OSR: Illusionist Spell Rewrites (Treasure Overhaul/AD&D)

The Treausure Overhaul is going to include spells. They're too useful for treasure design. It's tricky to make a systemless OSR book that includes wands, scrolls, artifacts, and other spell-related items without providing spells. 

This requires a bit of class design. Here's a peek behind the scenes at the process, using the Illusionist level 1-3 spells as an example. Old-school games trend towards lower levels, so I'm using them as an example. 

Sherbakov Stanislav

Notes On The Illusionist Class

The Illusionist is odd on a fundamental level. In an RPG, you pretend to do things. When you play an Illusionist, you pretend to pretend to do things. Do you want to pretend to cast fireball or pretend to pretend to cast fireball? It's terribly meta.

It is difficult to argue that the Illusionist, in most OSR games, is a weaker Magic-User. Sure, illusions are versatile, but the Magic-User has a host of tools that actually do things. You can bloviate about the versatility of phantasmal force all you'd like, but at the end of the day, how many players choose Illusionists? They're rarer than Druids! More crucially, how many play an Illusionist twice?

The core concepts are:

• Illusions. Things that appear real but are not real. 
• Concentration-based spells.
  
• Trickery.
  
• Stage magic.

References

While writing the spell lists in the Treasure Overhaul, I'm referencing a number of books. If I'm writing a generic spell, it's important to ensure it does what the reader expects it to do.

The four major references are like the corners of a map. If the spell I've written doesn't fall somewhere between them, then I've either done something wrong or made a deliberate choice to strike out for parts unknown.

1. The LBBs (+Greyhawk +some supplemental materials when necessary). The spell summon floogle reads "Summon 1 floogle."

2. AD&D (+Unearthed Arcana). The spell summon floogle reads "You summon 1d4-1 floogles of no more than caster level / 2 HD for 2d6+4 turns. They appear on the nearest horizontal surface within 30'. The floogles obey the tallest person within 120' or anyone wearing a helmet, though helmets created by the illusory helmet spell do not count. The material components of this spell are a slide whistle and a small pot of apricot jam." Lots of cruft between the player and the floogle. 

3. Old School Essentials. Distilled and popular OSR. An attempt to clean up some of AD&D's more peculiar and ambiguous sections to produce compact spell lists. Typically, I'll read the AD&D version of a spell, rewrite it, then check OSE to see how Gavin Norman approached the same problem.

4. D&D 5E. Shock, horror, etc, but hear me out. 5E design distills spells in a particular way. It is sometimes useful to see what pitfalls and edge cases were "fixed" over the years.

I'll also check blog posts, forums, and old magazines for particularly tricky spells. I can't read everything, let alone digest it. I can't pretend to possess some sort of game designer ivory tower omniscience, even if it would help sell books. I'm just muddling through with intuition, experience, and vague memories of things that worked and things that did not work. 

I also have to balance canonical spells with personal preferences. What can I tweak? What can be improved? What can be compressed? Can this spell be conveyed to a player and written down in a comprehensible format on the back of a scrap of paper? If a group uses this book alongside another book, will contradictions slip under the radar or cause insurmountable problems? There's no way to write a general-purpose spell list without causing some problems. The goal is to make consistent choices towards utility.

Justin Cherry

Canonical Illusionist Spell Lists

The OD&D spells are taken from Peter Aronson's 1977 Wild Hunt #19 article, the final pre-AD&D Illusionist version. AD&D spells from Unearthed Arcana are in italics.

Level 1	OD&D (Aronson)	AD&D	OSE
1		Audible Glamer	Auditory Illusion
2	Change Self	Change Self	Glamour
3		Chromatic Orb	Chromatic Orb
4	Colour Spray	Colour Spray	Colour Spray
5		Dancing Lights	Dancing Lights
6	Darkness	Darkness
7	Detect Illusion	Detect Illusion	Detect Illusion
8	Detect Invisible	Detect Invisibility
9	Gaze Reflection	Gaze Reflection
10	Hypnotism	Hypnotism	Hypnotism
11	Light	Light	Light (Darkness)
12	Phantasmal Forces	Phantasmal Force	Phantasmal Force
13		Phantom Armour
14		Read Illusionist Magic	Read Magic
15		Spook	Spook
16	Wall of Fog	Wall of Fog	Wall of Fog
	Mirror Image
	Ventriloquism

Level 2	OD&D (Aronson)	AD&D	OSE
1		Alter Self	Quasimorph
2		Blindness	Blindness / Deafness
3	Blur	Blur	Blur
4	Deafness	Deafness
5	Detect Magic	Detect Magic	Detect Magic
6		Fascinate
7	Fog	Fog Cloud
8		Hypnotic Pattern	Hypnotic Pattern
9	Improved Phantasmal Forces	Improved Phantasmal Force	Improved Phantasmal Force
10	Invisibility	Invisibility	Invisibility
11	Magic Mouth	Magic Mouth	Magic Mouth
12		Mirror Image	Mirror Image
13		Misdirection	False Aura
14		Ultravision
15		Ventriloquism
16		Whispering Wind	Whispering Wind
	Rope Trick
	Dispel Illusion

