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<blockquote data-quote="Dausuul" data-source="post: 5554689" data-attributes="member: 58197"><p><em>Mirror image</em> still exists, but it has gone from a must-have defensive spell to "you'd be better off picking up <em>shield</em> even though it's 8 levels lower, because this spell is teh suck."</p><p></p><p>4E wizards, and 4E classes in general, suffer from a shortage of non-damaging offensive powers. Early 4E in particular was obsessed with having everything deal hit point damage, regardless of whether it made any sense for it to*. As Mengu says, <em>hypnotism</em> is your friend if you want to be an illusionist/mind mage, but that's the only non-damaging option you've got for at-wills.</p><p></p><p>Still, you do get some decent options. Good illusion spells to pick up at Heroic tier:</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><em>Spectral Image.</em> Used creatively, this spell is awesome, as long as your DM isn't a jerk about having enemies react appropriately. (PHB)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><em>Maze of Mirrors.</em> A nice lockdown power. (AP, HotFL)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><em>Visions of Avarice.</em> A <em>really</em> nice lockdown power, this sucks your enemies into a trap and holds them there. If you take this, it's worth investing in one of the blastier at-wills, since this spell produces a nice little clump of enemies for you to pound into oblivion. (AP, HotFL)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><em>Invisibility.</em> 'Nuff said. (PHB)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><em>Phantom Foes.</em> Before you take this one, ask your DM whether targets will know about the effect before it triggers, since that's fairly important. If the answer is no, this is an excellent spell that's right up your stated alley. (HotFL)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><em>Charm of the Defender.</em> Not an illusion spell, but the same general principle. Use this on a brute and slide it into the middle of its allies for painful, painful fun. (HotFL)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><em>Taunting Phantoms.</em> This is pretty much exactly what you want--an area attack that causes victims to attack targets of your choice, including themselves, and leaves them with a nasty debuff. (AP)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><em>Visions of Ruin.</em> An awesome control option with extra-cool flavor, this one more or less removes everything in the burst from combat temporarily. (AP)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><em>Illusory Wall.</em> They nerfed this one to a daily instead of an encounter, but it's still one of the best battlefield control spells around. (AP)</li> </ul><p></p><p>PHB = Player's Handbook</p><p>HotFL = Heroes of the Fallen Lands</p><p>AP = Arcane Power</p><p></p><p>[size=-2]*Yeah, yeah, I know, hit points are all abstract and stuff, but that doesn't change two things. Number one, any spell that deals damage can be used to kill people. And number two, the fact that spells are balanced around dealing damage puts severe limits on their ability to do interesting things <em>other</em> than damage.[/size]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Dausuul, post: 5554689, member: 58197"] [i]Mirror image[/i] still exists, but it has gone from a must-have defensive spell to "you'd be better off picking up [i]shield[/i] even though it's 8 levels lower, because this spell is teh suck." 4E wizards, and 4E classes in general, suffer from a shortage of non-damaging offensive powers. Early 4E in particular was obsessed with having everything deal hit point damage, regardless of whether it made any sense for it to*. As Mengu says, [i]hypnotism[/i] is your friend if you want to be an illusionist/mind mage, but that's the only non-damaging option you've got for at-wills. Still, you do get some decent options. Good illusion spells to pick up at Heroic tier: [list][*][i]Spectral Image.[/i] Used creatively, this spell is awesome, as long as your DM isn't a jerk about having enemies react appropriately. (PHB) [*][i]Maze of Mirrors.[/i] A nice lockdown power. (AP, HotFL) [*][i]Visions of Avarice.[/i] A [i]really[/i] nice lockdown power, this sucks your enemies into a trap and holds them there. If you take this, it's worth investing in one of the blastier at-wills, since this spell produces a nice little clump of enemies for you to pound into oblivion. (AP, HotFL) [*][i]Invisibility.[/i] 'Nuff said. (PHB) [*][i]Phantom Foes.[/i] Before you take this one, ask your DM whether targets will know about the effect before it triggers, since that's fairly important. If the answer is no, this is an excellent spell that's right up your stated alley. (HotFL) [*][i]Charm of the Defender.[/i] Not an illusion spell, but the same general principle. Use this on a brute and slide it into the middle of its allies for painful, painful fun. (HotFL) [*][i]Taunting Phantoms.[/i] This is pretty much exactly what you want--an area attack that causes victims to attack targets of your choice, including themselves, and leaves them with a nasty debuff. (AP) [*][i]Visions of Ruin.[/i] An awesome control option with extra-cool flavor, this one more or less removes everything in the burst from combat temporarily. (AP) [*][i]Illusory Wall.[/i] They nerfed this one to a daily instead of an encounter, but it's still one of the best battlefield control spells around. (AP)[/list] PHB = Player's Handbook HotFL = Heroes of the Fallen Lands AP = Arcane Power [size=-2]*Yeah, yeah, I know, hit points are all abstract and stuff, but that doesn't change two things. Number one, any spell that deals damage can be used to kill people. And number two, the fact that spells are balanced around dealing damage puts severe limits on their ability to do interesting things [i]other[/i] than damage.[/size] [/QUOTE]
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