Illusion Ability Example

This is a lua script to properly create an illusion.

Note: Datadriven Modifiers with "AllowIllusionDuplicate" aren't automatically created with this method and need to be added manually in lua. In this same script we also attempt to add the datadriven version of modifier_metamorphosis which can also be found here in the SpellLibrary

-- Creates an Illusion, making use of the built in modifier_illusion
function ConjureImage( event )
 print("Conjure Image")
 local caster = event.caster
 local player = caster:GetPlayerID()
 local ability = event.ability
 local unit_name = caster:GetUnitName()
 local origin = caster:GetAbsOrigin() + RandomVector(100)
 local duration = ability:GetLevelSpecialValueFor( "illusion_duration", ability:GetLevel() - 1 )
 local outgoingDamage = ability:GetLevelSpecialValueFor( "illusion_outgoing_damage", ability:GetLevel()-1)
 local incomingDamage = ability:GetLevelSpecialValueFor( "illusion_incoming_damage", ability:GetLevel()-1)

 -- handle_UnitOwner needs to be nil, else it will crash the game.
 local illusion = CreateUnitByName(unit_name, origin, true, caster, nil, caster:GetTeamNumber())
 illusion:SetPlayerID(caster:GetPlayerID())
 illusion:SetControllableByPlayer(player, true)
 
 -- Level Up the unit to the casters level
 local casterLevel = caster:GetLevel()
 for i=1,casterLevel-1 do
  illusion:HeroLevelUp(false)
 end

 -- Set the skill points to 0 and learn the skills of the caster
 illusion:SetAbilityPoints(0)
 for abilitySlot=0,15 do
  local ability = caster:GetAbilityByIndex(abilitySlot)
  if ability ~= nil then 
   local abilityLevel = ability:GetLevel()
   local abilityName = ability:GetAbilityName()
   local illusionAbility = illusion:FindAbilityByName(abilityName)
   illusionAbility:SetLevel(abilityLevel)
  end
 end

 -- Recreate the items of the caster
 for itemSlot=0,5 do
  local item = caster:GetItemInSlot(itemSlot)
  if item ~= nil then
   local itemName = item:GetName()
   local newItem = CreateItem(itemName, illusion, illusion)
   illusion:AddItem(newItem)
  end
 end

 -- Add our datadriven Metamorphosis modifier if appropiate
 -- You can add other buffs that want to be passed to illusions this way
 if caster:HasModifier("modifier_metamorphosis") then
  local meta_ability = caster:FindAbilityByName("terrorblade_metamorphosis_datadriven")
  meta_ability:ApplyDataDrivenModifier(illusion, illusion, "modifier_metamorphosis", nil)
 end

 -- Set the unit as an illusion
 -- modifier_illusion controls many illusion properties like +Green damage not adding to the unit damage, not being able to cast spells and the team-only blue particle 
 illusion:AddNewModifier(caster, ability, "modifier_illusion", { duration = duration, outgoing_damage = outgoingDamage, incoming_damage = incomingDamage })
 
 -- Without MakeIllusion the unit counts as a hero, e.g. if it dies to neutrals it says killed by neutrals, it respawns, etc.
 illusion:MakeIllusion()

end

The entire ability (with its datadriven code) can be found at the SpellLibrary in github