Level 3	OD&D (Aronson)	AD&D	OSE
1	Continual Darkness	Continual Darkness
2	Continual Light	Continual Light
3		Delude
4		Dispel Illusion	Dispel Illusion
5	Fear	Fear	Fear
6	Hallucinatory Terrain	Hallucinatory Terrain	Hallucinatory Terrain
7	Illusionary Script	Illusionary Script
8	Invisibility 10' Radius	Invisibility 10' radius	Invisibility 10' Radius
9	Non-detection	Non-detection	Nondetection
10	Paralyzation	Paralyzation	Paralysation
11		Phantom Steed	Phantom Steed
12		Phantom Wind
13		Rope Trick	Rope Trick
14	Spectral Forces	Spectral Force	Spectral Force
15	Suggestion	Suggestion	Suggestion
16		Wraithform	Wraithform
	Phantasmal Killer		Blacklight
	Dispell Exhaustion
	Color Bomb
	Dreams

 

Canonical Spell List Observations

Aronson's list has some spells (mirror image, ventriloquism) at level 1 instead of AD&D/OSE's level 2, and some (rope trick, dispel illusion) at level 2 instead of AD&D's/OSE's level 3. Making ventriloquism a level 1 spell makes a lot of sense; it's really not worth a 2nd level spell slot. Mirror image is at level 1 is a minor tweak, but one that gives the Illusionist some much-needed early damage resistance. The real meat-and-potatoes of level 1 is phantasmal force, which gets several paragraphs of text below.

OSE combines some spells into one (deafness/blindness, light/darkness). I like modular or reversible spells. It keeps the spell list compact and it gives the player more options. If a spell has an intuitive reversal, it should be included (even if the reversed version is less useful than the prime version). Yes, in some systems, Illusionists don't get reversible spells, but that feels unnecessarily cruel. 

The Illusionist spell list has many spells that require concentration. Any spell that doesn't require concentration is therefore slightly more powerful. Cast a few of those, then set off your centrepiece spell. 

The Treasure Overhaul Illusionist Spell List (1-3)

1d20	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3
1	Audible Glamer	Become Delicious	Butterfly Hurricane
2	Chromatic Orb	Blur	Colour Bomb
3	Colour Spray	Charm Person	Conceal Intent*
4	Detect Invisibility	Compulsive Laughter	Daydream
5	Disguise	Conceptual Blade	Dispel Illusion
6	Faerie Fire	Conspicuous Ritual	Fear
7	Fog	Darkvision	Flare
8	Fool’s Gold	Deprive Sense*	Glitterblast
9	Hypnotism	Detect Magic	Hallucinatory Terrain
10	Imaginary Pit	Escapolgy	Hold Person
11	Light*	Feign Death*	Invisibility, 10' Radius
12	Mage Hand	Hypnotic Pattern	Misdirect Scrying
13	Magic Aura	Invisibility	Mundanify
14	Mirror Image	Locate Object*	Phantom Steed
15	Mirror Shield	Magic Mouth	Phantom Wind
16	Phantasmal Force	Mirror Object	Space Swap
17	Read Magic	Phantasmal Force, Improved	Splitting Image
18	Spook	Silence	Suggestion
19	Synesthesia	Sleight of Hand	Unlight
20	Ventriloquism	Whispering Wind	Wraithform

In the book, all spells are arranged alphabetically. For this post, I've split them by level. Commentary is indented and in purple. Spells with names in blue are new. I can't guarantee they're completely original (given the sheer number of spells that have been published and the number of spells I've read over the years), but they weren't written with any reference in mind.  

Ritual spells will go on their own list. I've moved rope trick there. It's a great spell if the players have 10 minutes to set it up during turn-based dungeon exploration, but it's a real hassle in combat. There are some spells you can cast while an kobold is trying to gnaw off your legs, and some spells you can't, and rope trick is, in my opinion, firmly in the latter category. Separating rituals makes treasure design easier. Do you really want to find a stave of rope trick or a wand of find familiar, given the other options? 

flowerzzxu

Level 1

1. Audible Glamer
Illusionist 1, Magic-User 2   
R: 120’ T: point D: 1 minute
A sound emerges from the designated point. It can be a piece of music known to the wielder or a sound effect (battle, roaring flames, whispering, etc.), but cannot be intelligible speech. Intelligent creatures can Save to detect the false nature of the sound. At maximum volume, the noise is audible within 120’.

I'm not entirely sold in the name. OSE's "auditory illusion" feels clinical, but audible glamer is only one step from ye olde audibyle gygaxian glamer.

