The poor illusionist...

[Kormydigar]

But then, I miss the days when the prismatic spells were only available to illusionists, so maybe part of it is that I just woke up on the wrong side of the nostalgia today.

1st Edition Magic users got prismatic sphere, and illusionists didnt. Aside from that I agree with you about illusionists. Its part of a greater problem with arcane casters in general. Illusions are being nerfed along with all the other spells but they DO have additional problems. Spellcraft is a big problem but True seeing not as much so. True seeing is a powerful effect that should do what it does. Wouldnt want to nerf that just for the sake of illusions.The problem is not with the ability but the ease by which it is attained in this edition (assuming standard rules) Back in the old days an illusionist could conjure up a believable group of humanoids effectively, not so anymore. Assuming a spellcraft check doesn't ruin the effect, opponents are going to know that the humanoids are illusions if they link thier appearance to the caster. Why? Because everyone knows what specific creatures can be summoned by magic. " Hey guys he summoned an owlbear, must be an illusion, you cant really get those" I might be going off on a tangent here but it sure is a related issue. If magic is so limited then knowing whats real is a piece of cake. I never understood why the summoning list was made so pathetic in the first place. Ok maybe limiting certain creatures with overpowering special abilities is a good move but why o why cant a wizard get a simple orc or bugbear?

 

[Mouseferatu]

1st Edition Magic users got prismatic sphere, and illusionists didnt.

*blink*

*flip, flip, flip*

You're right. Illusionists have Spray and Wall, but magic-users have Sphere. Weird. I'd forgotten about that.

That's just odd.

 

[JoeBlank]

Several of you have suggested ways to conceal spellcasting, through house rules or varied uses of skills. My 3.5 gnome sorcerer uses this feat, from the Netbook of Feats:

Subtle Spell [Metamagic]
Source: Netbook of Feats
You know how to disguise the use of material, verbal, and somatic components; thus making your spell casting difficult to recognize.
Prerequisite: Spellcraft
Benefit: When you cast a subtle spell those who could observe you must make a Spot check opposed by your Spellcraft check to identify that you are casting a spell. A subtle spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell's actual level.
Normal: Without this feat spell casting is automatically recognized as spell casting.
Notes: Casting a subtle spell still draws an attack of opportunity. If the person taking the attack of opportunity fails the opposed Spot check they still get the attack of opportunity but do not know why you let your guard down.

Now, this feat is designed so he can cast enchantments and such in a social situation, without anyone realizing he is casting a spell. I think it could be modified slightly to only make spellcasting difficult to identify, say spellcaster's Spellcraft roll v. others' Spot checks to even have a chance to use Spellcraft to identify the spell, and it becomes a +0 metamagic feat, rather than a +1.

This would be useful, as most spellcasters will not have good spot checks, and the cost of one feat seems fair to have an extra chance to keep your illusions from being recognized.

Heck, the feat is a little weak for high-combat games. I would even consider letting the same feat have both alternatives, at the cost of only one feat slot. Would that be too much?

 

[FireLance]

In my view, specialist wizards should be PrCs (like the Loremaster for diviners). An Illusionist PrC would be able to give benefits that cannot be easily implemented by the current system of wizard specialists: perhaps more skill points, a better "sneaky-themed" skill list, some ability that allows the character to oppose Spellcraft checks with a Bluff check, another to reduce the effectiveness of True Seeing, and so on.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Several of you have suggested ways to conceal spellcasting, through house rules or varied uses of skills. My 3.5 gnome sorcerer uses this feat, from the Netbook of Feats:

Subtle Spell [Metamagic]
Source: Netbook of Feats
You know how to disguise the use of material, verbal, and somatic components; thus making your spell casting difficult to recognize.
Prerequisite: Spellcraft
Benefit: When you cast a subtle spell those who could observe you must make a Spot check opposed by your Spellcraft check to identify that you are casting a spell. A subtle spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell's actual level.
Normal: Without this feat spell casting is automatically recognized as spell casting.
Notes: Casting a subtle spell still draws an attack of opportunity. If the person taking the attack of opportunity fails the opposed Spot check they still get the attack of opportunity but do not know why you let your guard down.

Now, this feat is designed so he can cast enchantments and such in a social situation, without anyone realizing he is casting a spell. I think it could be modified slightly to only make spellcasting difficult to identify, say spellcaster's Spellcraft roll v. others' Spot checks to even have a chance to use Spellcraft to identify the spell, and it becomes a +0 metamagic feat, rather than a +1.

This would be useful, as most spellcasters will not have good spot checks, and the cost of one feat seems fair to have an extra chance to keep your illusions from being recognized.

Heck, the feat is a little weak for high-combat games. I would even consider letting the same feat have both alternatives, at the cost of only one feat slot. Would that be too much?

The feat is a bit weak. It's sort of like manifesting a psionic power without a display - the look of Concentration on your face is enough to let your opponent know you've done something.

I suppose you could include a Concentration and Bluff skill check to make it look like you're doing something else. (I'm a bit leery of using Bluff this way - it's way too easy to get an unbeatable Bluff check.) Spellcasting opponents would use a Sense Motive + caster level check to see through the ruse

 

[jodyjohnson]

the look of Concentration on your face is enough to let your opponent know you've done something.

My wife always nails me on this. Of course raising my leg doesn't help... and the smell ...

For the Illusionist some sort of deception feat would be in order. It's all about deception.