Tips for an Illusionist

[Dynaphus]

I'm starting a new campaign, already a little under way, I know it will have a lot of stretches in the wilderness, and we are all at level 6.
Any tips, builds, items, or tactics I should be aware of?

All replies welcome~

 

[Dandu]

Shadowcraft Mage is always good.

 

[Dynaphus]

I will probably get mocked for not knowing this...But what is a Shadowcraft Mage? a Core Class of some kind?

 

[Dandu]

It is a prestige class from Races of Stone that enhances your ability to make illusory things real.

 

[Dynaphus]

Interesting, can you alter the illusion when made? For example, make the path continue over a pit, and allow people to walk upon it, until their a good half way across

 

[EbberonGnomeBender]

I would suggest illusions that they won't interact with, like fire and the like. In the wild, however, you could use the illusion spell(sorry my mind draws a blank) that creates a sound for crunching leaves on the other side of enemy camp or such. I know it's a farely low level spell. You may want to use the illusion to protect yourself. Hid in an illusionary tree.

Also remember that specialists won't use Just their specialty. Get some Divination or Conjuration.

Illusionists really strive at battlefield control. I don't know exacly what type of character you have, but the illusion spells can make you a good companion for the scout

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I've been playing a gnome illusionist for years. Shadowcraft Mage isn't necessary at all. Your basic illusions are insanely awesome, with a little creativity. If you take the first racial level from Races of Stone, you get them even earlier, which, IMO, is much more potent than the make-illusions-real stuff. (No offense to anyone, since the Shadowcraft Mage is very popular: If you have to rely on making illusions real, the illusionist path isn't for you.)

Old school illusions were dropped from 4E for a very good reason: They are INSANELY GOOD. At level 1, with decent intelligence, you can already effectively cast most of the spells in the game. By level 6, you're essentially an archmage of bullhockey.

Need invisiblity for your entire group? Tell everyone to crouch down and STFU and put up a silent image of a bush. Completely legit and it only requires a cantrip.

You don't need a fireball when you can present an expected and plausible threat (and thus, no reason to disbelieve) that your opponent would naturally run away from. Something as simple as the shadow of a huge bird of prey moving across a meadow will scare off many forest denizens. (Or try a swish of a tail in tall grass and gleaming feline eyes.) A flash flood or avalanche is easy to pull off with a low level illusions and even high level threats will run before those, assuming you lead into them properly and in plausible conditions.

Think like a con artist and plan to cast as few spells every day. Every session where my gnome casts zero spells, I count as a victory, since it means I'm thinking like an illusionist and dealing with my enemies through trickery. The illusions themselves are only brought out to seal the deal. (Incidentally, pick up Bluff, Spot and any other abilities required to be the ultimate confidence man.)

You are as good of a scout as any ranger or rogue, as good at neutralizing foes as any psion, enchanter or assassin and are almost as good as a cleric for getting the party out of disasters.

You are a plan-smashing, foe-routing, day-saving badass. You are Brer Rabbit, Bugs Bunny and Loki, all wrapped up into one. If your DM ends up throwing endless constructs, plants and undead at you, it means that you've been playing your illusionist to the hilt. Go forth and kick major ass.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

It's a prestige class, gnome-only, in Races of Stone. They get the ability to turn Image spells into shadow spells, with a % reality (if the target makes the will save to disbelieve) equal to 10% per spell level of the spell used. They also have a snazzy permanent supernatural cloak of shadow to give them a miss chance in areas of darkness, shadow, or dim lighting.

EDIT: Wow, had this thread open for a while before I replied. Uber-ninja'd.

 

[Dandu]

(No offense to anyone, since the Shadowcraft Mage is very popular: If you have to rely on making illusions real, the illusionist path isn't for you.)

Would your recommend Shadow Conjuration and Evocation?

It's a prestige class, gnome-only, in Races of Stone. They get the ability to turn Image spells into shadow spells, with a % reality (if the target makes the will save to disbelieve) equal to 10% per spell level of the spell used. They also have a snazzy permanent supernatural cloak of shadow to give them a miss chance in areas of darkness, shadow, or dim lighting.

It is interesting to note that you can boost this percentage beyond 100% with the right tricks.

"You feeble minded fools! If only you had the strength of will to look past his feeble illusions, you would see that - ASMODEUS'S PANTS, IT BURNS! IT BURNS EVEN WORSE THAN THE REAL THING!"

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Would your recommend Shadow Conjuration and Evocation?

It's worth having them in the spellbook, in case you get dropped into the lair of a construct-loving lich or something, but honestly, if you need to be busting out the 40 percent as good fireballs, you've already failed as an illusionist.