Illusionist (Specialist Mage)

A wizard who specializes in creating illusions to confuse and mislead.

School affinity

• School: Illusion.
• Opposed school: Necromancy — Illusionists cannot learn Necromancy spells.

Specialist bonus

• One additional spell of each spell level memorisable per day.

Special note

• The only Mage specialization a gnome can multi-class into — gnome multi-class Mage characters default to Fighter/Illusionist.

When to pick it

• A versatile specialist — Mirror Image, Blur, Invisibility, Spook, Phantom Blade, all amplified by the bonus slot.
• Losing Necromancy means no Vampiric Touch, Animate Dead, Larloch's Minor Drain, etc.

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Source: bgee/original_manuals/baldurs_gate_1_ee_mastering_melee_and_magic.pdf — "Specialist Mages (Mage Kits)" → Illusionist.