Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Build Discussion So is Illusion Wizard just trash?

My usual go-to is Abjuration because of the excellent tankiness/damage prevention, but this time on my new Honour run I'm focusing on a stealth party and trying to lean into the synergies with that.

I can see where the Bonus Action Minor Illusion that lasts twice as long could be good, but I'm not sold. I don't need to powergame or min-max so I don't care that it's not the most powerful, just fun and synergetic in that style of stealth-focused party. I've only ever used Abjuration or Evocation my previous three runs. Trying to branch out. Leaning towards Illusion or Divination.

Anyone with experience in Illusion Wizard? Worth it?

Yeah, it doesn't offer much. I tried a Jan Jansen Style Gnome on Tactician for my second run. I was not too impressed. If you want that sort of CC play - Go Bard. For Stealthy sneaky stabby, invisibility is *all* you need, and it's there for everyone. Minor Illusion... eh.. it's not for me, so unreliable.

For Wizards - Abjurer is great - dip or full, Evoker too - with Sculpt Spells. Diviner is really handy, but not nearly as much as Abjurer or Evoker. Still, a Halfling Diviner with the Lucky Feat will NEVER let you down. I guess a Transmuter might help get more Bloodlust potions, or whatever they're called. BUt all in all, I'll take any Sorcerer over the other Wizards any day of the week.

Yup.
The only good schools for Wizard in this Game is Necro or the Same as Gale for Power..
But to tell yu the Truth..
If yu really want to become a Strong spellcaster go with Sorcerer.. much better.
And Mix with Fighter and Warlock..
Make like 2 lock to use eldrich blast with your charisma, 2 fighter for action surge and the rest go with Sorcerer and get the strongest spells in the Game.
By end Game yu will be a God.
Since yu are a Sorcerer too..
Get the Necro Book of Fay in act 1 and learn all the spells from it.. will make your life better..

BTW since yu are a Sorcerer yu are a Charisma Based Char.. the Best Builds in this Game are Charisma..
Yu are a Chad.. can make people die for yu just becouse of your silver tongue.
Give a Try..
Charisma based are the Best thing Ever.. like Playing on Easy Mode.
Even the unique interactions yu get with charisma are cooler trust me.

Dont Forget to Get Shovel too.. its Amazing....
he is Better for combat then Scratch.

I think you need atleast one level of wizard or warlock to get shovel (don’t change his name, look up guides as he can be tricky to get). So make sure if you do that build you do get warlock before you go there.

Only Wizards can get Shovel permanently, by scribing the scroll before casting it. Then again, a Warlock can get the exact same Familiar through pact of the Chain, just not with the funny lines.

I do really like to mix Int based Evocation Wizard with Wild Magic Sorcerer either 10/2 or 2/10. It gives you the flexibility of a wizard with the fun & chaos of WM, and the extra firepower of sorcery points - and you don't have to worry about messing up Astarion's hair when thunderwaving a bunch of enemies. Good old fashioned sneaking (despite Gale's complaints) along with all the invisibility rings and potions has worked well enough for me so far - but I haven't tried HM yet.

Err nope, Illusion Wizard aint trash, not even by a long shot. While their extras are kind of meh, they are still full featured Wizards otherwise.

Its not a powergamer choice though. Those are AFAIK:

- Evoker as the obvious direct damage option.

- Diviner, especially if you rest a lot. Deny your opponents all their good rolls. Can be made worse with a Lore Bard in group as well [1].

- Necromancer. Get quite the extra power without having to spent much of a thought on it, after you've set it up.


P.s.:
[1] Oh, and the Lucky feat, too, of course.

Wizards and Sorcerers can get Shovel permanently.

You don't have to scribe the scroll to permanently get Shovel. Just go through the dialogue with Shovel, and I think the key is you have to ask "is that what you and your master did?" when it gets to that point in the conversation.

Then, when you initiate conversation with Shovel a second time, Shovel will call you a "spell shite," and you'll get the ability to summon Cheeky Quasit for free.

Note: this doesn't work for storm sorcerers, and it doesn't work for some reason if you play into the conversation about teaching Shovel to be a dragon.

*

Regarding the illusionist, I find the subclass features disappointing. These are the kind of problems I have with DnD in general. I don't like the way there are clear better choices between subclasses. In my opinion, it should be worked on across the board, system wide.

D&D5 was designed for pen and paper, not computers, though. In computers, raw combat power is suddenly more important. BG3 is actually pretty powerful in this regard; playing a Bard is so fun exactly because you get so many dialogue options.

Powergamers will always say one class is much stronger than another. Its their way of thinking. No way around it.

Ah, Storm is the only Sorcerer I've really Tav'd

i Almost all the times play as Some Kind of Lock Mix.. so i never noticed that thing about Shovel i bet becouse of that..
i always go Palock, Sorlock or Hexa in all my last 20 games.haha

But i was always able to Keep him forever as Lock..
i dont beleave that this Only Wizard stuff is real..

BTW i always like hin a lot more then scratch for combat..
he has fear and invisibility really useaful in a bunch of situations..
i almost always use hin in the face your clones Trial with Shadow..
(the trick is to do it only with her.. yu two only)

Then summon Shovel and screw your clones.. huahauha
Really easy stuff.

And the dialogue yu have with hin its Crucial i belave for yu to Keep hin.. Be curious ask hin a lot..
and dont be a Scumbag..
Open the Mirror, Intimadation its the best super Fast.
Then speak with Hin ASAP once yu reach inside.. he will be yours forever from that point on.
And like i said My Hexa Build..
Dont use Sorcerer.. Its Full Fighter/Lock
7 Fighter/5 lock

Super Strong too..
7 fighter for the +2 two times..
By end game yu should Have 18 dex and 20 char with the hat 22
yu can even get 21 str if yu go Face Rath just for Fun.. xD
(yu dont really use str in this Build.. Only Char for your Blade Buff.. and spells.)

But Trowing Enemies around is really Fun..
Me and Lae'zel are like playing around with the battleground..
yu only see then flying. xD