2. Chromatic Orb
Illusionist 1   
R: 30’ T: creature D: 0
The caster makes a ranged attack roll. Target gains no bonus from armour. On a hit, choose one of the effects below (limited by [caster level]):

[C.L.]	Colour	Dmg.	Effect
1	Pearl	1d4	Target glows for 2d6 rounds.
2	Ruby	1d6	Melts a 3’ cube of ice.
3	Flame	1d8	Sets things on fire.
4	Amber	1d10	Save or blind 2d4 rounds.
5	Emerald	1d12	Save or reek 1d4 hours.
6	Turquoise	2d8	Save or drop 1d4 items.
7-9	Sapphire	2d4	Save or paralyzed 4d6 rnds.
10-11	Amethyst	-	Save or turn to stone.
12+	Ashen	-	Save or die.

This spell requires but does not consume a gem of the appropriate type, or a diamond, worth 100gp.

Chromatic orb was clearly a spell written without page restrictions in mind. I'm pleased that I managed to compress it to a manageable level while retaining the core weirdness. Some edge cases and stacked effects had to be cut, but so it goes.

3. Colour Spray
Illusionist 1   
R: 30’ cone T: area D: 0
Prismatic dust sprays from the caster’s hand. 1d6 sighted creatures in the area must Save or be affected based on their HD:
•Under [caster level]: Unconscious for 2d8 rounds.
•Equal to Equal+2: Blinded for 1d4 rounds.
•Equal +3 or more: Stunned for 1 round.

The reliable classic. When in doubt, colour spray and run. 

4. Detect Invisibility
Illusionist 1, Magic-User 2    
R: 30’ radius T: self D: 10 minutes
Invisible, ethereal, and out-of-phase creatures are visible. The caster can see through illusions.

It's a detect spell. What more do you want? A 10 minute limit instead of [caster level] round-based math makes the spell more useful for exploration.

5. Disguise
Illusionist 1   
R: touch T: creature D: 10 minutes
The target takes on the appearance of another person or creature of approximately the same size. Illusionary equipment is also provided, but vanishes if dropped. The illusion ends if the target takes damage. 

Having an illusionary shapechange spell makes a nice contrast to the Magic-User's more dangerous polymorph shenanigans. Obligatory Oglaf reference (NSFW).

6. Fairie Fire
Druid 1, Illusionist 1    
R: 60’ T: creature or object D: 10 minutes
Up to 3 creatures or objects are outlined in harmless flickering flames. Attacks against them gain a +2 bonus to hit. The flames are visible in darkness.

This is a druid-only spell in AD&D, but it feels like a useful Illusionist tool as well. The weird casters have to stick together.

7. Fog
Druid 2, Illusionist 1
R: 60’ T: point D: varies
Creates a 10’ cube of opaque fog per [caster level]. The fog is heavier than air. It lasts 1 hour in still air or 10 minutes in a strong wind.

Combining all the fog spells into one long-duration spell that scales with [caster level] makes sense. It's fog. It's not charm person or magic missile. It's a "trade one set of problems for a different set of problems" spell, which is always delightful, but it's not worth two or three different spells with slight variants on range, effects, duration, and movement. A special spell that makes a fake cloudkill" is useful in AD&D's imagined game of rock-paper-scissors-improved paper-improved rock-etc, but regular old fog is, in practice, much more fun.

8. Fool’s Gold
Illusionist 1, Magic-User 2
R: 10’ T: area D: 6 hours
Affects a 1’ cube per [caster level]. Assume 4,000 coins fit in a 1’ cube. Metallic items are enchanted to appear to be gold. Intelligent creatures who inspect the items can Save with a penalty equal to [caster level] to detect the deception. If the items are damaged, there is a 50% chance the spell ends.  

This is a very obvious "give the players rope to hang themselves with" spell. By all means, engage in shenanigans. Bribe monsters. Cheat merchants. Get into trouble.

9. Hypnotism
Illusionist 1
R: 30’ T: creature D: [caster level]+1 rounds
The caster speaks a short, simple, and reasonable command to 1d6 creatures within range. The creatures must Save or obey. Targets must be able to hear and understand the caster. The command must be a plausible course of action. 

I might revisit the wording on this spell. I don't want to go overboard with restrictions and guidelines, but I also want the spell to be easy to adjudicate. At first, I thought I'd replace it with charm person, but it is genuinely niche and interesting enough that I think I'll have to include it.  

10. Imaginary Pit
Illusionist 1
R: 120’ T: creature D: 0
Target creature experiences the illusion of falling into bottomless pit filled with accusatory voices. Save negates. If it fails, the creature is stricken with a deep depression (if sapient) or lethargy (if mindless) for [caster level] hours. This may alter its level of hostility or prompt a new reaction roll.

This spell is strictly worse phantasmal force, but it enables bluffing and other wizardly schemes. Cloudkill just kills you. What the heck did that spell do? Was I dead? Am I alive now? What is reality?

11. Light*
Cleric 1, Illusionist 1, Magic-User 1   
R: touch T: object D: 1 hr+10 mins per [caster level]
Target object casts light as a torch.
Reversed: Target object casts darkness instead. This darkness does not affect magical light.

Light, of all spells, should be a simple resource calculation. A backup non-flammable light source and space in a character's inventory in exchange for a spell slot.

