[3.5] Illusion-focused sorcerer?

[Bulwer]

I'm looking to make a sorcerer that primarily deals in illusions. I know that I could just do something standard and pick illusion spells, but I was wondering if there were any PrCs or other neat toys for illusiony casters.

Thanks!

[monty]

Shadowcraft Mage. Done right, you basically get all of evocation and most of conjuration (possibly better) through your image spells. Versatility? Yes, please.

[Bulwer]

Looks nifty. I'm perusing build guides now. Thanks.

[Flickerdart]

Play a Beguiler instead. You get to be a skill-monkey in addition to a full caster.

If you want to make a specialist, Wizards are also much better since they can do Master Specialist.

[Paul H]

Hi

And Beguilers get more HP, and can wear Lt Armour.

Cheers
Paul H

[Keld Denar]

Builds

The mechanics and strategies are listed there. Pretty strong, and not terribly overpowered as long as you don't subscribe to the shadow miracle crowd, because that will get a DMG thrown at you faster than you can say OP...and those things are pointy!

[Paul H]

Hi

Personally prefer a Grey Elf Beguiler (PHBII). The higher Int, plus bonuses to Listen, Search & Spot also make for a better Trap Finding & spellcasting. Wpn profs. are pretty good too.

High Int, with SF Enchantment/Unsettling Enchant. are a good combi. Keep flinging those Whelms at fighter types to reduce their attacks & AC by 2 for 1 round. If they fail their saves the (non-lethal) damage is just bonus. Legion of Sentinels is also a good battlefield control spell.

Just think of him as an over specialised Enchanter/Illusionist and you won't go far wrong.

Cheers
Paul H

[spamoo]

Builds

The mechanics and strategies are listed there. Pretty strong, and not terribly overpowered as long as you don't subscribe to the shadow miracle crowd, because that will get a DMG thrown at you faster than you can say OP...and those things are pointy!

However, if you can get away with shadow miracle...

For general build strategies you definitely have to go gnome and pick up spell focus and gsf illusion. Also, remember that you get Conjuration (Creation) spells through shadow illusion (this means almost all of the fun conjuration spells too). Talk with your DM too. See if he will allow creation of say a quasireal bridge using the above ability.

(BTW, the current ruling at my table is that a DMG deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage, not piercing.)

[Paul H]

Hi

What's a Shadow Miracle?

As for Gnomes - Grey Elves do better because their high Int not only grants a higher DC to any Int based spell, but possible even more spells, as well as more skill points, etc.

Beguilers gain 'bonus' spells from the Enchantment & Illusion schools. Also, they have a bigger starting set of spells 'known' per level, as spont casters. (No fiddling which spells to memorise each day).

But each to their own. Some campaigns may be race specific. (If Elves weren't allowed I'd play a Gnome Beguiler).

Cheers
Paul H

[Flickerdart]

What's a Shadow Miracle?

It's a very cheesy build where a Shadowcraft Mage (or something) casts 120% real Miracles from 0th level slots, and they regenerate in 10 minutes. RAW legal, but insane.

[monty]

As for Gnomes - Grey Elves do better because their high Int not only grants a higher DC to any Int based spell, but possible even more spells, as well as more skill points, etc.

However, Shadowcraft Mage is gnome-specific.

[Paul H]

Hi

OK - Gnome only, but where's it from?

Cheers
Paul H

[monty]

Races of Stone.

[Paul H]

Hi

Anyone got a link to the prereqs & advancement for Shadowcraft Mage?

Cheers
Paul H

[Jack_Simth]

It's a very cheesy build where a Shadowcraft Mage (or something) casts 120% real Miracles from 0th level slots, and they regenerate in 10 minutes. RAW legal, but insane.

The legality is debatable. It requires a somewhat tortured line of reasoning - that adding it to "your" list the same as adding it to "the sorcerer/Wizard spell list". As a great many such builds decide to ban Evocation, it becomes particularly problematic.

Hi

Anyone got a link to the prereqs & advancement for Shadowcraft Mage?

Cheers
Paul H

Try Crystalkeep; their indexes generally give the first two levels' worth of advancement. To get the full listing, though, you'll need to pick up Races of Stone.

[metagaia]

Hi

Anyone got a link to the prereqs & advancement for Shadowcraft Mage?

Cheers
Paul H

Like Jack_Smith said (page 73), not really right to print out the entire thing here. I will say though that their signature ability (to turn illusion spells into shadow evocation and conjuration spontainiously) occurs at level 3, the rest it really just neat bonuses.

[Paul H]

Hi

If anyone else hasn't got access to Shadowcaft Mage, what about Beguiler/Wiz/Ultimate Magus mix?

Grey Elf (32pt Buy)
Str 10 Dex 16 Con 12 Int 18 Wis 10 Cha 14

1) Beguiler. Armoured Mage,Trapfinding. (Sudden Extend)
2) Beguiler. Cloaked Casting (+1DC), Surprise Casting
3) Wizard. (Scribe Scroll, SF Illusion)
4) Wizard. +1 Int
5) Wiizard.
6) Ultimate Magus. Arcane Spellpower 1, (Sudden Empower)
7) UM. Expanded Spell Knowledge, (0 or 1st lvl)
8) UM. Augmented Casting. +1 Int
9) UM. Arcane Spellpower +2, Expanded Spell Knowledge (2nd lvl or lower) (SF Enchant)
10) UM. Bonus Metamagic Feat - Sudden Maximize?
11) UM. Expanded Spell Knowledge (3rd lvl or lower)
12) UM. Arcane Spell Power +3, (Unsettling Enchantment) +1 Int
13) UM. Expanded Spell Knowledge (4th lvl or lower)
14) UM. Bonus metamagic Feat
15) UM. Arcane Spellpower +4, Expanded Spell Knowledge (5th lvl or lower). GSF Illusion.

You get full Beguiler spell progression, but wizards progress every level except 1st & 4th. So you're casting 6th lvl spells for both Beguiler & Wizard.

Bonuses:
1) Add Wizard spells to your Beguiler list.
2) Can 'spont' metamagic feats to your spells by using up a spellslot of the other class. (Eg. Use cantrip to Sudden Empower a spell).
3) Add Arcane Spell Power to caster levels of both classes (+4 at lvl 10)
4) Sets you up for Nightmare Spinner or continue with Beguiler
5) More HP/Skill points than Wizard, and can wear Armour!
6) Is pure Int based spellcasting.
7) Lots of spells between classes

Cons:
1) Less HP/Skill points than pure Beguiler
2) Lose 3 levels of spell class for Beguiler, 4 for Wizard

Now you can Sudden (Metamagic Feat) by just burning a cantrip from the other class! (8/day at UM 10). You're CL Beguiler 16, Wizard 15. And when you surprise a target your spell's DC increases by one!

Cheers
Paul H