&D 3.5e | Bard 5, Sorcerer/Wizard 5 |
| Witch archive | Preserved here as a 4th-level legacy Witch-list entry |
Spell Rules by Edition
Nightmare — 5.5e / 2024
Status: no SRD 5.2.1 spell by this name.
Nightmare — 5e / 2014
Status: no core 2014 spell by this name.
Nightmare — Pathfinder 1e
| School | Illusion (phantasm) [mind-affecting] |
|---|---|
| Level | Alchemist 5, Arcanist 5, Bard 5, Investigator 5, Medium 4, Mesmerist 5, Psychic 5, Skald 5, Sorcerer 5, Spiritualist 5, Wizard 5 |
| Casting Time | 10 minutes |
| Components | V, S |
| Range | Unlimited |
| Target | One living creature |
| Duration | Instantaneous |
| Saving Throw | Will negates; see text |
| Spell Resistance | Yes |
The nightmare prevents restful sleep, deals 1d10 damage, leaves the target fatigued and prevents recovery of arcane spells for the next 24 hours. Save modifiers depend on how well the caster knows the target and what physical connection is available.
Creatures that do not sleep or dream are immune under Pathfinder’s rules.
Nightmare — D&D 3.5e
| School | Illusion (Phantasm) [Mind-Affecting, Evil] |
|---|---|
| Level | Bard 5, Sorcerer/Wizard 5 |
| Casting Time | 10 minutes |
| Components | V, S |
| Range | Unlimited |
| Target | One living creature |
| Duration | Instantaneous |
| Saving Throw | Will negates; see text |
| Spell Resistance | Yes |
The target takes 1d10 damage, becomes fatigued and cannot regain arcane spells for 24 hours. Knowledge and physical connections modify the target’s Will save under the 3.5e rules.
Knowledge and Connection
| Knowledge | Save modifier |
|---|---|
| None, but with some connection | +10 |
| Secondhand | +5 |
| Firsthand | +0 |
| Familiar | −5 |
| Connection | Save modifier |
|---|---|
| Likeness or picture | −2 |
| Possession or garment | −4 |
| Body part, lock of hair or similar sample | −10 |
What Changed?
- Pathfinder 1e: retains Nightmare but does not put it on the default Witch spell list.
- D&D 3.5e: retains the classic Bard/Sorcerer/Wizard version.
- Witch archive: the 4th-level Witch placement is preserved as legacy material and should not be mistaken for Pathfinder class access.
- 5.5e / 2024 and 5e / 2014: no direct core spell by this name.
Counterplay and Rulings
- Awake target: the caster can abandon the casting or wait in a vulnerable trance until the target sleeps.
- Disruption: disturbing the caster during the trance can end the spell under the legacy concentration rules.
- Dispel Evil: the older rules include a special interaction while Nightmare is being cast.
- Immunity: creatures that do not sleep or dream cannot be affected.
Using Nightmare in Play
Nightmare is long-range pressure rather than battlefield damage. It works best against a known enemy before an important day: preventing spell recovery, exhausting a rival commander or signalling that a distant foe has discovered the target’s identity.
Related Magic
Rules Sources and Licensing
Pathfinder 1e: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. D&D 3.5e: SRD legacy rules. The Witch-list placement is preserved separately as archive context.
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