This is a guide for what powers to take and when while leveling an ill/rad. It is not a pvp or end game guide.
Illusion/radiation is a very powerful character build with great synergy between the two sets. Its main strengths are in its area of effect debuffs and its aggro holding pets. Its main weakness is its low damage. It is a build ideal for teaming. Even at low levels if you have its two main debuffs you can be a valuable contributor sidekicked up on teams tens of levels higher. So if you wish to play an ill/rad you should be teaming as much as possible with anyone you can. Put ill/rad in your looking for team window and people will seek you out.
But teams are not always avaliable or maybe you just like to solo. So this guide is how to select your powers and how to use those powers to solo an ill/rad through the levels. It assumes you do not have veteran powers or the influence to get massive IO set benefits. This does assume you get the jet pack and jump pack temporary powers so you can delay getting your travel power until level 22. This guide does not cover all powers or slotting. You can use a general ill/rad guide for that.
Level 1: Choose Blind. It holds your foe so they cannot attack you back, sets up containment which means you do double damage to that target, and does damage. It really does not matter whether you choose this or Spectral Wounds as your first level should be very easy, so you may as well choose this. Fighting is simple, Blind a foe, then use Blind and your other attacks to finish them off.
Level 2: Choose Spectral Wounds. This is your main damage power. Fighting is still simple, Blind a foe then use Spectral Wounds and your other attacks to finish them off. Use Blind not to damage but to hold other foes so that they cannot attack you. If you have only one foe left use Blind as an attack as well to finish them off faster.
Level 4: Choose Deceive. This power causes a foe to attack their allies instead of you. This is primarily a defensive power since they are not attacking you. It also does damage to the other enemies. Note that you do not get XP if a deceived foe defeats another by themself, make sure that you damage all enemies. Deceive does not trigger the enemies to attack you if you use it successfully (and usually not even if you fail). So start fights by deceiving a foe. Then use Blind and your attacks to defeat the others. Deceive has a long duration and a short recharge so you may deceive multiple foes during a fight.
Level 6: Choose Air Superiority (from Flight Power Pool). This power is a great attack which knocks a foe down. Use it as part of your attacks.
Level 8: Choose Radiant Infection. This debuff helps you hit foes and makes it harder for them to hit you. You do not need the to hit bonus at lower levels and soloing you should not need the defense. However this power is very good if you get on a team, and the recharge on AM is so long that you will not get much use out of it until you can use better enhancements. This debuff is targetted on one enemy and affects those around them. If you are going to use this, place it on the foe that you Deceive. You can leave them to defeat last as once the foe with this is defeated the power and debuff ends.
Level 10: Choose Enervating Field. This debuff makes foes hit you for less damage and you hit them for more damage. This is especially good for teaming but is also good soloing. Since doing damage is your problem, use this on Lieutenants and bosses before you attack them so you can defeat them faster. If endurance is a problem for you do not bother using this on minions. Combat should be: deceive an Lt (if any) or a minion, then Blind another foe. Drop Enervating Field on the foe you have deceived. Use your attacks to defeat the blinded foe, Blind to hold any other foes. Save the deceived foe with Enervating Field for last.
Level 12: Choose Swiftness (from Fitness Pool). This makes you run faster. It is not that useful but you need it for Stamina at 20.
Level 14: Choose Health (from Fitness Pool). This makes you recover health faster. It is not that useful but you need it for Stamina at 20.
Level 16: Choose Hasten. This makes powers recharge much faster while it is up. You want this for Phantom Army at level 18. Use it now so you can attack faster.
Level 18: Choose Phantom Army. Phantom Army phantoms do damage and can be attacked by your foes but the army cannot take any damage. They are the best power in the Illusion set. Slot it as fast as you can - first recharge, then accuracy, then damage. You are going to rely on Radiation Infection to reduce the defense of mobs so your Phantom Army can hit them. What you need is your PA to be up as often as possible. Slot it for recharge until it hits 95% with whatever enhancements you have available. Do not save this power just for big fights, you want to use it as often as you can. For combat Deceive a foe, then summon Phantom Army in the middle of your foes to draw their attention, then start your Blind, Enervating Field, and attacks.
Level 20: Choose Stamina. This power makes you recover endurance faster, very helpful so you can run Enervating Field and Radiant Infection while attacking.
Level 22: Choose Flight or Superspeed. You meet the requirements for both since you have Hasten and Air Superiority. So choose the one you like best.
Level 24: Your choice
Level 26: Choose Spectral Terror. This suppons a terror that causes fear to all foes in an area. It offers good control and recharges so quickly you can have it available at all times. This power is especially good for teaming but is so handy even a soloer should have it.
Level 28, 30: Your choice
Level 32: Choose Phantasm. This is a pet you can have up all of the time. It does damage and draws aggro from you. You want this out all of the time.
