Illusionist Help

[Danin]

Hey there, I was wondering if anyone had some advice on playing an effective illusionist. Most of the spells seem fairly week or situational at best and constructs and anything with true sight seems like it would negate most of a true illusionist's abilities. I was planning on almost all illusion spells with a few enchantment spells thrown in. A spontanious caster would be prefered greatly but not a nesessity. This character would be about level 7 and have some room for advancement because the plan is for him to eventually become a nightmare based villian at around level 12 - 14. Most source books are legit but anything from Dragon Mags are out.

Bonus points if you can find a way for people to not realize I'm an illusionist.

[martyboy74]

Beguiler (PHBII) was designed around this concept.

[Sornjss Lichdom]

go into beguiler, and then take shadowcrafter PrC, in Underdark.

[Kantolin]

Remember, constructs and mindless undead will interact with an illusion as if it was not one, provided they don't touch it, no matter how unrealistic it acts.

If a construct/undead is told/programmed to attack the closest creature, you can have the amazing ninja major image halfling who with power of thought avoids everything he does, occupying him for hours on end. Longer, if they're told to 'attack the closest creature until they are dead'.

Illusionary walls will make most constructs/undeads ignore everything on the other side of it - they're not told to bash thorugh walls for no particular reason.

(And if they do start bashing through walls for no reason, summon a wall of force and watch them start bashing through walls for no reason for a round/level while you ignore it).

The key to tricking creatures that aren't mindless is to utilize /real/ things mixed into the not real things. For example, team up with the party druid - have him summon wolves with a wolf animal companion, while you 'summon wolves'.

Use the terrain as well - see if you can get the enemy to smash into trees, or hidden objects. Make an illusion of you - way the heck over there, and be invisible.

[F.L.]

Every other day use actual summoning spells so you don't develop a reputation as an illusionist? And of course, shadow magic when you can. Though don't go for the 120% real shadow magic, that's just cheesy.

[Balkash]

If you have a good PR network, or can just wear a hood well, go into a tavern and basically talk about yourself. Make sure you've got some charisma though. (nightmare based villian...) Tell them you're a necromancer who deals with being from the shadowplane. Something about negative energy and trans fat and the commoners will be terrified.

[Townopolis]

The key I have found to playing an illusionist effectively is realizing that it's all about deception. Yes, there are a few illusion spells that have nice direct effects, such as color spray or hypnotic pattern, but the best illusion spells are the ones you have to think to use well (and, of course, a cooperative DM, one who doesn't say that "Major image doesn't say it has an effect on enemies so they just ignore it. Period.")

For a recent example. It's night and my beguiler's party (Beguilers, BTW, are the way to go for illusionists) has noticed some formians skittering around just out of sight. We don't think we can take them, so my gnome decides to save the day.

Silent Ventriloquism + Fog Cloud + Silence.

I threw my voice as far as I could to the side, then popped a fog cloud over it and silenced my party while we ran away. With a decent bluff check (beguilers, they're the way to go) the trick worked perfectly.

similar to Elan 'summoning' a celestial dire lion, or other such tricks. It's all about what they think you did versus what you actually did.

[Ganurath]

Gnome beguiler is pretty much the way to go with illusionists from what I've glanced of the latter, but I would be sure to check out the Complete books for fun tricks. Your party's rogue will love you in every way imaginable if you have Phantom Threat (CoAd) in your arsenal, for example.

I suppose, however, it depends mainly on what you want to do with your illusion specialty. From the sound of your description, I would suggest this one feat that I don't remember the name of... It's one of those feats that requires you get hit by a spell to benefit from it, and it nightmares anyone who tries to read your thoughts.

[Kaelik]

While Beguiler is a nice option. For my money the best illusionist is:

Gnome/Whisper Gnome

Specialist Illusionist (give up evocation and enchantment)
Use all three of the SRD/UA variants for the class.
Take the Gnome Illusionist substitution level.

Gnome Illusionist 1/Illusionist 2/Master Specialist 4/Shadowcraft Mage 5/Master Specialist 6.

This nets you:
Hide as a class skill.
Spell Mastery for all Illusion Spells.
Chains of Disbelief (no auto succeed on saving throws, no plus four for being told it's an Illusion)
Silent Image as a cantrip, Minor Image as level 1, comparable reductions for every other Illusion spell.
Permanent Concealment, More real Shadow spells, assorted other benefits of the PrC.
All the Master Specialist benefits.

This at the cost of,
Familiar.
No Extra spell slots for specializing.

[Dhavaer]

I suppose, however, it depends mainly on what you want to do with your illusion specialty. From the sound of your description, I would suggest this one feat that I don't remember the name of... It's one of those feats that requires you get hit by a spell to benefit from it, and it nightmares anyone who tries to read your thoughts.

Live My Nightmare. It actually casts phantasmal killer, not nightmare