12. Mage Hand
Illusionist 1, Magic-User 1   
R: 30’ T: point D: concentration, up to 1 minute.
Creates an invisible hand. It must remain within 30’ of the caster, moves at 30’ per round, follows the caster’s hand motions, and is as strong two of the caster’s fingers.

Mage hand is not a traditional Illusionist spell, but it is a powerful enabler of shenanigans, and it fits the stage magician theme (if not the "do things without actually doing them" theme). I am not responsible damage caused while testing what you can hold between two fingers.

13. Magic Aura
Illusionist 1   
R: touch T: object D: permanent
Target object weighing no more than 500lbs detects as magical. Close scrutiny while using detect magic (pg. ###) will reveal the deceptive nature of this spell.

This is usually a magic-user spell as well, but, for Treasure Overhaul purposes, I had to move it to Illusionist only. Is this likely to cause trouble? No. Not at all. Trickery is the Illusionist's game, and making objects appear magical seems like Illusionist-specific magic.

14. Mirror Image
Illusionist 1, Magic-User 2   
R: 0 T: self D: 1 hour
An illusionary duplicate of the caster appears. It moves with, imitates, and blurs the caster. For every 3 [caster levels] past the first, they may create 1 additional duplicate, to a maximum of 3 duplicates. If a single-target attack would hit the caster, there is a chance it hits a duplicate instead, destroying it. Roll 1d20 and consult the number of duplicates below:
•One Duplicate: Hit on an 11 or more.
•Two Duplicates: Hit on an 8 or more.
•Three Duplicates: Hit on a 6 or more.

I stuck mirror image at level 1 and tweaked the duration. OD&D has 1 hour, AD&D has 2 rounds per level, OSE has 1 hour. I like a 1 hour duration. It lets the Illusionist form a barbershop quartet.

15. Mirror Shield
Illusionist 1   
R: 0 T: self D: concentration+1 round
May cast this spell as a reaction. An reflective plate of force appears in front of the caster. It is 5’ in diameter, reflects gaze attacks and light, and may reflect some light-based spells at the GM’s discretion. It does not prevent damage, block missile attacks, or block line of sight to the caster for targeting purposes.

I changed the name from gaze reflection to make the implied effect more versatile. Spells that can be cast a reaction are another Treasure Overhaul tweak. There aren't many of them, but they encourage a caster to memorize less optimal spells for some out-of-turn surprises. Sure, you can use it to reflect gaze attacks, but you could also spook beasts with a mirror or reflect lasers. Surprising amount of lasers in D&D.  

16. Phantasmal Force
Illusionist 1, Magic-User 2   
R: 240’ T: point D: concentration, up to 1 minute
An illusion smaller than a 20’ cube appears. The illusion is silent, slightly glassy, and is destroyed if it is dealt damage. The caster can create any contiguous scene, creature, or effect imaginable. Creatures can Save to see through the illusion. An illusionary monster appears to deal damage, but no actual damage is inflicted. The GM may wish to track “damage” against a creature’s HP, but actual HP is not reduced. A creature “killed”, “squashed flat”, or “turned to stone” by an illusion is merely paralyzed for 1 minute.

Ah, phantasmal force, probably the most controversial and confusing spell in the Illusionist class. Over the years, more ink has been spilled over this spell than any other. It's the Jarndyce v Jarndyce of the OSR. This is my stance. No actual damage, just implied damage. Save up front, but no restrictions on effects (anything a caster can imagine, not just things they've seen before). 

"Paralyzed for 1 minute" can equal dead if the PCs are quick about finishing off downed combatants. The spell is "Save or believe", not "Save to disbelieve", which speeds up resolution and removes a lot of ambiguity. 

The improved version increases the size of the illusion, adds smells, sounds, and textures, and imposes a penalty to Save. The "dealt damage" requirement means merely touching the scene isn't enough (which eliminates a lot of back-and-forth with the GM over what counts as touching). You have to give it a solid whack (as an action). I prefer to think of illusions as holograms and not mental images. It makes resolving them much easier.

 Phantasmal force, as written in AD&D and OD&D, also consumes the general purpose illusion design space. Any specific or restricted illusion can, most of the time, be replicated by phantasmal force. The only real restriction is the duration. Frankly, this spell is a mess. Every use starts a negotiation with the GM. It dominates the scene. 

I could condense it, issues and all, but if I'm going to write a book of good treasures, and those treasures include spells, I'm obligated to try and write good spells.

Side Note: I'd always assumed the "force" in "phantasmal force" was "violence, action, or momentum", but it's entirely possible, given OD&D roots, that it means "an armed band of warriors." A phantasmal squad of archers. A wargame unit.

17. Read Magic
Illusionist 1, Magic-User 1   
R: 0 T: self D: 10 minutes
The caster can read and interpret magical text, including scrolls, spell books, arcane inscriptions, etc. Once read, a work remains intelligible.

I'm not a huge fan of this spell from a game design point of view, but I'm not willing to cut it from the list. It's infrastructure.  

