Ill/Time Power Choices

Not very experienced with Illusion Controllers and a complete newbie to /Time.

Just hit 20, trying to decide between Time Stop, for another ST hold (albeit on a longish timer) or Distortion Field. Any opinions welcomed.

Haven't played that combo before(played both with other sets) but looking at possibilities in MIDs, you could have both by 20. Flash and Group Invisibility are pretty much skip-able, so it leaves you fairly open on abilities.

I use ninja run for travel, so I'd toss hasten in at 14 to bring PA back up as soon as possible.
Level 1: Blind Empty(A)
Level 1: Time Crawl Empty(A)
Level 2: Spectral Wounds Empty(A)
Level 4: Deceive Empty(A)
Level 6: Temporal Mending Empty(A)
Level 8: Superior Invisibility Empty(A)
Level 10: Time's Juncture Empty(A)
Level 12: Temporal Selection Empty(A)
Level 14: [Empty]
Level 16: Distortion Field Empty(A)
Level 18: Phantom Army Empty(A)
Level 20: Time Stop Empty(A)
Level 22: [Empty]
Level 24: [Empty]
Level 26: Spectral Terror Empty(A)
Level 28: Farsight Empty(A)
Level 30: [Empty]
Level 32: Phantasm Empty(A)

For Information on Illusion, I suggest you take a look at my Illusion/Rad guide, linked in my sig below. Even though the guide is specifically for Ill/Rad, there is a ton of information on Illusion including strategy and use suggestions. Deceive is discussed extensively, and I also have sections on how to take best advantage of the Illusory damage in Spectral Wounds, Phantom Army and Phanty's Decoy.

As for Ill/Time, I would say that Time Stop is one of the more skippable powers. (I also find Temporal Selection to be skippable. I'm not a fan of single target buffs. I currently have it, but I may drop it.) Having a second single target hold is OK, but once you get up to higher levels a get some good global recharge, Blind comes back so quickly that you really don't need Time Stop (unless you are using it as a set mule for a Baz Gaze set). I would wait until you have all the stuff you need first before taking Time Stop. Distortion Field is definitely better -- I use DF on almost every group since Illusion is laking in AoE control.

TheFaux's outline is pretty good, but I like having Flash in my build eventually. I would take it at 22, 24 or 30 -- I think I took it at 24 in my build. Flash is Illusion's only "hard" AoE control, and you can go invisible to step into the middle of a crowd to use it. It can be used while leveling up for when PA are recharging. Eventually, it can also set Containment for your AoE damage power from your APP set. Flash is the only way to set AoE Containment in Illusion.

I ended up taking all powers from both my Primary and Secondary. Unlike other combos with Illusion/ I find myself using all the powers even at higher levels.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Local_Man Flash is the only way to set AoE Containment in Illusion.

Post-Incarnate with access to the Spectral Interface this is no longer true.

Time stop is one of the few secondary set st holds I actually like to take because it gets +1 magnitude when combined with time crawl. It's particularly nice for sets like illusion, dark, fire, and gravity which lack a sleep power for dealing with multiple AVs and you have to rely on stacking magnitude. The -regen/-heal is kind of nice too, even though it's very minor, because it's the only place you have it.