Tags
AD&D1e, AEC, Dungeons & Dragons, Fantasy, Illusionist, Labyrinth Lord, Magic User, OSR, Random Tables, Random Thursday, RPG, Subclasses
Illusionists can be awesome, or they can find themselves at the very wrong end of the nerf-stick, depending on how the GM interprets illusions in their games. Regardless of which end of the nerf-stick the illusionist is on, here are 10 new illusionist subclasses for your old school game.
Remember – if using these rules, all characters must have a subclass. If you really don’t want a subclass, petition the GM to let you take the focused subclass (Focused Illusionist), which provides no new abilities, but instead makes leveling up a bit faster.

Illusionist image (c) Wizards of the Coast
Illusionist SubClass (roll d12)
- Martialist – Weapons and staves wielded by the illusionist take on the appearance of swords, axes and so on. The illusionist can expend a prepared spell to increase weapon damage on a successful hit by 1d4 damage per level of the spell expended
- Potent Arcanist – At each spell level replace one illusionist spell with a spell from the same level magic user spell
- SunCaster – Gains the ability to turn undead as a cleric, although as a level 1 spell; cast light 1/day
- Shadowmaster – Hide in Shadows as a thief
- Lucky – +1 on all saving throws
- Perceptive – Reduce chance of being surprised by 1
- Enchanting – +1 bonus on reaction rolls
- Tricky – +1 initiative, Pick Pockets as a thief
- False Prophet – At each spell level replace one illusionist spell with a spell from the same level cleric spell list
- Dedicated Deceiver – Pick one spell known, casting this spell requires no verbal or somatic components and saves against it are made at -2. A month’s study allows the illusionist to switch which spell is dedicated, but during that month no spell gains this benefit.
- Focused – +10% to earned XP
- Choose one or make up a new one
Never before have I had a stronger urge to play an illusionist. Bravo sir!
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