18. Spook
Illusionist 1
R: 120’ T: creature D: 0
Target creature must Save or perceive the caster as a terrifying creature or effect. The caster and other creatures do not know what the target sees. On a failed Save, the target flees for [caster level] rounds. The creature gets new Save each round. On a successful Save, the spell ends.

A single-target fear spell, but with a fun twist. "What is this creature afraid of, and how do I convey that fear?" is a fun low-consequence prompt for a GM.

19. Synesthesia
Illusionist 1
R: touch T: creature D: [caster level]+1d4 rounds
Target living creature’s senses are confused and mixed. Colours evoke sounds. Tastes evoke flashes of light. The target must Save each round or be stunned.

An ongoing multi-round stun effect isn't too powerful at level 1, but it is also a non-damaging spell, for all those situations where someone needs to be inconvenienced but not massacred.

20. Ventriloquism
Illusionist 1, Magic-User 1   
R: 120’ T: point D: concentration+1d4 rounds
The caster’s voice appears to come from the chosen point. 

Nobody is excited about ventriloquism alone, but it is an amusing distraction. It also combines well with other spells in an unspectacular way.

Devin Becker

Level 2

1. Become Delicious
Illusionist 2   
R: touch T: creature D: [caster level] hours
Target creature smells delicious. The smell radiates 30' in calm air, but can spread via wind or leave a trail. Sapient creatures can usually resist the urge to eat the target, but beasts and ravenous creatures must Save or select the spell's target as their primary attack target. Insects will be attracted to the target for the spell's duration.

I love this spell. I've run it in games for years and it always leads to great schemes. Step 1, fill a pig with poison. Step 2, take it to the top of a rickety tower. Step 3, cast this spell. Step 4, wait for the dragon to arrive. The ghoul ambush + disposable hireling combo is another rather grim use case.

2. Blur
Illusionist 2
R: 0 T: self D: 10 minutes
The caster’s precise location is smeared and distorted by flickering illusions. The first attack a creature makes against the caster has a -4 penalty. All subsequent attacks the creature makes have a -2 penalty. The caster gains +1 to Save against magic

Because it's a penalty to hit and not a bonus to AC, blur stacks with mage armour (not on the Illusionist list, but common enough). It also stacks with mirror image.

3. Charm Person
Druid 2, Illusionist 2, Magic-User 1   
R: 120’ T: person D: permanent
Target person must Save or regard the caster as a good friend. The target may Save again to negate:
•Int. 3-8 (below average): each month.
•Int. 9-12 (average): each week.
•Int. 13-18 (above average): each day.

Replaces the functionally identical fascinate spell. 

4. Compulsive Laughter
Illusionist 2, Magic-User 2   
R: 50’ T: creature D: 1 round
Target sapient creature must Save or fall prone and helplessly laugh for 1 round. If it failed its Save, on the subsequent round, the target also has -2 penalty to attack rolls and Saves.

This should probably be a 1st level spell, but canonically it's 2nd level. Should I move it to where I feel it belongs, or leave it where readers might expect to find it? These are the perils of systemless design.

5. Conceptual Blade
Illusionist 2    
R: 0 T: self D: concentration + [caster level] rounds
Conjures the illusion of a smoking black sword in the caster’s hand. Damage varies based on a struck target’s intelligence:
•Mindless / objects: no damage.
•Non-sapient: 1d4+1 non-lethal damage.
•Sapient: 1d6+1 non-lethal damage.
If a sapient target is in an altered state (drunk, drugged, panicked, very credulous), they must Save. If they fail, the sword deals is lethal damage instead.

Surprise, it's a wizard with a sword! A very difficult-to-kill wizard with a sword thanks to blur and mirror image and general illusionist tricks. 

6. Conspicuous Ritual
Illusionist 2
R: 0 T: self D: concentration
This spell appears to be a potent and dangerous ritual, but is merely theatrical. Spellcasters may Save to detect its nature. The caster may not move while concentrating. Effects vary with the number of rounds spent concentrating:
•1: Floating runes, shimmering circles.
•2: Arcs of light and false fire. Casts light as a torch.
•3: Rumbling, bulging forces, subsonic rumbling.
•4: Caster hovers up to 5’ off the ground.
•5+: Creatures within 30’ take 1 damage per round.
The caster may add other minor illusions as desired. 

"What is that wizard doing?" is a very good distraction tactic. The 1 damage aura isn't too powerful, as it takes many rounds to get it online, but it's a direct damage in a class that doesn't have many options for direct damage.

7. Darkvision
Illusionist 2, Magic-User 2   
R: touch T: creature D: 1 hour
Target can see up to 60’ in darkness.

1 hour of darkvision is useful but not game-breaking.

8. Deprive Sense*
Illusionist 2   
R: 30’ T: creature D: permanent
Target must Save or lose one sense (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell) of the caster’s choice.
Reversed: Cures magically one magically imposed lost sense.

If I'm going to combine blindness/deafness into one spell, I might as well have all of them. Yank someone's sense of taste and then poison them. Remove an ally's sense of smell so they can invade the lair of the Dire Carrion Crawler.

