It all depends if you were prepared for it. If you didn't know what was coming until it was too late, I'm sure a GM could handle any character using illusions.
The difference here is rather then being crafty, my discovery has more to do with some bizarre oversight the writers didn't see, where as the Kobold thing is the DM being an both clever and an asshole. I'm pretty sure some of the scenarios described in tuckers Kobolds could be handled by an illusion based spellcaster though, or at the very least a few of them.
I'm having flashbacks of the Tucker's Kobold Campaign
...Oh god. Oh dear god I just found something horrifying and beautiful. Clockwork Bat Swarm. Immune to normal weapon attacks, single target spells, mind effecting effects, 50% damage off of any area of effect spells or attacks, Immune to anything with a Fort save (Even Disintigrate, due to that not working on swarms) Damage Reduction 5/Adamanting (For the very few things that can hit it), and a 9 SR. Only a 3 CR creature. I don't think they thought about a person applying the CLock Work Template to a swarm. XD
Sounds like the making for some serious mischief.
Well, currently there target is going to be a gnomish convict whose working with devils. Basically he's on the evil side of gnomish curiosity, not caring what the things he uncovers are used for. SO next up my party is going into an anctient ruins that is producing clock work monstrosities. The Gnome himself isn't actually there, but a devil is left in charge of the facility in his place. I'm sure I can conjure up some fun things to do to my party in this place.
You just need to give them a distraction that will allow you to drop some very large rocks on them...
The big problem right now is actually getting to the summoner proper. I need to get around his actual summon, there's a paladin in the group that's a bitch to get through as well. Mostly because divine graces making him a bitch to land any effects on. Guy playing the summoner is also good at keeping himself out of harms way. Outside of the guy that got himself killed, I'm actually working with a group of vary clever players. I'm going to have to start busting out the plans I never wanted to use on any of my other groups before. I never wanted to use them, mind you, because I usually only have one or two guys that are able to deal with really tough scenarios, where as now I have about four (Possibly 5, not sure if Nick is going to be in on all my games or not, he normally plays every other week, and I run the game he's not there for).
Well if you think they will screw up, then by all means capitalize on it with full gusto. You could always try something similar to to the campaign shown in Penny Arcade where you have the party trying to protect a vulnerable target that keeps a character from making a move.
It's not bad, but they are good about keeping watches set up with their high perception characters. Since he doesn't keep his summon out while in town, for the obvious reasons, a mid town assault soon may be a good chance. However I don't want to unfairly kill my PC's. It's just a matter of waiting for them to start smurfing up and capitalize. It's how the Barbarian got killed in the fight with the bears after all.
