Entirely relevant actually.....since understanding what a school really represents gives better understanding for why things are the way they are, otherwise why bother having schools at all? Just remove specialists entirely and there's no longer an issue if the fluff elements behind why spells do what they do doesn't matter.
15/20 extra slots or 1 aoe per spell....hmmm...decisions (I've personally don't use Horrid wilting hardly ever since from an efficiency standpoint Simulacrum is easily the best (non-cheese) spell in the game, with only Improved haste rivaling it).
As I've covered in several other threads, Illusion has gotten the shaft more then any other school. Alteration at least has a partial excuse in that most of their spells wouldn't work with the way BG is designed (the majority of the missing ones involve flight/teleportation/directly altering the environment), but there is absolutely no reason for Illusion's stuff to be left out since they're basically conjurers, except better since they don't have to wait 5 levels to get some fairly useless summons that serve just as much use as a 1st level phantasmal force that would've done the job just fine.
Illusion can start "summoning" monsters as early level 1, but they don't do anything and disappear once they've been touched and found to be fake (excellent for soaking up attacks/spells though). The stronger image spells are real unless the target makes a save to disbelieve them (only occurs when striking or being struck by). The shadow line of spells are all partially real, they do real damage if believed or lesser damage if disbelieved. And stuff created by the highest level illusions (PnP Simulacrum) is completely real and permanent (until slain) no matter what the subjects thinks/what spells they use on them.
(The clones Irenicus creates of the party in Spellhold are what the actual Simulacrum spell is supposed to be like (mostly), rather then the gimp'd version the player gets)
It's not just one 1 aoe spell. Alongside Horrid Wilting, there's Skull Trap, Death Spell, Wail of the Banshee. Also there's the ever-useful Finger of Death. All have proven to be extremely useful over the years. Regardless, again, you can't discredit the usefulness of an entire school because you happen to like one particular spell. Saying "why would anyone choose Necromancers" is insulting the intelligence of everyone who has ever played a Necro (and god forbid, enjoyed it.) YOU may have a certain playstyle. I have another, Sarevok57 has another, and so on. This is all proven by our opinions on the matter (yes, I know it may be hard for you to believe, but your opinions are just that - opinions). This is a subjective argument, and thus, there is ultimately no point to it nor a concrete conclusion. Stick to your simulacrum and enjoy it. Let people who enjoy playing a Necro play it without you insinuating they are idiots for choosing what is actually a very solid school of magic. We like different things and this is GOOD.
If you feel like Illusion needs more spells, post a thread in feature requests and see what happens instead of spouting off-topic nonsense and passing it for fact.
Anyway I am not going to defend the Nerco VS Illusion thing, since I never started it. I don't even know why you started this whole pro-Illusion crusade. It's off-topic, and more to the point, I don't care about it. I play the mighty Invoker and do both.
Chromatic Orb started out as an illusionist spell in 1e. Available ONLY to illusionists, since they were a separate class in 1e (to the point of having a spell called "Read Illusionist Magic" that could only be used to read Illusionist scrolls). In 2e, the spell was re-introduced in the Complete Wizard's Handbook as an Alteration, Evocation spell.
I want to add new spells to the game, like 2nd level Choke, which is a necromancy spell that materializes a pair of bony hands to choke the target of the spell (must be within 30 feet of the caster). It causes 1-4 damage per round and prevents the target from casting spells. Filter (Abj) is like Zone of Sweet Air and protects against everything but Green Dragon Breath (you only take half damage from that, though). Ice Knife (Evoc.) creates a knife of Ice that you throw. It does 1d4 damage, plus a wave of cold that numbs everyone within 5 feet of the target. Numbed creatures are restricted to half movement and have a -2 to hit. But there is a save given.
3rd Level- Bone Club (Ench./Nec.) enchants a bone, making it a club +4 vs undead only, and a +1 club against anything else. It lasts 1 round per level. Delay Death (Ench./Nec.) keeps characters alive until they reach -10 hit points rather than 0. Iron Mind (Abj.) Prevents charming and hold spells from affecting the character for 1 hour. Pain Touch (Div.) Keeps the target in pain, giving them -2 to hit, +2 to their AC (worsens). It lasts one round per level.
