Illusion. It’s a powerful tool. In line with this thought, perhaps it’s no surprise that many Baldur’s Gate 3 players choose to add an illusion spell or two to their game when playing as a wizard. But what are the best illusion spells in Baldur’s Gate, and how can Baldurs Gate players make the most of these? Well, today’s brief guide outlines some of the main things you should know about illusion spells to help you create a powerful roster of spells to draw upon.
Why Do Baldur’s Gate 3 Illusions Work Well for Wizard Builds?
There are numerous reasons that Baldur’s Gate 3 illusions can work incredibly well for wizard builds (as well as for sorcerers and warlocks). As such, keeping these in mind could help you decide whether an illusion build might be the right approach for your needs.
For one thing, Baldur’s Gate 3 illusion spells offer a valuable option to help the player unlock a range of species specific interactions. In addition to this, players can use illusions in Baldur’s Gate 3 to attempt subterfuge on particular groups, infiltrate and blend in with certain communities, debilitate or daage foes, and/or buff your character. Given this range of different effects, it’s safe to say that illusions can be a powerful spell type in Baldur’s Gate 3.
What are the Best Illusion Spells in Baldur’s Gate 3?
Overall, it can sometimes seem a little tricky to plan your new Baldur’s Gate 3 character, and as with any game, there’s a lot to think about. After all, setting up a new save file in any game can take an incredibly long time; for some games, that might mean starting a new private server with a platform such as ScalaCube, while others demand very careful character speccing and more. In line with this thought, considering the different options available to you could help, and illusions are one such example - provided you choose the best ones, of course.
Color Spray
If you’ve ever wanted to guarantee an enemy will be debilitated, the Color Spray spell’s probably what you need. This particular spell guarantees to blind enemies within a localized cone of area, provided that their combined hit points do not exceed 33. Given that this spell unlocks at Level 1, it’s definitely a useful early game spell to use, especially if you’re looking to get a few strong early hits in. Bear in mind, though, the effects only last for a single turn.
Phantasmal Force
Phantasmal Force is the earliest damage-inflicting illusion spell you’ll unlock in Baldur’s Gate, and one of just two primary damaging illusion spells. This particular spell is ranged and prevents the target from attacking while the spell remains active, provided that the caster concentrates throughout the experience. The spell causes a great deal of psychic damage, allowing you to weaken an enemy significantly.
Phantasmal Killer
One of the most powerful illusion spells is Phantasmal Killer, an incredibly dangerous spell that deals a huge amount of damage. The spell takes up the Level 4 spell slot and causes a great deal of psychic damage - even more than Phantasmal Force.
Hypnotic Pattern
Relying heavily on wisdom checks, the Hypnotic Pattern spell serves to freeze enemies that fail a wisdom check, preventing them from moving or attempting actions. In short, this spell completely hypnotizes the enemy, allowing the caster a chance to take their health down before they can attack again. Unfortunately, though, the spell only lasts for two turns, so you’ll need to take advantage of the limited opportunity.
Minor Illusion
In many cases, the set-up of a battle is just as important as the strategy itself. In line with this thought, the Baldur’s Gate 3 spell, Minor Illusion, can often be incredibly effective for helping set up the battlefield. Minor Illusion allows you to coax enemies into a more easily attacked position, and the spell can sometimes even cause enemies to waste a turn attacking the illusion; as such, it’s useful for several reasons.
Blur
If you’re tackling enemies with a strong sense of sight, the Blur spell can be a useful option to consider. Simply put, this spell makes the caster’s body appear to wobble and dissipate, making it significantly harder for enemies to keep tabs on the player. In turn, this leads to a significant -3 penalty for missile and melee attacks, while the caster achieves +1 to all Saving Throws.
Invisibility
Ever wished you could be invisible? Well, for a Baldur’s Gate illusion wizard, this isn’t just a dream, but an entirely attainable possibility. Indeed, the invisibility perk allows you to go invisible for stealth purposes outside of general interactions; this spell lasts for a total of ten turns. As such, if you need to make a quick getaway or sneak up on an enemy, it can be very useful.
Greater Invisibility
If the Invisibility spell sounds like a good option, the Greater Invisibility spell is likely even more tempting! This amazing spell allows you to stay invisible in an even wider array of situations, making it the pinnacle of illusion spells for many players’ Baldur’s Gate 3 playthroughs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Thoughts
Overall, while it can seem like illusion spells might be limited on the surface, the reality of this magic is that it can offer a surprisingly powerful tool. Indeed, in many cases, illusory spells can be used in a myriad of ways, be it as a standalone method to weaken an enemy or as part of a team to make enemies easier to kill. In any case, considering the best illusion spells in Baldur’s Gate could really help make your Baldur’s Gate 3 illusion wizard build more effective.