9. Detect Magic
Cleric 1, Druid 1, Illusionist 2, Magic-User 1   
R: 30’ radius T: self D: 10 minutes
Magical objects glow. The caster may test Intelligence to obtain vague hints about the type and strength of magic, at the GM’s discretion.

Another infrastructure spell.

10. Escapology
Illusionist 2   
R: 0 T: self D: 0
The caster escapes from any bonds, shackles, or impediments. Any effects that negatively affect the caster’s movement speed (e.g. the slow spell) end. This spell can be cast silently and with minimal hand motions.

Stage magic. The category of "any impediments" is deliberately broad, but with a duration of 0, this can't help the caster navigate a tangle of thorns or a corridor filled with webs. It helps once, then it's done.

11. Feign Death*
Druid 2, Illusionist 2, Magic-User 3   
R: touch T: creature D: 1 hour
Target willing creature appears to be dead. It cannot see or move, but can hear. It reduces all incoming non-magical damage by half. The effects of diseases or poisons are paused until the spell ends.
Reversed: Target human-sized corpse appears to be alive, but in a deep magical slumber.

A 5E import, but it's a useful tool. The damage resistance is surprisingly handy if, for example, you want to use a hireling as a bobsled.

12. Hypnotic Pattern
Illusionist 2
R: 15’ radius / unlimited T: self D: concentration
Swirling colours and shapes fill a 15’ radius around the caster. Creatures in the area that can see the pattern must Save or be hypnotized. Up to 24 total HD of creatures can be hypnotized. Affected creatures will stand and watch the pattern. The effect ends for a creature if it is harmed. The caster may not move while concentrating.

Another classic. Not much to say about it, though it should be noted that it affects all creatures, not just ones targeted by the caster. Catching allies with this spell is traditional.

13. Invisibility
Illusionist 2, Magic-User 2   
R: touch T: creature D: 1 hour
Target creature is invisible. The spell ends when the target takes a hostile action. Clothing and carried items are also invisible.

It's hit after hit at level 2. 

14. Locate Object*
Cleric 3, Illusionist 2, Magic-User 2   
R: 120’ T: object D: 10 mins
The caster names an object or class of objects (e.g. stairs, swords, the Crown of Ipbid). If it is within range, they learn its vague location, direction,  and distance.
Reversed: Target touched object cannot be located by magical means for 24 hours.

The reversed version makes sense. It's low-level magical interference. It's rare that a campaign revolves around anti-scrying, but it's a useful tool.

15. Magic Mouth
Illusionist 2, Magic-User 2   
R: touch T: object D: permanent
A mouth appears on the object. It records a message of up to 25 words and will speak it when the conditions set by the caster are met. The conditions can be as complex as desired, but must occur within 30’ of the object, and must rely on external appearances or visible actions.

Another scheme-enabling spell. 

16. Mirror Object
Illusionist 2   
R: touch T: object D: [caster level] hours
The caster creates an illusionary copy of an object that fits in a 5’ cube. The copy is silent, slightly glassy, and is destroyed if it is dealt damage. It has the same weight and texture as the original, but has no magical properties or special abilities.

Is this your card? Your crown? Your plot-supporting artifact of baleful influence?

17. Phantasmal Force, Improved
Illusionist 2   
R: 240’ T: point D: concentration, up to 10 minutes
As phantasmal force, but the illusion is smaller than a 60’ cube, may create minor noises and odours, and has realistic texture. Saves to see through the illusion have a -2 penalty.

I'm not a huge fan of "this spell but better" progression, but improved phantasmal force is an interesting tradeoff for the class's workhorse spell. Yes, it's more realistic, but those 2nd-level spell lots are precious. The rearranged name keeps the spell next to phantasmal force in the book.

18. Silence
Cleric 2, Illusionist 2
R: 120’ T: creature or point D: 1 hour
Nothing can create sound in a 15’ radius. Spellcasting is impossible. If the spell targets a creature, the creature may Save to have the spell apply to their current location. If they fail, the effect moves with the creature.

Another spell with many uses. Ambush a guard without alerting anyone in the next room, stymie spellcasters, hack down a door in peace and quiet, etc.

19. Sleight of Hand
Illusionist 2   
R: touch T: object D: [caster level] hours
Touched object that fits in a 2’ cube vanishes up the caster’s sleeve or behind their back. If the object is held, the creature holding it may Save to negate. The item remains in an extradimensional space for the spell’s duration or until the caster retrieves it. If the caster is knocked unconscious, the item reappears. 

Hammerspace! Few people know that the term comes from The Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok and his Sons. "Kanín Hamar was the name of Önd the Wild's brother. He escaped from the battle with the standard of Eldmar the Bald, and his sword and shield, and his arm-ring weighing three marks of gold, and his wood-axe, and two of his sheep also." [citation needed] [citation will not be found]

20. Whispering Wind
Illusionist 2
R: [caster level] miles T: creature or point D: 6 hours
The caster whispers a message of up to 25 words, then names a creature known to the caster or known point within range. The message travels on a gentle breeze, where it is heard as a whisper. The caster may have the message arrive instantly or at any time within 6 hours, chosen when the spell is cast.