This is a guide for what powers to take and when while leveling an ill/rad. It is not a pvp or end game guide.
Illusion/radiation is a very powerful character build with great synergy between the two sets. Its main strengths are in its area of effect debuffs and its aggro holding pets. Its main weakness is its low damage. It is a build ideal for teaming. Even at low levels if you have its two main debuffs you can be a valuable contributor sidekicked up on teams tens of levels higher. So if you wish to play an ill/rad you should be teaming as much as possible with anyone you can. Put ill/rad in your looking for team window and people will seek you out.
But teams are not always avaliable or maybe you just like to solo. So this guide is how to select your powers and how to use those powers to solo an ill/rad through the levels. It assumes you do not have veteran powers or the influence to get massive IO set benefits. This does assume you get the jet pack and jump pack temporary powers so you can delay getting your travel power until level 22. This guide does not cover all powers or slotting. You can use a general ill/rad guide for that.
Level 1: Choose Blind. It holds your foe so they cannot attack you back, sets up containment which means you do double damage to that target, and does damage. It really does not matter whether you choose this or Spectral Wounds as your first level should be very easy, so you may as well choose this. Fighting is simple, Blind a foe, then use Blind and your other attacks to finish them off.
Level 2: Choose Spectral Wounds. This is your main damage power. Fighting is still simple, Blind a foe then use Spectral Wounds and your other attacks to finish them off. Use Blind not to damage but to hold other foes so that they cannot attack you. If you have only one foe left use Blind as an attack as well to finish them off faster.
Level 4: Choose Deceive. This power causes a foe to attack their allies instead of you. This is primarily a defensive power since they are not attacking you. It also does damage to the other enemies. Note that you do not get XP if a deceived foe defeats another by themself, make sure that you damage all enemies. Deceive does not trigger the enemies to attack you if you use it successfully (and usually not even if you fail). So start fights by deceiving a foe. Then use Blind and your attacks to defeat the others. Deceive has a long duration and a short recharge so you may deceive multiple foes during a fight.
Level 6: Choose Air Superiority (from Flight Power Pool). This power is a great attack which knocks a foe down. Use it as part of your attacks.
Level 8: Choose Radiant Infection. This debuff helps you hit foes and makes it harder for them to hit you. You do not need the to hit bonus at lower levels and soloing you should not need the defense. However this power is very good if you get on a team, and the recharge on AM is so long that you will not get much use out of it until you can use better enhancements. This debuff is targetted on one enemy and affects those around them. If you are going to use this, place it on the foe that you Deceive. You can leave them to defeat last as once the foe with this is defeated the power and debuff ends.
Level 10: Choose Enervating Field. This debuff makes foes hit you for less damage and you hit them for more damage. This is especially good for teaming but is also good soloing. Since doing damage is your problem, use this on Lieutenants and bosses before you attack them so you can defeat them faster. If endurance is a problem for you do not bother using this on minions. Combat should be: deceive an Lt (if any) or a minion, then Blind another foe. Drop Enervating Field on the foe you have deceived. Use your attacks to defeat the blinded foe, Blind to hold any other foes. Save the deceived foe with Enervating Field for last.
Level 12: Choose Swiftness (from Fitness Pool). This makes you run faster. It is not that useful but you need it for Stamina at 20.
Level 14: Choose Health (from Fitness Pool). This makes you recover health faster. It is not that useful but you need it for Stamina at 20.
Level 16: Choose Hasten. This makes powers recharge much faster while it is up. You want this for Phantom Army at level 18. Use it now so you can attack faster.
Level 18: Choose Phantom Army. Phantom Army phantoms do damage and can be attacked by your foes but the army cannot take any damage. They are the best power in the Illusion set. Slot it as fast as you can - first recharge, then accuracy, then damage. You are going to rely on Radiation Infection to reduce the defense of mobs so your Phantom Army can hit them. What you need is your PA to be up as often as possible. Slot it for recharge until it hits 95% with whatever enhancements you have available. Do not save this power just for big fights, you want to use it as often as you can. For combat Deceive a foe, then summon Phantom Army in the middle of your foes to draw their attention, then start your Blind, Enervating Field, and attacks.
Level 20: Choose Stamina. This power makes you recover endurance faster, very helpful so you can run Enervating Field and Radiant Infection while attacking.
Level 22: Choose Flight or Superspeed. You meet the requirements for both since you have Hasten and Air Superiority. So choose the one you like best.
Level 24: Your choice
Level 26: Choose Spectral Terror. This suppons a terror that causes fear to all foes in an area. It offers good control and recharges so quickly you can have it available at all times. This power is especially good for teaming but is so handy even a soloer should have it.
Level 28, 30: Your choice
Level 32: Choose Phantasm. This is a pet you can have up all of the time. It does damage and draws aggro from you. You want this out all of the time.