Illusionist Poll...Yay or Nay?

Joe · Post by **Joe** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 2:36 am

Do you find Illusionists an interesting and fun class?

Why?

Why not?
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serleran · Post by **serleran** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 2:39 am

Yes, and I will continue to do so, provided the DM/Castle Keeper is not a stooge. Though, then I might have more fun in a different way... wooo wooo wooo.
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Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 2:51 am

Yeah, Illusionists, with the right spells, and the right plan, are the most powerful class around, as long as they don't have to deal with undead. Undead are their big Achilles Heel, one which they need to have.
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Go0gleplex · Post by **Go0gleplex** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 3:05 am

Illusionist is easily one of the more enjoyable characters to play. It lets a player be very creative, which one must be to play the class to its fullest, and can really ruin a CK's day if they are not prepared for the versatility a well played illusionist can foster.
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old school gamer · Post by **old school gamer** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 11:58 pm

Treebore wrote:
Yeah, Illusionists, with the right spells, and the right plan, are the most powerful class around, as long as they don't have to deal with undead. Undead are their big Achilles Heel, one which they need to have.

Yeah, I remember when I ran Shadows of Halfling Hall at Necronomicon and one the players wanted to play a gnome Illusionist, he even knew what the adventure was about and he still played it. Oh, well he still had a good time regardless.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 12:42 am

Must be devil's advocate.

I'll say they are next to useless and underpowered when compared to the magic user.

The designer had to insert a power spell called Phantasmal Killer just to make the class playable. Thats why they have been sidelined and written into assimilating with the MU in following editions.

Why bother with the Illusionist when one can play the iconic Magic User?
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Go0gleplex · Post by **Go0gleplex** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 12:45 am

Must not have anyone who really knows how to play an illusionist.
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Joe · Post by **Joe** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 12:54 am

Vote...

Actually I am trying to get folks to chime in as to why they think the way they do.

My vote is still undecided as of yet. I'll let the thread points make up my mind.
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Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 1:17 am

Go0gleplex wrote:
Must not have anyone who really knows how to play an illusionist.

The other problem is CK's who are so intimidated by the limitless possibilities of illusions that they cripple the class into nothingness.
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mediapig · Post by **mediapig** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 2:07 am

I've never had the desire to play an illusionist, but I think, as a CK, they make a fun and frustrating villain to throw at the PC's!

Go0gleplex · Post by **Go0gleplex** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 2:46 am

I actually have an adventure (which will remain nameless for the time being) that has an illusionist as the main villian...and boy does he mess with folks.
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vivsavage · Post by **vivsavage** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 1:17 pm

I like them just fine, although a LOATHE the new healing abilities they have. The idea of having to fail an INT roll to get healed is just crazy to me.

Go0gleplex · Post by **Go0gleplex** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 2:56 pm

[quote="vivsavage"]I like them just fine, although a LOATHE the new healing abilities they have. The idea of having to fail an INT roll to get healed is just crazy to me.[/quote]

Yeah...several of us have house ruled away the healing spells. Though something along the lines of aid would have made more sense.
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vivsavage · Post by **vivsavage** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 2:57 pm

Go0gleplex wrote:
Yeah...several of us have house ruled away the healing spells. Though something along the lines of aid would have made more sense.

I could see an Illusionist having powers to calm or soothe someone with pleasant images, sounds, etc. Those could work against fear and such.

Tadhg · Post by **Tadhg** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:02 pm

Big thumbs up! It's an excellent class and fun to play. You can get very creative in putting together illusions and some of the best and simplest can be used to great effect.

Spells that go off without successful saves will often distract monsters or get them to let their guards down - perhaps they turn to look/investigate. Guess what? . . -2 or -4 (mebbe more) to their AC!!

I find them particularly effective when there is also a wizard in the party!

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alcyone · Post by **alcyone** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:28 pm

"Too... smart... to heal... I curse the *cough* day I enrolled in *spew* college... *thump*"
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Go0gleplex · Post by **Go0gleplex** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:35 pm

[quote="Aergraith"]"Too... smart... to heal... I curse the *cough* day I enrolled in *spew* college... *thump*"[/quote]

excellent!
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Sir Osis of Liver · Post by **Sir Osis of Liver** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:57 pm

I like them. You need to be creative to make one effective, as has been stated by others, but if you can do that, they're fun. Also, it makes the CK's job more fun planning encounters, especially if he/she knows that the illusionist is being creatively played.

serleran · Post by **serleran** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 9:03 pm

One of my favorite moments in the lore of illusionist play was performed by my wife... we were battling ghasts and the stench was really screwing over the fighter types, all of whom had failed their saves (very horrible rolls) but she had made hers, and was able to cast an illusion.... she choose one which produced olfactory modifications and overlaid the nasty stank of death with that of oranges, and immediately everyone was better. Party saved.
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Benoist · Post by **Benoist** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 9:35 pm

Big thumbs up on my part as well. With the right player, this class has amazing potential, both in terms of role playing and tactics.
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serleran · Post by **serleran** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 5:32 pm

Oh, here's another one my wife pulled off...

The party was battling several undead (ghouls, a vampire, some shadows, and a ghast) and the cleric had successfully used the turn undead ability, causing some of them to be destroyed/flee. So, she thought "I can do that" and cast a spell (I think it was project image) of the cleric's holy symbol and was allowed a turn undead check (without adding level) and she succeeded, turning the ghast and making it run away. It was great times. Not normal for the way most would handle it, I'm sure, but it was fun anyway.
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Naleax · Post by **Naleax** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 9:15 pm

vivsavage wrote:
I like them just fine, although a LOATHE the new healing abilities they have. The idea of having to fail an INT roll to get healed is just crazy to me.

Totally agree healing illusionists blow!

Its actually one of the few reasons why i shelved my 4th printing C&C PHB and went back to 3rd printing.

Illusionists are really fun class to play. One of the players in our last campaign played an illusionist very well. ThrorII CKed that campaign and some really neat stuff took place in game. I think at one point the illusionist had two ogres arguing and fighting with each other with his illusions. Memory is vague.

I think if you have a CK who adjudicates illusions well and is fair to the player it can work well, so YAY.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » Fri Sep 03, 2010 5:11 pm

Interesting...2 people voted thumbs down and 8 voted with a yawn.

Thats a large percentage of folks that either don't like the class, or has no interest in it.

I would be curious to hear their reasons.

This is the only class I have heard where it takes a creative player to achieve it's potential.

Why is this class the one unique to that?

I have yet to vote, but with 10 yawns or nays to 19 yays I am still not convinced.

Why is this the one class that needs to be played "outside the box"? I can see that being seen as a bonus to many, but I can also see this as a hindrance.

For every yay, it is given with an example of a creative player.

Would one go so far as to say the class forces one to play creatively and some players simply don't want to put that much energy into it?

Personally I love it! Whenever i hear folks talk about thinking outside the box it always puzzles me. I myself do not recognize the box at all. i feel if you are consiously trying to think outside of a box, then your thinking it still being contained.

This may be uncomfortable areas for some and instead of stating the reason why and looking into the issue of why...it is met with a yawn?

Just a thought.
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Vetterix · Post by **Vetterix** » Sat Sep 04, 2010 6:25 pm

Illusionists can be great fun and powerful; but, the player really needs to be situationally creative to use their spells to great effect and the GM needs to see them as more than a Wizard with different spells, to enable the creativity of the Illusionist player to shine.

Some of the game-examples in this thread are a testament to both player situational creativity and GM rolling with it making the game fun and memorable for all.
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