It's a low-level messaging spell. Pretty useful for coordinating schemes, but the target has to be able to hear a whisper.

Pavel Maksymenko

Level 3

1. Butterfly Hurricane
Illusionist 3   
R: 30’ radius T: area D: concentration
Creates a whirling, brightly coloured mass of butterflies. Blocks line of sight for all creatures except the caster. Ranged attacks that pass through the area automatically miss. Creatures other than the caster who end their turn inside the area must Save or be stunned for 1 round.

"I'm an illusionist and I'm a massive inconvenience to friend and foe alike."

2. Colour Bomb
Illusionist 3   
R: 240’ T: point D: 0
A shimmering bead flies from the caster’s hand. 10’ radius blast. Sighted creatures in the area must Save or be affected based on their HD:
•Under [caster level]: Unconscious for 2d8 rounds.
•Equal to [caster level]+2: Blinded for 1d4 rounds.
•[Caster level]+3 or more: Stunned for 1 round.

 An Aronson spell; colour spray with range.

3. Conceal Intent*
Illusionist 3   
R: touch T: person D: [caster level] hours
The target’s intentions and nature are concealed from spells such as detect evil (pg. ###). The target cannot be located by magical means.
Reversed: Target creature must Save or loudly announce their actions for [caster level] rounds. The target does not have to reveal future plans. 

Conceal alignment, detect thoughts, and baffle clerics. Trick reality.

4. Daydream
Illusionist 3    
R: 120’ T: spellcaster D: 24 hours
Target spellcaster must Save or fall into a pleasant daydream, taking no actions. The effect ends if the spellcaster takes damage.

This spell is derived from Aronson's updated Illusionist. It's a sort of low-level feeblemind. I'm not entirely sold on it, and it might be cut during revisions, but it's on the list.

5. Dispel Illusion
Illusionist 3
R: 120’ T: point D: 0
Any illusions within a 30’ cube are dispelled. Illusions partially within the spell’s area of effect are truncated or distorted. 

I like the idea of using a cube here rather than a radius effect because it neatly chops illusory scenes along a clear boundary, while capturing most large illusory creatures.

6. Fear*
Illusionist 3, Magic-User 4   
R: 60’ cone T: area D: 0
Creatures in the area must Save against fear or flee. Creatures that fail the Save have a 1-in-6 chance to drop held objects. Creatures flee for at least [caster level] rounds.
Reversed: Creatures affected by fear may make a new Save with a +2 bonus. If they pass, they stop fleeing and gain 2 temporary HP. 

Giving fear a reversed morale-boosting spell is a nice bonus. Dropping held objects is a great part of old-school fear effect; it's so handy for looting.

7. Flare•
Illusionist 3
R: 0 / 360’ T: point D: [caster level] rounds
A spluttering red flare flies from the caster’s finger. It travels 360’ in a straight line, bouncing off walls or obstacles until it has travelled the full distance, then floats in the air. The flare casts light as a torch. The caster may detonate it on any subsequent round within the spell’s duration. 20’ radius blast, 2d6 fire damage, Save for half, Save or be deafened for 1d4 rounds, fills the area with opaque smoke for 10 minutes.

Direct damage with a pretty serious accuracy issue. The dot (•) means the spell deals elemental damage, and that the element in question can be adjusted to create variant spells.

8. Glitterblast
Illusionist 3
R: 30’ cone T: area D: [caster level] days
Creatures and objects in the area are coated with a fine layer of sparkling dust. The dust fades over [caster level] days. Ethereal creatures are not affected, but invisible creatures effectively become visible. The dust persists even if a creature transforms or becomes invisible.

Mark shapeshifters, inconvenience nobles, fascinate goblins, and conceal treasure beneath a layer of glitter. This could be a lower-level spell, but I feel like it would see too much use if it was at level 2, especially with the long duration.

9. Hallucinatory Terrain
Druid 4, Illusionist 3, Magic-User 4   
R: 120’ T: area D: varies
The caster cloaks the area in an illusion. A swamp can be made to look like a meadow and vice-versa. The terrain can appear impassible or deceptively inviting. The area affected is a [caster level]x10’ square. The terrain lasts until it is dispelled or touched by an intelligent creature.

A versatile spell from OD&D wargaming roots. This spell is very handy for avoiding pursuit or concealing a secret path.

10. Hold Person
Cleric 2, Illusionist 3, Magic-User 3   
R: 120’ T: person D: [caster level] rounds
Up to 4 people must Save or be paralyzed for the spell’s duration.

A much weaker replacement of the Illusionist's traditional paralyze, but on the other hand, paralyze is a fundamentally boring spell.   

