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View Full Version : Player Help Questions about choosing spells for a 3rd level gnome illusionist



Jay R
2016-11-17, 02:48 PM
I'm about to play my first 3.5e gnome illusionist (actually, my first 3.5e caster).

I'm trying to focus on illusion spells, but it seems like I would very rarely use many of them.

How often has anybody ever used Magic Aura, Leomund's Trap, or Illusory Script?

Especially Leomund's trap and illusory script. Gnome illusionists get an advantage with them, just like with the mainstream illusion spells of silent image, minor image, and major image.

But why? Does any adventurer ever really use them?

And looking at the illusion spells in the Spell Compendium, the only one (1st or 2nd level) that seems useful enough to take is Dark Way. Is that right?

Also, what 4 second level spells would you take for a gnome illusionist who has barred necromancy and evocation, and has a caster level of -1 on Conjuration spells. I'm currently thinking of Alter Image, Major Image, and Invisibility.

What 12 1st level spells do you recommend? I'm currently planning Benign Transposition, Charm Person,
Color Spray, Comprehend Languages, Endure Elements, Enlarge Person, Feather Fall, Grease, Identify, Minor Image, Sleep, and one other.

I'm well aware that my AD&D background has led me astray before, so feel free to critique what I've chosen.

Finally, I'm taking illusion mastery, spell mastery, and uncanny forethought, so I can reserve five slots, and use any illusion spell and any other five spells. Obviously, it would be good to be able to cast Feather Fall spontaneously. What else do you recommend?

TheCorsairMalac
2016-11-17, 06:59 PM
I personally haven't used any of these spells. My group is generally combat-focused, and these seem more like out-of-combat spells. Their effective use relies on the campaign having roleplay aspects that many campaigns don't.

Now that I've said that: I love the idea of spamming these illusions!

Make your adversaries think they have the advantage with Magic Aura muting the radiance of your equipment! Or use it to sell a cursed or broken magic item. At low levels frighten your enemies with your 'magic' weapons. Catch a thief by putting an aura on a valuable item, then tracking it with detect magic. Impress a potential employer with all of the 'enchanted' items you have made. Convince a nervous ally to aid you with the gift of a 'magical' gift.

Frighten away thieves and goblins by protecting your camp with fake traps. Prevent stalkers by placing Leomund's Traps behind you in the dungeon. Slow invaders with a mix of real and fake traps. Keep a prisoner without bindings by surrounding him with an illusory trap. Control the battlefield by placing 'glyphs of warding' at strategic points.

Use Illusory Script to mark where you've visited in the maze without leaving a visible mark. Identify members of your secret guild by having Illusory Script placed on their shields. Get an escape plan to a prisoner by hiding it in a regular letter using Illusory Script. Make targeted explosive runes that can only be activated by the intended reader.

Bronk
2016-11-17, 07:20 PM
How long do you think your campaign will go? You might want to start gearing your character towards being a shadowcraft mage...

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?309651-Need-a-brief-Shadowcraft-Mage-explanation-(3-5)

Jay R
2016-11-17, 07:31 PM
How long do you think your campaign will go? You might want to start gearing your character towards being a shadowcraft mage...

I'm certainly planning to become a shadowcraft mage if it goes on that long.

But the immediate question - needed by Saturday - is what spells to have at third level.