4th Level- Fire Aura (Abj.) Makes the person protected completely immune to fire, even magical fire for 2 rounds per level. Anyone touching the person so shielded goes up in green flames for 2-8 damage that lasts 2-8 rounds. They can only be extinguished by Dispel Magic, and cause an additional 1-6 damage for every round after the first. Being on fire gives the victim a -2 to hit. Halo of Eyes (Abj./Conj.) creates a row of eyes around the top of the caster's head. They have 60' infravision and while they cannot see invisible, they prevent the caster from being backstabbed or taken by surprise by attacks from the rear. It lasts 1 turn per level of the caster.
Comments
15/20 extra slots or 1 aoe per spell....hmmm...decisions (I've personally don't use Horrid wilting hardly ever since from an efficiency standpoint Simulacrum is easily the best (non-cheese) spell in the game, with only Improved haste rivaling it).
As I've covered in several other threads, Illusion has gotten the shaft more then any other school. Alteration at least has a partial excuse in that most of their spells wouldn't work with the way BG is designed (the majority of the missing ones involve flight/teleportation/directly altering the environment), but there is absolutely no reason for Illusion's stuff to be left out since they're basically conjurers, except better since they don't have to wait 5 levels to get some fairly useless summons that serve just as much use as a 1st level phantasmal force that would've done the job just fine.
Illusion can start "summoning" monsters as early level 1, but they don't do anything and disappear once they've been touched and found to be fake (excellent for soaking up attacks/spells though). The stronger image spells are real unless the target makes a save to disbelieve them (only occurs when striking or being struck by). The shadow line of spells are all partially real, they do real damage if believed or lesser damage if disbelieved. And stuff created by the highest level illusions (PnP Simulacrum) is completely real and permanent (until slain) no matter what the subjects thinks/what spells they use on them.
(The clones Irenicus creates of the party in Spellhold are what the actual Simulacrum spell is supposed to be like (mostly), rather then the gimp'd version the player gets)
If you feel like Illusion needs more spells, post a thread in feature requests and see what happens instead of spouting off-topic nonsense and passing it for fact.
Anyway I am not going to defend the Nerco VS Illusion thing, since I never started it. I don't even know why you started this whole pro-Illusion crusade. It's off-topic, and more to the point, I don't care about it. I play the mighty Invoker and do both.
I want to add new spells to the game, like 2nd level Choke, which is a necromancy spell that materializes a pair of bony hands to choke the target of the spell (must be within 30 feet of the caster). It causes 1-4 damage per round and prevents the target from casting spells. Filter (Abj) is like Zone of Sweet Air and protects against everything but Green Dragon Breath (you only take half damage from that, though). Ice Knife (Evoc.) creates a knife of Ice that you throw. It does 1d4 damage, plus a wave of cold that numbs everyone within 5 feet of the target. Numbed creatures are restricted to half movement and have a -2 to hit. But there is a save given.
3rd Level- Bone Club (Ench./Nec.) enchants a bone, making it a club +4 vs undead only, and a +1 club against anything else. It lasts 1 round per level. Delay Death (Ench./Nec.) keeps characters alive until they reach -10 hit points rather than 0. Iron Mind (Abj.) Prevents charming and hold spells from affecting the character for 1 hour. Pain Touch (Div.) Keeps the target in pain, giving them -2 to hit, +2 to their AC (worsens). It lasts one round per level.
4th Level- Fire Aura (Abj.) Makes the person protected completely immune to fire, even magical fire for 2 rounds per level. Anyone touching the person so shielded goes up in green flames for 2-8 damage that lasts 2-8 rounds. They can only be extinguished by Dispel Magic, and cause an additional 1-6 damage for every round after the first. Being on fire gives the victim a -2 to hit. Halo of Eyes (Abj./Conj.) creates a row of eyes around the top of the caster's head. They have 60' infravision and while they cannot see invisible, they prevent the caster from being backstabbed or taken by surprise by attacks from the rear. It lasts 1 turn per level of the caster.
And so on...