11. Invisibility, 10’ radius
Illusionist 3, Magic-User 3   
R: touch T: creature D: 1 hour
Target creature, and all creatures within 10’ when the spell is cast, are invisible. The area moves with the creature. The effect ends for a creature when the creature takes a hostile action or leaves the area. Clothing and carried items are also invisible.

Another standard spell in a compressed format.

12. Misdirect Scrying
Illusionist 3   
R: touch T: creature or object D: 24 hours
Target cannot be located by magical means. The caster may name another object, location, or creature that will be appear instead of the target.

There are a lot of scry-altering spells in the Illusionist list, making this one a candidate for elimination.

13. Mundanify
Illusionist 3
R: touch T: object D: 12 hours
Target object appears to be a dull, non-magical, worthless, or obviously forged copy of itself. Magic items do not detect as magical. The object’s properties are not affected. The object cannot be located by magical means. 

Useful for haggling, smuggling, and thievery. This might be rolled into a reversed magic aura (above) during revisions, but it might be too useful an effect for level 1.

14. Phantom Steed
Illusionist 3   
R: 30’ T: point D: [caster level] hours
A translucent illusionary steed appears. It can support one person and their equipment (chosen when the spell is cast), moves silently at 3x normal speed, and behaves as an obedient horse. It cannot be targeted, block damage, carry saddlebags or pull a vehicle. It gains abilities based on [caster level]:
•8+: Ignores difficult terrain.
•10+: Crosses water as if it were solid ground.
•12+: Ignores chasms and gaps, but cannot fly.
•14+: Can fly.

It's a horse that isn't a horse. Giving it the usual illusion '"destroyed if it takes damage" restriction would make the spell nearly useless for its intended purpose. Instead, the horse effectively doesn't exist.

15. Phantom Wind
Illusionist 3   
R: 360’ cone T: area D: concentration
A strong wind blows in the area. It does not affect and is not felt by creatures. Candles are extinguished, papers and loose objects flutter, and fog dissipates.

One of the strangest spells in the catalogue, but it's a proper wizardly effect. I'm not sure the wargaming-scale multi-ship abilities are useful to include; moving one ship as long as the caster concentrates seems useful enough for D&D purposes.

16. Space Swap
Illusionist 3
R: touch T: person D: [caster level]+2d6 minutes
The caster touches a willing person. At any time within the spell’s duration, at the start of a combat round, the caster may swap places with the target.

The Magic-User gets all the good teleportation effects, but I think the Illusionist should get one or two. It's a classic magic trick.

17. Splitting Image
Illusionist 3
R: 0 T: self D: [caster level] rounds
An illusionary duplicate of the caster appears. For every 3 [caster levels] past the first, they may create 1 additional duplicate, to a maximum of 3 duplicates. Duplicates sprints away from the caster, moving at maximum speed and making convincing screaming noises or meaningless babble. They can open light doors. Duplicates vanish if they take damage.

The mental image is hilarious. The caster should, ideally, turn invisible and/or sprint away at the same time, but it's not required. The effects only get more chaotic when combined with other illusion spells. The door-opening ability might be more useful than you'd think.

18. Suggestion
Illusionist 3, Magic-User 3   
R: 30’ T: creature D: [caster level] hours
The caster speaks a short, simple, and reasonable command to a target, which must Save or obey. The target must be able to hear and understand the caster. The command must be a plausible course of action. The verbal component of this spell is the suggestion, so a target that fails its Save may not be aware a spell was cast.

Another classic "turn one problem into a different problem" spell.

19. Unlight*
Illusionist 3   
R: touch T: object D: 1 hr+20 mins per [caster level]
Target object casts light as a torch. Only the caster and up to [caster level] creatures designated when the spell is cast can see the light.

Reversed: Target object casts darkness instead. This darkness does not the caster and up to [caster level] creatures designated when the spell is cast. It affects magical light.

I'm not a fan of continual light. If you want a permanent light source, use permanency on light spell, with all the associated time and effort costs, or get a magic item. The light economy is important. This is an illusionist-only better light spell.

20. Wraithform
Illusionist 3
R: 0 T: self D: [caster level] rounds
The caster becomes insubstantial and slightly translucent. They are immune to non-magic damage, cannot speak, cast spells, or take hostile actions, and move at ¼ speed. Clothing and carried items are also affected. Mindless undead ignore the caster. The caster can squeeze through small gaps, but it takes 1d4 rounds to slip under a door or through a keyhole.

I don't like gaseous form-type spells. They trivialize a huge number of challenges. Immunity to some traps and most damage, slipping under doors, investigating things secretly, arguing with the GM about turning into a solid when you're up a creature's nose. It doesn't encourage cunning plans. If you want to turn into fog, become a vampire like a sensible PC. On the other hand, the illusionist does need something at level 3 that compensates for missing all the goodies on the magic-user list. Turning into a slow-moving ghost might be enough.

Final Notes

Hopefully this post reveals some of the process behind the Treasure Overhaul. Spells are tricky. Spell lists are trickier, especially when you're starting from a canonical list and working for broad compatibility. If you have strong feelings about any of the changes I've made, post in the comments and I'll see what I can do.