Best RPGs With An Illusionist Class

Key Takeaways

Illusion magicians in video games rely on intellect over strength to outsmart enemies with apparitions and mental manipulation.
Games like Baldur’s Gate 3, Guild Wars, and Dragon’s Dogma 2 feature mage classes who excel in using deception to win.
Illusion-focused classes in these games can specialize in manipulating minds, creating clones, and turning enemies against each other.

As a lifelong video game enthusiast who’s always been drawn to the cunning and deceptive nature of illusionists, I must say that these games have truly captured the essence of a real-life magician’s artistry. It’s not just about casting spells or manipulating elements; it’s about outsmarting your adversaries and turning their power against them.

As a game enthusiast who often prefers to take on the role of a spellcaster in video games, I find immense satisfaction in triumphing over opponents using wit rather than brute force. While controlling the elements is indeed part of the magic user’s persona, an equally important aspect lies in their mental prowess. In reality, the art of magic revolves around the creation of illusions, conjuring captivating specters, and skillfully deceiving those who bear witness.

An exceptional illusionist, unlike the typical one, often faces an audience determined to end their life. However, this masterful illusionist possesses the skill to reverse their adversaries’ strength and triumph through psychological maneuvering and strategic deceit. This implies that they must outsmart their enemies subtly rather than by brute force. This intricate technique can be tricky to execute, particularly in action-oriented scenarios, but some games have successfully demonstrated this artistry.

Baldur’s Gate 3 – The Illusionist Wizard

A Specialist Student Of Deception

In Baldur’s Gate 3, the game closely follows the rules of fifth-edition Dungeons & Dragons, so illusion spells function similarly to how they do in tabletop play. Characters specializing in the School of Illusion can harness a wide range of deceptive abilities, useful both during and outside of battles.

At character creation, an illusion specialization can be chosen (and it’s quite effective throughout the game), providing an illusion wizard with some fundamental magic spells right from the start. However, there are numerous opportunities for this character to deepen their skills as an illusionist along the way. Illusion-related spells are not exclusive to illusion wizards; they can also be found among the repertoire of sorcerers and warlocks. Additionally, bards, clerics, arcane tricksters, and even eldritch knights can utilize these illusory spells too.

Guild Wars – Mesmer

The Masked Master Manipulator

Amongst other illusionist magicians, the Guild Wars mesmer stands out distinctively. Although their work may not appear flashy on the surface, the mesmer possesses a powerful spell to overpower, manipulate, and incapacitate most opponents. The influence of their spells occurs within their enemies’ thoughts. For instance, their Empathy spell causes enemies to question their attacks, reducing the damage they would have inflicted on their target and causing harm to themselves instead.

Mesmers siphon the vitality from their foes, a versatile resource employed for a myriad of tasks, such as invoking magic or boosting an assault. They channel this energy to power their manipulations, earning them a reputation for halting opponents mid-action, effectively disabling their abilities to act. A standout feature of the mesmer in Guild Wars is their exceptional speed in casting spells compared to other roles. However, the mesmer isn’t just one of the most potent professions; it’s also one of the toughest to master. The efficiency of a mesmer lies heavily on the player’s understanding of various classes and their skill sets.

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion – The Illusion Mage

The Illustrious School Of Illusion

Every game from the “Elder Scrolls” series that incorporates the illusion school of magic would qualify for this list, but it’s important to note that “Oblivion” is the final installment in the series to offer character classes. The mage class, specifically, serves as a versatile magic user, as no other pre-existing class can utilize spells like Calm, Frenzy, and the popular Invisibility as effectively as the mage does to instigate conflict among groups of bandits, even while sitting smack dab in the middle of their camp.

In Bravil is where you’ll find all the Illusion Magic spells, making it an essential destination for any aspiring deception mage upon exiting the sewers. Players are free to create their own unique “Illusionist” class by focusing on Intelligence and Personality attributes, with Speechcraft as a key skill to enhance their abilities.

Guild Wars 2 – The Mesmer (Chronomancer, Mirage, Virtuoso)

The (Illusionary) Attack Of The Clones

In the intense battles of Guild Wars 2, things can get quite chaotic, but fortunately, the mesmer profession excels in such situations. With a focus on illusionist performance, mesmers in Guild Wars 2 exhibit an array of unique weapon uses. They employ torches to induce blindness and invisibility, and they wield greatswords as projectiles to fire blasts of arcane energy at a distance. However, their preferred weapons are their clones and phantasms.

Every time a mesmer attacks, they generate deceptive copies of themselves to confuse adversaries. These clones can be set off by the mesmer to stun, interrupt, or cause damage to enemies. The phantasms of the mesmer mimic the moves and assaults of other professions, like a warrior’s charging jab, while the mesmer remains out of harm’s way. Mesmers blur the line between reality and illusion with their capacity to teleport, create portals across distances, and transform foes into pink moa birds.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 – The Trickster

Using Deceptive Smoke To Spark Friendly Fire

In terms of concept and functionality, the trickster profession in Dragon’s Dogma 2 embodies all the essential qualities of a combat illusionist: vulnerable in one-on-one encounters but invulnerable with a clever blend of weapon abilities and spells. The trickster primarily employs mystical smoke scents to perplex adversaries, causing them to attack each other. Furthermore, they can conjure up a simulacrum, a spectral body double, to divert enemy attention.

Manipulating this character in battle against an adversary will make their allies turn against them. Creating phantom floors can deceive enemies into falling off a precipice, while the cunning character can also produce a fearsome dragon from its smoky illusion to scare opponents, prompting them to retreat. Despite giving the impression of a laid-back profession, mastering this role necessitates continuous strategic thinking, trial and error, and active involvement.

2024-09-28 10:33