3.5 illusion spell suggestions

[Runestar]

Illusion - one of the weakest schools? IMO, it is easily the strongest, 2nd only to conjuration.

To make her more true to the original Illusionist I made Evokation her banned school...yes it's not the best choice, but Illusionists shouldn't be able to blow things up for real.

Not really a big loss. Shadow evocation can replicate key evocation spells anyways (and possibly even better, since spells duplicated this way have a casting time of just 1 standard action and no need for material components - yay for contingency).

Generally, evocation is considered a subpar choice because its damage scales at a much slower rate compared to the opponent's rate of hp gain, and its effects can be replicated by conjuration and illusion. It does nothing to prevent your enemies from attacking you (because they are every bit as effective at 1 life as at full life), and thus deemed to be inferior to battlefield control spells such as glitterdust, web, stinking cloud, solid fog or evard's tentacles which stop them cold (if the enemies cannot touch you, it doesn't really matter if they are full hp or 1 hp, does it?).

On top of that, pretty much every enchantment spell is negated by a 1st level protection from X.

Not true. Protection from X only prevents your opponent from exercising mental control over you, meaning that spells which do not exert ongoing control (such as sleep, suggestion, insanity, geas, irresistible dance etc still work). The spell really only blocks out charm/dominate spells (and even these have a much longer duration than protection from alignment, so an astute npc wizard can out-wait it), which makes up only a minor portion of enchantment spells.

The 3.0 FAQ covers this in detail.

 

[Rechan]

The strongest illusion spells early on, in my opinion, are color spray and glitterdust.

Color spray really puts people down in early levels. It is the poor man's sleep, and also gives you an idea of the potency of the monsters you're fighting.

Glitterdust is blindness in an area. Very nice.

Just be wary that illusions don't work on many monster types, so you need some sort of backup spells just in case.

If you can get your hands on it, I would actually advise you to look at the Beguiler in Player's Handbook 2. They're a spontaneous caster who has the skills of a rogue, and access to all (and just) illusion/enchantment spells. They're the best illusionists in my opinion.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Definitely, Color Spray and Glitterdust are some of the best low level spells, period. And Silent Image, even w/o Shadowcraft Mage, can be handy on many an occasion. Heck, for cantrips, Ghost Sound is one of the best IMO.

And yeah, beguiler's worth a look. I personally hate them and think they're too overpowered and take too much of the Rogue's and Bard's stuff, but if you don't mind, they are VERY good at Illusion and Enchantment.

 

[Runestar]

Just be wary that illusions don't work on many monster types, so you need some sort of backup spells just in case.

Can you cite some examples? My understanding is that only illusions with the mind-affecting descriptor won't work on monsters like undead or constructs. But the majority, such as glamers still have full effect. For example, a zombie can still be fooled by major image, since I believe that it was mentioned by some designer that unless stated otherwise, assume that all monsters use the basic 5 human senses accordingly.

Unless the foe in question has constant access to true-seeing or can somehow muster a spot check of +80, he shouldn't be able to automatically overcome illusions.

 

[Rechan]

Can you cite some examples? My understanding is that only illusions with the mind-affecting descriptor won't work on monsters

Oozes, plants, vermin, undead and constructs are immune to charms, compulsions, phantasms, and patterns and morale types.

That's a lot of illusion types right there. So, just warning the OP.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Actually, only two of those you listed are illusions. Half the Illusion school works fine on anything. More often, it's a matter of "dumbing down" the figment or whatever enough for the target audience to get the message. The message being, "this is dangerous/ordinary/has the herpes, so you shouldn't bother with a closer investigation, that cement wall's always been there, even if you remember it being an emergency fire exit yesterday."

 

[Noumenon]

I would have posted this thread in this forum too.

my 3.0 Illusionist made her living with Colour Spray at low level. Hypnotic Pattern next

Hypnotic Pattern? Doesn't everyone just un-fascinate right away because of the combat going on? Also, it seems like everything is immune to mind-affecting spells.

 

[Lanefan]

Hypnotic Pattern? Doesn't everyone just un-fascinate right away because of the combat going on?

Not if they're not in the combat yet, or if they're remote from it. "You guys deal with the tanks. Leave that archer to little invisible me..." or "Glad we saw 'em coming...let's see how many I can persuade not to come any further. You guys handle what I don't stop."

Hypnotic Pattern is, you're quite right, a waste of time if cast on people already in melee.

Lanefan

 

[Spatula]

Not true. Protection from X only prevents your opponent from exercising mental control over you, meaning that spells which do not exert ongoing control (such as sleep, suggestion, insanity, geas, irresistible dance etc still work). The spell really only blocks out charm/dominate spells (and even these have a much longer duration than protection from alignment, so an astute npc wizard can out-wait it), which makes up only a minor portion of enchantment spells.

The 3.0 FAQ covers this in detail.

I was talking about 3.5e protection / magic circle spells, which block all enchantment (charm) and enchantment (compulsion) spells.

 

[Runestar]

I was talking about 3.5e protection / magic circle spells, which block all enchantment (charm) and enchantment (compulsion) spells.

I suggest you reread what protection from X does again. It is serious misunderstanding of the rules like this that lead to dangerous generalizations like "A 1st lv spell can render an entire school of magic moot".

Only spells which exert ongoing control are affected. Suggestion for example, does not, and so is not blocked out by protection from evil.