The OD&D Illusionist

[Zulgyan]

What are your experiences with the OD&D Illusionist, that appeared in The Strategy Review nº4??

I am primarily concerned about the high XP requirements. More so, when I compare this class to the AD&D class, that have lower XP requirements than the M-U.

Have you played with this class in OD&D?

How did it turned out?

[tgamemaster1975]

I have never used the OD&D Illusionist, and I also would like to hear what others have done with it and how it worked out.

[foster1941]

I've never seen an OD&D illusionist in actual play, but I was just looking at the write-up (including the "Illusionist Additions" sequel-article from TD1 that Greyhawks the class with higher-level and more lower level spells) a few days ago and was struck by something I'd never noticed before -- that the OD&D illusionist has a quite sinister flavor that is different from the AD&D version of the class and makes them feel like more of a villain-class, along the same lines of the Witch from TD7 perhaps, than as PCs. There seems to be at least an implicit connection between illusionist magic and the nether/shadow realms -- they get the ability to summon and/or create undead monsters (shadows and spectres) at high levels, they (especially using only the TSR4 version) have a much higher proportion of combat/attack spells than either magic-users or clerics, they have a spell called chaos which certainly (at least to me) suggests a prediliction towards chaotic alignment, and of course the phantasmal killer spell is classic pulp fiction bad-guy stuff (that, per the author Peter Aronson, was inspired by a bad guy in one of the Lensman novels).

This new perspective makes the class (which, at least in AD&D, had always struck me as little more than a lame second-rate MU) much more interesting to me, and makes me much more likely to include it in future games, at least as an NPC (which is all they'd be likely to be anyway -- the high stat-prerequisites (15+ in both Int and Dex) and steep XP curve (3000 for 2nd level, etc.) are almost certainly enough to keep all players away from the class, even if it's offered as an option...).

So, to anyone who, on the basis of AD&D, has glossed over this class, I'd urge you to re-read it with the above in mind -- picturing the class primarily as sinister bad guys, opponents to the PCs -- and perhaps, like with me, they'll have a newfound appeal

[jrients]

Thanks for the tip, foster!

[philotomy]

Coincidentally, I've included a SR4 Illusionist (Yod the Calvous) as an important NPC in an adventure/setting area I'm working on.

Incidentally, I think foster is spot-on with the "sinister" aspects of the class. His spells deceive and lie. They overpower the free will of others. They tap the nether realms and summon dark things to do his bidding. Et cetera. I made Yod (my NPC illusionist) a very charismatic and striking man, who uses his natural charisma in tandem with his magic; he's a master manipulator and a very dangerous fellow.

Yod is a ruthless manipulator who uses natural attractiveness and charm to its best effect. He also supplements his persuasive abilities with magic, and has no qualms about overriding someone's free will in order to get what he wants out of them...Yod is a strikingly handsome Ghinoran. Tall, well-built, and graced with a smooth olive complexion and startling blue eyes, he exudes charisma. His head is shaved bald, but he wears a thick black beard groomed in well-oiled ringlets, and has dark, high-peaked eyebrows. A scar on his right brow gives him additional character (he will try to brush off questions about it; it was given to him by a scorned woman). He dresses in sandals and a sky blue half-robe (toga) cinched with a tan leather belt.

Anyone have some good ideas for Phantasmal Forces?