D&D: Five of the Most Powerful Illusion Spells
Illusion spells can truly let you feel like you’re reshaping reality—even if they’re just smoke and mirrors. Here are some of the strongest.
Illusion spells are one of the more versatile tools in a spellcaster’s toolbox. Especially in light of the fact that the rules have been reworked to make it clearer how you determine what is and isn’t an illusion. Illusionist Wizards have a lot going for them.
But even if you’re not an Illusionist(TM), you can still get a lot of mileage out of illusion spells. They can rewrite reality—at least in the minds of people who believe them. In many ways, they are the truest expression of mind over matter. So if you’re using illusions, here are some of the most powerful ones for your consideration.
Hypnotic Pattern
Hypnotic Pattern is a strong contender for one of the top 3rd-level spells in general, let alone among illusion spells. What makes it so strong? It can potentially end or trivialize an encounter with a single spell slot.
All targets in a 30 foot cube (which is a massive AoE) must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become Charmed and Incapacitated with a Speed of 0 for as long as you maintain concentration on the spell. This can be up to a minute.
Being Incapacitated, as the name sugegsts, is pretty bad. You can’t take an Action, Bonus Action, or Rection. The speed of 0 means you can’t move. And you can’t speak either—meaning you have up to 10 rounds to do whatever you need to before the affected creatures can even do something. The only way to break out of the Hypnotic Stupor is to either be shaken awake by another creature, or to take damage.
Your party could pick off targets one by one, readying to attack a creature the moment it is unhypnotized. Or sneak past them as they’re fascinated. And those are just two potential options—there are no end of applications for a spell like this.
Greater Invisibility
Greater Invisibility is another potent illusion spell. This one can change the game for anyone who benefits from having advantage on their attack rolls. Because Greater Invisibility not only makes your target invisible (a favorite for Rogues), it remains invisible for the duration of the spell. Making attacks doesn’t break the condition, nor does being hit.
You’ll have advantage against most targets, enabling a higher likelihood of critical hits; and most targets will have disadvantage to hit you. It’s offensive and defensive all in the same spell.
Phantom Steed
Perhaps one of the more underrated illusion spells, Phantom Steed can be surprisingly useful. This spell gives you a magical horselike creature that you can ride around on—effectively giving you a 100 foot movement speed. Which can be huge for any character that needs a lot of mobility.
This illusion can complement a spellcaster with a damaging emanation, like a Cleric with Spirit Guardians that can race around the battlefield hitting even more enemies than normally possible. But even without that complementary play, it’s still incredibly useful to have 100 foot movement speed. Either for keeping away from enemies or running them down.
Mirage Arcane
Mirage Arcane is, in many ways, the ultimate illusion spell. Sure, it takes 10 minutes to cast and costs you a 7th level spell slot. But when you cast it, you can reshape the world in up to a whole square mile as your area. You make it look different than it actually is—but this illusion goes a step further.
It also includes audible, visual, tactile, and olfactory elements. Meaning you can create working Difficult Terrain or a bridge across a chasm that your enemies may fall into. The best part is you can’t see through it. No amount of saving throws or Investigation Checks or Wisdom Saves will let you see through the illusion—only Truesight sees through it, but even then, that’s just the visual components of the illusion.
Whatever other sensory elements you added are still there, even for the truesighted creature. Including the smell, if there is such a thing.
Simulacrum
And ofcour se, the other most potent 7th level illusion—Simulacrum. This spell may no longer be able to let you create infinite duplicates of yourselves with the Wish spell combo’d in. But it’s still plenty potent. With this one spell you can effectively double the amount of actions and resources available to your character.
Sure, it’s 1,500 gp, but that is a small price to pay to have another creature that can cast your spells and do all the other things that you can do.
And of course, the illusion GOAT, Minor Illusion!
