PDA

View Full Version : Feats for an Illusionist



0oo0
2007-07-30, 01:37 AM
In an upcoming game, I may be playing an illusionist, and was wondering what feats you guys would recommend. I am going to use the Focused Specialist (Complete Mage) variant, so I'll have a lot of illusions. I plan to become a Master Specialist and possibly a Weirder (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11491&highlight=reject) if the DM lets me. The idea is an off balance gnome, who's way too good at illusions for his own good. So basically I'm looking for feats that either boost illusions (spell focus and the like) or help create the benignly crazy slightly Hunter S. vibe. Thanks for your help

AwfulLawful
2007-07-30, 05:02 AM
Spell Focus illusion is a good start

JackMage666
2007-07-30, 05:08 AM
Spell Focus/Greater Spell focus are a must, since, unlike other schools, Illusion almost always has a save (or two, or more) attached to it. Save DCs being high is critical to this.

Also, take a look at the UA (or SRD) variants for Illusionist. One makes it harder for people to disbelieve even if their friends managed to, one that gives you Hide and all sorts of hiding abilities, and one that allows you to learn more Illusion spells every wizard level, and every illusion spell is automatically treated as if you'd taken Spell Mastery. They're all pretty decent.

Focused Specialist is a nice variant, too (Complete Mage), but you have to give up an additional spell.

Collegiate Wizard in CArc allows you to fill your spellbook every level even more, which is nice for a Wizard.

Ikkitosen
2007-07-30, 05:23 AM
Or you could play a Beguiler.

Arbitrarity
2007-07-30, 06:49 AM
If you have Races of Stone, Shadowcraft Mage with heighten spell and earth spell is the classic (possibly broken) approach.

0oo0
2007-07-30, 10:56 AM
Spell Focus/Greater Spell focus are a must, since, unlike other schools, Illusion almost always has a save (or two, or more) attached to it. Save DCs being high is critical to this.

Also, take a look at the UA (or SRD) variants for Illusionist. One makes it harder for people to disbelieve even if their friends managed to, one that gives you Hide and all sorts of hiding abilities, and one that allows you to learn more Illusion spells every wizard level, and every illusion spell is automatically treated as if you'd taken Spell Mastery. They're all pretty decent.

Focused Specialist is a nice variant, too (Complete Mage), but you have to give up an additional spell.

Collegiate Wizard in CArc allows you to fill your spellbook every level even more, which is nice for a Wizard.

Thanks for all the advice, I'll look it up. I was planning on starting with spell focus for just that reason.

Ikkitosen - I don't want to play a beguiler, specialist wizard was the plan, but I know Beguilers are good illusionists.

0oo0
2007-07-30, 12:19 PM
Also I was wondering which schools I should ban. I need to ban 3 because of focused specialist. I was planning on banning Evocation, and probably Necromancy. What is a good 3rd school to go without? Conjuration is my current 3rd choice, but I was wondering what you all think.

Keld Denar
2007-07-30, 12:28 PM
I'd recommend enchantment for your 3rd banned school. Enchantment and Illusion fill such a similar niche (mind affecting spells that mess with people).

I highly recommend earth spell if you are a gnome. It makes use of Highten Spell really nice. Combine that with Shadowcraft Mage (already mentioned), and the silent image spell (maybe with arcane thesis), and you can cast any conjouration or evocation spell 1 LEVEL HIGHER than any other spell you can normally cast. That means you get 9th level conjuration and evocation spells at 15th level, or 8th at 13, or 7th at 11. That's nice, considering since it is an illusion, it doen't carry any of the normal material component that the real spells would have. That makes force cage 100% free to cast, and 2 levels earlier than you could before. That's game over. Sure, the spells then have SR even if they didn't before, but still. Free force cage wins.

FireSpark
2007-07-30, 12:40 PM
Also I was wondering which schools I should ban. I need to ban 3 because of focused specialist. I was planning on banning Evocation, and probably Necromancy. What is a good 3rd school to go without? Conjuration is my current 3rd choice, but I was wondering what you all think.

Ban Conjuration. Why? Because later on, you'll be able to take Shadow Conjuration spells, which allow to make up for banning it. Good choice with the evocation school too, for pretty much the same reason. (see: Shadow Evocation). Although, I would say keep Necromancy, and dump Enchantment, as lussmanj is correct in that they do fill similar niches. That and necromancy can induce all kinds of penalties to the saving throws of your enemies, and then you start throwing the illusions out.

MrNexx
2007-07-30, 02:08 PM
I highly recommend earth spell if you are a gnome. It drops the metamagic cost of any spell you cast. That makes split ray (arguably one of the beter metamagic feats) a +1 level adjustment. Empower is likewise a +1. Silent and Still are free.

I think you're misreading Earth Spell. From what I read in Races of Stone, it only affects Heighten Spell.

"As long as you are standing on stone or unworked earth (including normal soil), you may use the Heighten Spell feat to added affect." -RoS, page 138

And that's with 2 prereq feats. There's no mention of other metamagic feats being affected, nor any further feats in the chain.

JackMage666
2007-07-30, 03:32 PM
I would ban Conjuration, Evocation, and X. X can be anything you don't want...
Enchantment gives you more power over peoples mind, but you get alot of that already.
Abjuration gives you good defense, but is kinda opposite of illusion, since it's commonly used to destroy illusions.
Necromancy gives you the fear spells, and is awesome for an evil illusionist. For a good illusionist it has it's uses, but overall not so much.
Transmutation is, well, Transmutation. It's an awesome school, but it may not fit your character.

Also, I forgot to mention the PrC you're definately going to want - Shadowcraft Mage. Boosts Shadow Conjuration and Shadow Evocation through the roof, gives you a natural cloak of concealmento that grows with levels, and powers up your illusions in general (eventually, all illusion spells you cast are automatically Silented and Extended for no cost). It's a 5 level PrC that you can enter into as early as 8th level. It's also full spellcasting, so it doesn't hurt spell progression at all. It can be found in the Race of Stone.

codexgigas
2007-07-30, 09:43 PM
In my last campaign, I played a Grey Elf Focused Illusionist, and I had a lot of fun with it. One thing to keep in mind: most of the good Illusion spells are in the low to mid levels. There's a decided lack of high level Illusion spells. That's not to say that Illusionists aren't powerful (they're wizards, after all) or that they're not a lot of fun to play. You may just be wondering what spells to add to your spellbook after a while.

As far as prestige classes, take a look at Nightmare Spinner after you finish out Master Specialist. Sure, you lose a caster level, but you gain bonus spells and some fun supernatural abilities. It's also in Complete Mage. Plus, it's got that slightly off (or more than slightly off, actually) feel you're going for.

As far as feats go, Collegiate Wizard is iffy. More spells are always useful, especially at low levels, but, after about level fifteen, I had a hard time finding two Illusion spells I wanted at each level. Dazzling Illusion (CM) is worth looking into. I'm away from my books at the moment, so I can't tell you exactly what it does, but I'm recalling that it dazzled all opponents within thirty feet every time you cast an Illusion.

As far as banned schools, I took Enchantment, Conjuration, and Evocation. The shadow spells give you access to most conjurations and evocations, so you won't miss them too much. The third school is going to hurt, however you go. Transmutation has too much to ban, and Necromancy or Enchantment can both stack well with Illusion. Abjuration has dispel magic, which you don't want to give up. I'd go with either Necromancy or Enchantment, but you'll feel the loss either way.