Why Do Baldur’s Gate 3 Illusions Work Well for Wizard Builds?
Make Your Own game Server
There are numerous reasons that Baldur’s Gate 3 illusions can work incredibly well for wizard builds (as well as for sorcerers and warlocks). As such, keeping these in mind could help you decide whether an illusion build might be the right approach for your needs.
For one thing, Baldur’s Gate 3 illusion spells offer a valuable option to help the player unlock a range of species specific interactions. In addition to this, players can use illusions in Baldur’s Gate 3 to attempt subterfuge on particular groups, infiltrate and blend in with certain communities, debilitate or daage foes, and/or buff your character. Given this range of different effects, it’s safe to say that illusions can be a powerful spell type in Baldur’s Gate 3.
What are the Best Illusion Spells in Baldur’s Gate 3?
Overall, it can sometimes seem a little tricky to plan your new Baldur’s Gate 3 character, and as with any game, there’s a lot to think about. After all, setting up a new save file in any game can take an incredibly long time; for some games, that might mean starting a new private server with a platform such as ScalaCube, while others demand very careful character speccing and more. In line with this thought, considering the different options available to you could help, and illusions are one such example - provided you choose the best ones, of course.Color Spray
If you’ve ever wanted to guarantee an enemy will be debilitated, the Color Spray spell’s probably what you need. This particular spell guarantees to blind enemies within a localized cone of area, provided that their combined hit points do not exceed 33. Given that this spell unlocks at Level 1, it’s definitely a useful early game spell to use, especially if you’re looking to get a few strong early hits in. Bear in mind, though, the effects only last for a single turn.Phantasmal Force
Phantasmal Force is the earliest damage-inflicting illusion spell you’ll unlock in Baldur’s Gate, and one of just two primary damaging illusion spells. This particular spell is ranged and prevents the target from attacking while the spell remains active, provided that the caster concentrates throughout the experience. The spell causes a great deal of psychic damage, allowing you to weaken an enemy significantly.Phantasmal Killer
One of the most powerful illusion spells is Phantasmal Killer, an incredibly dangerous spell that deals a huge amount of damage. The spell takes up the Level 4 spell slot and causes a great deal of psychic damage - even more than Phantasmal Force.Hypnotic Pattern
Relying heavily on wisdom checks, the Hypnotic Pattern spell serves to freeze enemies that fail a wisdom check, preventing them from moving or attempting actions. In short, this spell completely hypnotizes the enemy, allowing the caster a chance to take their health down before they can attack again. Unfortunately, though, the spell only lasts for two turns, so you’ll need to take advantage of the limited opportunity.
Minor Illusion
In many cases, the set-up of a battle is just as important as the strategy itself. In line with this thought, the Baldur’s Gate 3 spell, Minor Illusion, can often be incredibly effective for helping set up the battlefield. Minor Illusion allows you to coax enemies into a more easily attacked position, and the spell can sometimes even cause enemies to waste a turn attacking the illusion; as such, it’s useful for several reasons.Blur
If you’re tackling enemies with a strong sense of sight, the Blur spell can be a useful option to consider. Simply put, this spell makes the caster’s body appear to wobble and dissipate, making it significantly harder for enemies to keep tabs on the player. In turn, this leads to a significant -3 penalty for missile and melee attacks, while the caster achieves +1 to all Saving Throws.Invisibility
Ever wished you could be invisible? Well, for a Baldur’s Gate illusion wizard, this isn’t just a dream, but an entirely attainable possibility. Indeed, the invisibility perk allows you to go invisible for stealth purposes outside of general interactions; this spell lasts for a total of ten turns. As such, if you need to make a quick getaway or sneak up on an enemy, it can be very useful.Greater Invisibility
If the Invisibility spell sounds like a good option, the Greater Invisibility spell is likely even more tempting! This amazing spell allows you to stay invisible in an even wider array of situations, making it the pinnacle of illusion spells for many players’ Baldur’s Gate 3 playthroughs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Baldur’s Gate illusion spells be used offensively?
In many cases, it’s easy to assume that illusion spells in Baldur’s Gate are primarily used for defense and distraction. However, there are actually two illusion spells that can be used offensively: Phantasmal Force and Phantasmal Killer.
Do illusion spells in Baldur’s Gate require concentration?
Many illusion spells in Baldur’s Gate require concentration to cast. However, not all spells necessarily need concentration, such as the Mirror Image spell that can be cast without concentration.