Specialized Illusionist

[Master Thrower]

So my party is going to be starting around level 2. I'm playing the party wizard and decided to specialize in illusion magic. any recomendations on feat/feat chains, spells/uses of said spells, and PrC?

Books usable- PH,MM,DMG,CA,CD,CadV,CW,PLH,DrC,LM

[yugi24862]

If you can get complete mage allowed, you should a take master specialist at level 4, which boosts your saves and capstone allows you to still, silent and have no material components.

[Bakkan]

Probably the most powerful illusion build is the Killer Gnome. I don't have all the details, but the primary ingredient is Shadowcraft Mage from Races of Stone. Essentially, the Killer Gnome can create illusions that are 100% real (or more) on a successful save, duplicating literally any Evocation of Conjuration(creation) spell with a single spell (minor image), which counts as a cantrip for him and which he can cast spontaneously.

Search for the Killer Gnome, and then you can pick whatever pieces out of it you want for your build.

[balistafreak]

Probably the most powerful illusion build is the Killer Gnome. I don't have all the details, but the primary ingredient is Shadowcraft Mage from Races of Stone. Essentially, the Killer Gnome can create illusions that are 100% real (or more) on a successful save, duplicating literally any Evocation of Conjuration(creation) spell with a single spell (minor image), which counts as a cantrip for him and which he can cast spontaneously.

Search for the Killer Gnome, and then you can pick whatever pieces out of it you want for your build.

"This illusion of fire is MORE REAL than that REAL FIRE."

I love that. So very much.

[Yuki Akuma]

The Killer Gnome can also cast Conjuration (Summoning) spells, by the by.

The key ingredients are Gnome Illusionist (Races of Stone) to make Silent Image a cantrip. Then you level up in Illusionist until you can start taking levels in Shadowcraft Mage (more levels in Gnome Illusionist aren't bad, if you want to take them). Other feats you want are Heighten Spell and Earth Spell.

Now you can put Heightened Silent Images at every spell level. Shadow Magic allows you to convert them into any Sorcerer/Wizard Evocation, Conjuration (Creation) or Conjuration (Summoning) spell one level lower than the effective level of the Silent Image.

Earth Spell, however, makes any Heightened spell count as one level higher when you're in contact with the ground - meaning a Heightened Silent Image in a 3rd level slot can be converted into a 3rd level spell, like, say, summon monster III.

Other nice choices are Master Specialist (a PrC a specialist wizard can get into at level 4), and Shadowcrafter (Drow of the Underdark, increases the reality of your Shadow spells).

Signature Spell (Silent Image) is also nice, for those times when you run out of Silent Images.

Of course, you don't have access to this book. I was just elaborating on that second reply. >.>

[Shade Kerrin]

If you don't want to go with the shadowcaster gnome(which is more of a conjurer/evoker anyway), or even if you do, take a look in to Unearthed Acarna(which is not on the list, but still), which has two great exchanges available.

The first, instead of a familiar, your illusions are convincing enough that people don't get a bonus to will saves if a friend tries to point out the flaws in the illusion. Even when presented with indisputable evidence of the fact, they still can't see past it unless they make a will save(albeit an easy one at DC -10)

The second is meh, especially since you'll probably prestige out.

The third is just lovely. Lose your bonus spell per day(replace it with focussed specialist) to learn 2 extra illusions per level, AND treat all of your illusions as having Spell Mastery. You combine this with Master specialist, and you have an illusionist who can still do his stuff even when bound, gagged, and deprived of his spellbook and components pouch.

One thing I also like is either Insidious Magic(from FR campaign setting), or one of the choices given to a Red Wizard of High Sorcery(I think that's what it was called, from Dragonlance campaign setting). Either of these make it such that spells that would normally see through your illusions( such as See invisibility, or, say, True seeing) require a caster level check to actually succeed. I consider this an eventual must-have in a world where a 5/6th level spell or relatively common high-level monster feature can completely invalidate your class.

Yeah, I love my Illusionists