D&D 5E Illusionist in a Theater: Help Me Design a Fun Combat

[jayoungr]

I'm working on an adventure for a level 15 party, set in Waterdeep. They're tracking down the leader of a Cult of the Dragon cell, who is an illusionist wizard. The final showdown should be taking place inside a theater. Help me make sure the illusionist is a worthy opponent!

I figure he can have spells of any level up to and including 9th. This is a pretty strong party.

He can use non-illusion spells too, but I'd like the illusions to play a part in the battle somehow, either during the combat or during the prelude leading into it.

He won't have any living backup available, but animated objects or the like are a possibility for minions.

I feel like I don't know how to use an illusionist to best advantage, so I'd appreciate any suggestions for making the fight memorable and flavorful: ideas for his spell selection, tactics, etc. Thanks in advance!

 

[Imaculata]

I would make the battle like a play. You have a massive illusionary audience, booing the players and cheering the illusionist. Have various sets emerge on the stage, and have some of them come to life. Imagine the players fighting a flat wooden dragon, who does actually spit fire. Or maybe the illusionist has a naval battle play out on stage, complete with a fake ship, and wooden waves. Only the players can actually drown if they fall overboard. I like the idea that the fight could involve these fake set pieces that have very real and deadly effects.

Maybe the illusionist is playing out a story on stage, with himself in the role of the hero, and the players in the role of the villains. Have the illusory audience throw roses on the stage whenever the illusionist gives a good performance, or a dramatic speech. The battle could have various "scenes", each with their own interesting environment and opponents.

 

[Voort]

Maybe the illusionist is playing out a story on stage, with himself in the role of the hero, and the players in the role of the villains. Have the illusory audience throw roses on the stage whenever the illusionist gives a good performance, or a dramatic speech. The battle could have various "scenes", each with their own interesting environment and opponents.

That is a great idea.

Especially if the orchestra pit is full of real musicians the illusionist has kidnapped & forced to play. Hostages in danger gives the PCs something heroic to do mid-battle.

Oh, and Simulacrum. Gotta have the villain use it dramatically.

 

[jayoungr]

Do you think the theater could qualify as a lair (with lair actions), if the illusionist has worked there for some time?

 

[Imaculata]

Do you think the theater could qualify as a lair (with lair actions), if the illusionist has worked there for some time?

Absolutely. The illusionist should have lair actions.
I think for example that these magical set pieces that I suggested, would definitely qualify as lair actions.

 

[Coroc]

Make the whole theatre an animator. Give it some kind of "heart", e.g. a trove with costumes but actually a mimic. The animator attacks with parts of the theatre as improvised weapons which will only deal 1d4 but it will be enerving since unless the Party finds the "heart" they do not have an Opponent to retaliate for the nuisance.
A spellcaster on his own even at Level 20 and with plenty of hitpoints will have a hard time against a Level 15 Party.

Make sure he mostly is out of melee reach at least, and have him have greater invisibility and mirror image as signature spells. give him a metamagic object of quicken spell and max out his dexterity so he gets upper hand in initiative often

 

[aco175]

Long boring speeches that come from nowhere.

 

[cmad1977]

AngryGM had a good one about this.
It kinda boiled down to making sure the players couldn't tell what's real and what's not.
Pits hidden by illusions. Illusionary pits driving players to hidden traps. Illusions of the bad guy. Then the bad guy hidden amongst illusions. Illusionary fire to scare the heroes. Then real fire when the heroes 'know' it's false.

A single combat won't make an illusionist that fun(I think) but a funhouse theatre of DOOM!!!! Would be challenging and memorable.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Quickleaf]

I'm working on an adventure for a level 15 party, set in Waterdeep. They're tracking down the leader of a Cult of the Dragon cell, who is an illusionist wizard. The final showdown should be taking place inside a theater. Help me make sure the illusionist is a worthy opponent!

I figure he can have spells of any level up to and including 9th. This is a pretty strong party.

He can use non-illusion spells too, but I'd like the illusions to play a part in the battle somehow, either during the combat or during the prelude leading into it.

He won't have any living backup available, but animated objects or the like are a possibility for minions.

I feel like I don't know how to use an illusionist to best advantage, so I'd appreciate any suggestions for making the fight memorable and flavorful: ideas for his spell selection, tactics, etc. Thanks in advance!

One of his lair actions might replicate the effects of the old D&D spell distance distortion. Another might cause a light to be cast on a PC, during which their shadow can attack them as a shadow (paying homage to the old D&D "phantasm" spell school).

It'd be cool for him to have cast a hallucinatory terrain variant in advance (one that works on manmade environments) concealing various theatrical hazards or pitfalls.

The curtains actually function as Animated Rugs! Hahaha!

When reduced to 50% HP or less, he ascends to the cat walk by cutting a rope that releases the curtains, and being hauled above by counterweight.

Interrupting his soliloquies – and the players ARE going to interrupt and take glee in it – might impose disadvantage against the haughty illusionist.

And he needs a pseudodragon familiar.

 

[Imaculata]

Another might cause a light to be cast on a PC, during which their shadow can attack them as a shadow (paying homage to the old D&D "phantasm" spell school).

I love it, a spotlight!

Maybe the illusionist also has an animated mannequin doll, representing the damsel in distress, waiting to be saved by her hero (the illusionist himself of course). The mannequin could turn against the party at any moment and attack them. Alternatively, he could also have a real person under mind control fulfilling that role.

And there should be lots of theatricality! Make him a true show man, full of himself, and hogging all the attention. Like a true Tommy Wiseau, he has written himself as the perfect hero of his own story. Its even funnier if he also can't act, and is terrible at delivering lines.

The sets themselves could all be constructed on a giant dial, that rotates to show a new room and setting during the battle, while other pieces of set dressing are lowered from the ceiling. Imagine a scene at sea, with a boat and pirates, and the illusionist as the dashing hero. While wooden cutouts of sharks try to attack the players. Next it could switch to a castle set, with a giant wooden cutout of a dragon blasting real magical fire (a spell) at the players, and a pit of wooden lava (that has the effect of real lava, if the players believe the illusion). Then it could switch to a jungle temple, with animated wooden apes attacking the players, and real traps, with the illusionist playing the part of a daring adventurer with a whip. Lastly, it could end as a tribute to Phantom of the Opera, with the illusionist as the Phantom of course.