Illusionists are “specialist” Magic-Users who focus on the creation and manipulation of illusions, whether visual, auditory, or mental, and at higher levels quasi-real things made of tangible shadow. Though “normal” Magic-Users can create illusions, those created by a true Illusionist are superior in quality and realism.
Illusionists produce magic much like other types of Magic-Users, but have different spell choices. They can learn spells from each other so long as the spells are available to both classes.
A first level Illusionist begins play knowing
read magic and one other spell of first level. These spells are written in a spellbook provided by his or her master. The GM may roll for the spell, assign it as he or she sees fit, or allow the player to choose it, at his or her option.
| ILLUSIONIST LEVEL | ATTACK BONUS |
|---|
| 1-3 |
+1 |
| 4-5 |
+2 |
| 6-8 |
+3 |
| 9-12 |
+4 |
| 13-15 |
+5 |
| 16-18 |
+6 |
| 19-20 |
+7 |
Supplements
Arcane Bolt
The Illusionist can magically attack once per round. The Arcane Bolt is treated as a normal missile weapon. The player makes a normal combat roll against the target's AC, adding any Intelligence bonus and taking into account the range (10/20/30). The damage is d3. The origin is magic, but the effect is a form of mundane concussion, so it will not affect creatures who are only affected by magic. However, it will affect inanimate objects
Bonus Spells
Illusionists gain bonus spells for high Intelligence. This allows the character to prepare more spells of certain levels than usual. Characters may not prepare spells above the level they can cast, so even though a character with an 18 Intelligence gets a second level spell as a bonus spell, he or she can't prepare second level spells until reaching third level. Use the following table.
| INTELLIGENCE BONUS | BONUS PREPARED SPELLS |
|---|
| 9-11 |
No Bonus Spells |
| 12 |
No Bonus Spells |
| 13-15 |
1 x 1st Level Spells |
| 16-17 |
2 x 1st Level Spells |
| 18 |
2 x 1st, 1 x 2nd Level Spells |
Cast at Will
A spellcaster may employ any spell he or she knows (i.e. has in his or her spellbook), so long as the caster has an available slot of the correct level.
Slot Demotion
Slot demotion allows a spell caster to use a higher-level available slot to cast a lower-level spell. This grants no particular bonus; casting magic missile with a 3rd level slot, for instance, neither makes the spell more powerful nor gives the caster any "change" back.
Flavor
Magic reflect the magician's personality. The player chooses visual, auditory, and / or odiferous effects for his spells, though this has no effect on the spell's actual effect in the game. So, one magician's spells might all have a purple aura while another's might all crackle when cast. This option has no effect in terms of the rules, but it's a good dramatic effect that can make playing a magician more fun. It can also be used as a form of signature.
Illusionist Spells
The number of spells of each level which an Illusionist may cast per day is shown on the appropriate table in the Characters section. Each morning spellcasters prepare spells to replace those they have used. Spells prepared but not used persist from day to day; only those actually cast must be replaced. A spellcaster may choose to dismiss a prepared spell (without casting it) in order to prepare a different spell of that level.
Spellcasters must have at least one hand free, and be able to speak, in order to cast spells; thus, binding and gagging a spellcaster is an effective means of preventing them from casting spells. In combat, casting a spell usually takes the same time as making an attack. If a spellcaster is attacked (even if not hit) or must make a saving throw (whether successful or not) on the Initiative number on which they are casting a spell, the spell is spoiled and lost. As a specific exception, two spell casters releasing their spells at each other on the same Initiative number will both succeed in their casting; one caster may disrupt another with a spell only if they have a better Initiative, and choose to delay casting the spell until right before the other caster.
Illusionists cast spells through the exercise of knowledge and will. They prepare spells by study of their spellbooks; each Illusionist has his or her own spellbook containing the magical formulae for each spell the Illusionist has learned. Spellbooks are written in a magical script that can only be read by the one who wrote it, or through the use of the spell read magic. All Illusionists begin play knowing read magic, and it is so ingrained that it can be prepared without a spellbook.
An Illusionist may only prepare spells after resting (i.e. a good night's sleep), and needs one turn per each three spell levels to do so (rounding fractions up). Spells prepared but not used on a previous day are not lost. For example, a 3rd level Illusionist preparing all three of his or her available spells (two 1st level and one 2nd level) is preparing a total of 4 levels of spells, and thus needs 2 turns (4 divided by 3 and rounded up).
Acquisition of Spells
Illusionists produce magic much like other types of Magic-Users, but have different spell choices. They can learn spells from each other so long as the spells are available to both classes. Like other Magic-Users, a first level Illusionist begins play knowing read magic and one other spell of first level, recorded within a spell book. The GM may roll for the spell, assign it as he or she sees fit, or allow the player to choose it, at his or her option.
Illusionists cast spells through the exercise of knowledge and will, exactly as normal Magic-Users. They prepare spells by study of their spellbooks; each Illusionist has his or her own spellbook, containing the magical formulae for each spell the Illusionist has learned, written in a magical script that can only be read by the Illusionist who wrote it, or through the use of a special first-level spell: read magic. All Illusionists begin play with read magic as their first spell, and it is so ingrained that an Illusionist can prepare it without a spellbook. Read magic has a range of “touch” and is permanent with respect to any given magical work (spellbook or scroll).
Illusionists may learn spells by being taught directly by another Illusionist or by studying another Illusionist's spellbook. The Illusionist may also learn appropriate spells from standard Magic-Users (or other arcane casters, if used the spell always being at the level as it appears on the Illusionist Spell List. Likewise, a Magic-User may learn spells shared by the classes from an Illusionist. If being taught, a spell can be learned in a single day; researching another Illusionist's spellbook takes one day per spell level. Either way, the spell learned must be transcribed into the Illusionist's own spellbook, at a cost of 500 gp per spell level transcribed. A beginning Illusionist starts with a spellbook containing read magic and at least one other first-level spell, as determined by the Game Master, at no cost.
