Hi!
I have my illusionist with lvl 41 in epic-changan. So, all the really hard stuff is yet to battle.
But i already can say, that i think, that illusionist is tough to play.
I wanted to play as summoner, but the wolves (maxed out the whole line) did only well until midth of epic. Then they started to die too quickly to be helpful. Also, they cost a lot of energy. I had to drink portions a lot to recast them.
So i got rid of them.
I still have my nymph. She's not extremely helpful, but doesnt die every other minute, cause she knows how to stay out of trouble. So, i have her for the company.
I maxed out traps also. Three of them, together with blade-honing and oak-shielded, make a decent killing. Thing is, though, that i have to run a lot, because i'm generally too weak to stand the crowd. And this renders the traps more or less useless, because they are never where the enemies are. But in some cases they silently kill or at least make work a bit easier on small enemies. They are handy with typhon and such bosses. It takes some time, but you can toss one after the other, until the boss is dead. Doesnt work with the bull, though. You're dead while tossing the damn thing.
I first had lethal strike, but abandoned it for knife-throwing, because of the distance. I can throw them while running away.
I first tried flash-powder. But i needs to be cast while the enemies gather around you: in epic no good situation. So i changed to mandrake. This has the same effect but works on normal weapons: definitly the way to go.
All in all i feel, that this char is rather weak both in dealing damage as in absorbing damage. i have to invest a lot of points into strength to get decent armor. I should have them in dex for the pierce-dmg., though. Enemies who dont bother pierce, like undead or mechanics (clay-army included) are really tough. I drink more portions than hitting enemies (traps pierce as well)
I almost maxed oak-shield and still die die with four blows of one clay-guy. This is insane.
Play this char if you want to have a real challange. Try to find really good armor
