Do you want to destroy your foes while you are completely invisible? School of Illusion Wizard build in BG3 not only achieves this feat easily but also instills fear into your enemy’s minds. This is hands down the best Wizard build when it comes to agility, attack power, and defense.
In this guide, our focus is the Baldur’s Gate 3 School of Illusion subclass or specialization for the Wizard class. We will be selecting magic spells that belong to the Illusion scrolls category and pair them with other offensive scrolls. To get the best results possible, we recommend that you follow our guide step by step.
Starting abilities and skills for Wizard School of Illusion
This section only deals with attributes and class selection after the character creation screen. Everything in this section can be changed later in the game.
Race: The best race selection for School of Illusion wizard build is Drow. You get additional movement speed for 9m, gain proficiency with Shortswords and Crossbows, can’t be charmed with saving throws and can see up to 24m in the dark.
Subrace: Lolth-Sworn Drow. This subrace allows you to instil fear in your enemies who reside in the Underdark.
Spells and Cantrips: Like all other wizard builds, you get 3 cantrips and 6 spells as a reward. For cantrips we recommend Fire Bolt, Shocking Grasp and Mage Hand. For spells learn Longstrider, Mage Armour, Fog Cloud, Chromatic Orb, Sleep and Magic Missile.
Ability points distribution: 10 Strength, 14 Dexterity, 13 Constitution with +1 bonus, 14 Intelligence with +2 bonus (primary ability), 12 Wisdom and 10 Charisma.
Skills: Deception, Stealth, Arcana, History and Perception.
Prepared Spells: Longstrider, Mage Armour, Fog Cloud and Chromatic Orb.
Best background
The best background for our School of Illusion wizard build is Criminal. This background allows our character to hide the truth (deception) just like hiding itself from plain sight. You gain inspiration from all the illegal acts and gain proficiency in stealth.
Best Feats for Wizard School of Illusion build in BG3
Baldur’s Gate 3 allows players’ every 4th character level upgrade to access unique passive skills called Feats. However, you can exchange a feat in favor of gaining two skill points.
Level 4: Ability Improvement. Invest both ability points in Intelligence (18).
Level 8: War Caster: This feat allows you to maintain concentration on Saving Throws.
Level 12: Ability Improvement: Maximize Intelligence to 20 by investing both ability points in it.
Best Spells for Wizard School of Illusion build
In this section, we will explain all the magic spells that you will be using with your School of Illusion wizard build in BG3. This section deals with magic spells regarding their levels. Remember the levels mentioned below are NOT character levels.
Level 1: Our recommended level 1 spells for Illusion wizard are
- Chromatic Orb: This magic spell deals 3d8 thunder damage to enemies.
- Magic Missile: Deals 3d4+3 force damage to enemies in front.
- Feather Fall: This spell grants Immunity against fall damage.
- Tasha’s Hideous Laughter: This spell makes any creature prone, and they can’t get up.
- Fog Cloud: This spell creates a cloud of fog around enemies, making them temporarily blind.
Level 2: For the next level of wizard spells, we will be going with the following ones.
- Blur: This spell puts disadvantage on enemies’ attack rolls.
- Invisibility: This spell can turn any creature invisible. It gains advantage in attacks over the enemies.
Level 3: Our recommended magic spells for level 3 illusion wizard build in BG3 are
- Fear: This spell instils so much fear in enemies that they drop their weapons.
- Hypnotic pattern: This spell creates patterns that mesmerize enemies, and they forget to move or attack you.
Level 4: Our favorite level 4 magic spells for illusion wizard are.
- Greater Invisibility: You can turn any creature including yourself invisible. Enemies have a disadvantage against you while you have the advantage.
- Phantasmal Killer: Deals 4d10 psychic damage upon enemies and make them immobile.
Level 5: The following level 5 spells are our go to for our School of Illusion wizard build in BG3.
- Seeming: This illusion spell changes the appearance of up to 4 party members.
Level 6: You can’t go wrong with the following spell for level 6 spells.
- Disintegrate: This transmutation spell deals 10d6+40 force damage to surrounding enemies.
Best armor and weapons
Weapon: Staff of Arcane Blessing. This rare bludgeoning weapon (1d8) grants an additional 1d4 roll to all saving throws and attack rolls. Magic attack rolls get a bonus 2d4.
Rings: Ring of Protection and Ring of Combat Regeneration.
Amulet: Amulet of the Unworthy (gives additional protection against slashing damage) and Spell Savant amulet (gain an additional level 2 spell slot).
Armor: Potent Robe increases your Armor class by +1 and grants you as much more HP as your charisma. It allows Cantrips to deal more damage based on your charisma level.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Wizard School of Illusion build level progression
Character level progression in Baldur’s Gate 3 plays an important role as it decides the feats, skills, subclass features, magic slots or any other you will unlock. We will tackle this section step by step, so you won’t have to worry about anything.
Level 1: At the first level, you gain access to 4 level one spell slots.
Level 2: At the next level, you get the choice to select the specialization, Illusion. You also gain 1 more spell slot for level one spells. Another subclass feature that unlocks is Illusion Savant which allows you to learn Illusion spells for half their original cost. Improved Minor Illusion cantrip is also gained as a bonus.
Level 3: As soon as you gain character level 3 with illusion wizard, 1 level two spell slot unlocks.
Level 4. The first feat slot for your School of Illusion wizard build unlocks. 1 More slot for level two magic spells open and you can learn a new cantrip (poison Spray).
Level 5: At level 5 of illusion wizard, you get 1 slot for level three magic spells.
Level 6: At this level, you gain See Invisibility (allows you to see invisible creatures) special action in addition to 1 more level three magic spell slot.
Level 7: At this level, you unlock 1 slot for level 4 magic spells.
Level 8: At character level 8 of illusion wizard, you gain access to a new feat slot and 1 more level four magic spell slot.
Level 9: At level 9 of Illusion Wizard, you gain access to the penultimate magic skill tree and unlock 1 level five magic spell slot.
Level 10. There are a lot of bonuses for reaching level 10 of the illusion wizard class. First, you get 1 more slot for level five magic spells. The next bonus is an additional subclass feature Illusory Self (creates your clone when you are attacked, thus preventing you from any damage) and a bonus cantrip (Dancing Lights).
Level 11: At the penultimate character level, you get 1 new slot for level six magic spells.
Level 12: At level 12 of the School of Illusion wizard build in BG3, you get the final feat slot.
