Making an illusionist wizard currently. Was flicking through the massive amount of spells and narrowing down what I think could be must haves. Was hoping for some feedback from the community. What do you consider the must haves for an illusion based wizard? Minor/major illusion is ofc taken.
I believe the best thing Wizards have is the versatility. Ok, you are a pretty good illusionist, but you still have access to several amazing spells capable of protection, control, utility and of course damage.
You already have the illusion staples, just get the basic Wizard toolkit (*) and enjoy the most incredible class in this game.
(*) Find Familiar shouldn’t be a spell, it’s like a class feature for a Wizard. Shield, Mage Armor and later on Absorb Elements are defensive must haves. By levels 1-3, Sleep is the best offense spell. Tasha’s Hideous Laugher, Magic Missile and Thunderwave are great spells to diversify your illusion game.
By levels 3-5 you’ll have access to amazing things like Mirror Image, Misty Step, Hold Person, Levitate, Web, Fireball (!), Hypnotic Pattern, Slow, etc. Do not forget ritual as well, I love Unseen Servant. But Detect Magic is like mandatory. Tiny Hut and Phantom Steed are great.
You can never go wrong with a good spell selection, even if you are focusing on illusions, your enemies will discover the hard way that your fireballs are real, heheh. Or not.
What sort of play style are you going for? That could help narrow down spell choices a bit.
Great question. Ill be playing a more controlling style of plays weaving the battlefield as I desire, less in your face damage, more manipulation of reality sort of thing. A lot more purer to the idea of an illusionist. I’ll also be starting at level 10, which helps a lot.
The biggest things an illusionist depends on are your DM buying off on things, and your own imagination. I personally do not have the imagination to really make an illusionist work well. I wish I could offer some advice, but I have none.
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
What sort of play style are you going for? That could help narrow down spell choices a bit.
Great question. Ill be playing a more controlling style of plays weaving the battlefield as I desire, less in your face damage, more manipulation of reality sort of thing. A lot more purer to the idea of an illusionist. I’ll also be starting at level 10, which helps a lot.
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Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
For kicks you could start by recreating an old school 1st Edition Illusionist with 5e rules - substituting some effects that are similar to those spells that were changed or lost. That would be along the lines of:
Cantrips: Dancing Lights, Light, Minor Illusion, Friends, Prestidigitation
1st Level: Cause Fear, Chromatic Orb, Color Spray, Detect Magic, Disguise Self, Fog Cloud, Illusory Script, Mage Armor (Phantom Armor), Silent Image.
2nd Level: Alter Self, Blindness/Deafness, Blur, Continual Flame, Darkness, Darkvision, Hold Person (Paralyzation), Invisibility, Magic Mouth, Mirror Image, Nystul's Magic Aura, Phantasmal Force, Rope Trick, See Invisibility, Suggestion.
5th Level: Creation, Dream, Hold Monster (Paralyzation), Mislead, Scrying, Seeming.
Then since this is 5e you could pad it out with some punch - fireball or lightning bolt or what have you. That would give you a lot of control and some kick.
It's a place to start anyway. ;-)
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Making an illusionist wizard currently. Was flicking through the massive amount of spells and narrowing down what I think could be must haves. Was hoping for some feedback from the community. What do you consider the must haves for an illusion based wizard? Minor/major illusion is ofc taken.
What sort of play style are you going for? That could help narrow down spell choices a bit.
I believe the best thing Wizards have is the versatility. Ok, you are a pretty good illusionist, but you still have access to several amazing spells capable of protection, control, utility and of course damage.
You already have the illusion staples, just get the basic Wizard toolkit (*) and enjoy the most incredible class in this game.
(*) Find Familiar shouldn’t be a spell, it’s like a class feature for a Wizard. Shield, Mage Armor and later on Absorb Elements are defensive must haves. By levels 1-3, Sleep is the best offense spell. Tasha’s Hideous Laugher, Magic Missile and Thunderwave are great spells to diversify your illusion game.
By levels 3-5 you’ll have access to amazing things like Mirror Image, Misty Step, Hold Person, Levitate, Web, Fireball (!), Hypnotic Pattern, Slow, etc. Do not forget ritual as well, I love Unseen Servant. But Detect Magic is like mandatory. Tiny Hut and Phantom Steed are great.
You can never go wrong with a good spell selection, even if you are focusing on illusions, your enemies will discover the hard way that your fireballs are real, heheh. Or not.
Great question. Ill be playing a more controlling style of plays weaving the battlefield as I desire, less in your face damage, more manipulation of reality sort of thing. A lot more purer to the idea of an illusionist. I’ll also be starting at level 10, which helps a lot.
The biggest things an illusionist depends on are your DM buying off on things, and your own imagination. I personally do not have the imagination to really make an illusionist work well. I wish I could offer some advice, but I have none.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
Hypnotic Pattern (only 1 save) and Counter spell are necessary spell for a wizard. But here are some illlusions you should definitely use:
Colorspray is higher HP than Sleep, I usually prefer to use it and not learn Sleep.
Blur, invisibility, mirror image are all worth it, but a creative person can do more with Phantasmal Force. Shadow blade if you have level of Rogue
In addition to Hypnotic Pattern, Fear and Major Image are worth it.
At 4th, nothing good. Phantasmal Killer is rarely better than Hypnotic Pattern
Creation and Mislead are good at 5th.
Mental Prison is nice because it is somatic only.
All the 7th or higher spells illusion spells are worth getting.
What level is your char?
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Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
At level 10, your bread and butter spells as an Illusionist are likely to be Invisibility, Phantasmal Force, and Hypnotic Pattern.
Misty Step could be important as well as Silent Image.
But, a lot depends on who the other members of the party are.
For kicks you could start by recreating an old school 1st Edition Illusionist with 5e rules - substituting some effects that are similar to those spells that were changed or lost. That would be along the lines of:
Cantrips: Dancing Lights, Light, Minor Illusion, Friends, Prestidigitation
1st Level: Cause Fear, Chromatic Orb, Color Spray, Detect Magic, Disguise Self, Fog Cloud, Illusory Script, Mage Armor (Phantom Armor), Silent Image.
2nd Level: Alter Self, Blindness/Deafness, Blur, Continual Flame, Darkness, Darkvision, Hold Person (Paralyzation), Invisibility, Magic Mouth, Mirror Image, Nystul's Magic Aura, Phantasmal Force, Rope Trick, See Invisibility, Suggestion.
3rd Level: Catnap (Dispel Exhaustion), Counterspell/Dispel Magic, Fear, Gaseous Form (Wraithform), Hypnotic Pattern, Major Image, Nondetection, Phantom Steed, Slow (Solid Fog).
4th Level: Charm Monster (Fascinate), Confusion, Fabricate, Greater Invisibility, Hallucinatory Terrain, Phantasmal Killer.
5th Level: Creation, Dream, Hold Monster (Paralyzation), Mislead, Scrying, Seeming.
Then since this is 5e you could pad it out with some punch - fireball or lightning bolt or what have you. That would give you a lot of control and some kick.
It's a place to start anyway. ;-)