D&D 5E Magic Missile vs. Mirror Image

Ganymede81 · Sep 28, 2016

Arial Black said:
According to 5E RAW, something is only an 'attack' if it:-

* involves an attack roll

OR

* it specifically says that it's treated as if it were an attack with an attack roll even though it doesn't have one

Strictly speaking, this is not true. While the rules give us some guidance as to what counts as an attack, its guidance is not all encompassing. I do agree that it is plausible to argue that targeting and hitting someone with a magic missile is an attack, though.

The historical Magic Missile and Mirror image baggage aside, ruling magic missile to not be an attack has implications for a number of abilities that work on attacks, such as the cleric's Wrath of the Storm.

Lucas Blackstone said:
For what it's worth, the Shield spell also makes a distinction between hit by an attack and being targeted by Magic Missile. This seems consistent with the " no attack roll = not an attack " in game terms.

Not necessarily. Calling out being targeted by magic missile with such specificity obviates the need to even say "hit" or "attack," meaning their absence does not carry much weight at all.

Leatherhead · Sep 28, 2016

Ganymede81 said:
The historical Magic Missile and Mirror image baggage aside, ruling magic missile to not be an attack has implications for a number of abilities that work on attacks, such as the cleric's Wrath of the Storm.

Which is fine, because Magic Missile is an unique spell. Magic Missile not being an Attack has no bearing on the "Attackness" of any other spell in the game. Magic Missile bypassing most defensive features is by design and intent. Magic Missile not benefiting from "Attack Riders" is a consequence of this design, and perhaps necessary to prevent it from becoming too much of a powerhouse instead of a spell with an interesting gimmick.

Sorcerers Apprentice · Sep 28, 2016

Lucas Blackstone said:
For what it's worth, the Shield spell also makes a distinction between hit by an attack and being targeted by Magic Missile. This seems consistent with the " no attack roll = not an attack " in game terms.

Even if magic missile explicitly was an attack, shield would need a special rule to protect against it since increasing AC does nothing against auto hits.

Lucas Blackstone · Sep 28, 2016

Ganymede81 said:
Strictly speaking, this is not true. While the rules give us some guidance as to what counts as an attack, its guidance is not all encompassing. I do agree that it is plausible to argue that targeting and hitting someone with a magic missile is an attack, though.

The historical Magic Missile and Mirror image baggage aside, ruling magic missile to not be an attack has implications for a number of abilities that work on attacks, such as the cleric's Wrath of the Storm.

Not necessarily. Calling out being targeted by magic missile with such specificity obviates the need to even say "hit" or "attack," meaning their absence does not carry much weight at all.

If magic missile was an attack, then hit by an attack would be a perfectly fine trigger for the reaction to use the Shield spell. That is what I meant by it being consistent with the " no attack roll = not an attack " rule. There would be no reason to mention magic missile if it counted as an attack, because being hit by a magic missile would trigger the spell, and they always hit barring something like the shield spell.

Horwath · Sep 28, 2016

Yunru said:
Why? Because it lacks an attack roll? Note that nothing in the book says an attack roll is essential to being an attack, only that if an attack roll is present, it's an attack. Which also renders most of the rest of your post moot.

That is one thing I loved about 4E. Everything is an attack. Just vs. different things.

Yunru · Sep 28, 2016

Lucas Blackstone said:
If magic missile was an attack, then hit by an attack would be a perfectly fine trigger for the reaction to use the Shield spell. That is what I meant by it being consistent with the " no attack roll = not an attack " rule. There would be no reason to mention magic missile if it counted as an attack, because being hit by a magic missile would trigger the spell, and they always hit barring something like the shield spell.

Except now you're coalescing hit with attack. Magic Missile is (probably) an attack. It lacks an attack roll though so it doesn't 'hit'.

Also I challenge you to find anywhere in the book or eratta that states this ""no attack roll = not an attack" rule" that you reference.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

TheCosmicKid · Sep 28, 2016

Horwath said:
That is one thing I loved about 4E. Everything is an attack. Just vs. different things.

4E magic missile wasn't, actually.

Sorcerers Apprentice · Sep 28, 2016

TheCosmicKid said:
4E magic missile wasn't, actually.

Only after they brought out the "Essentials" abomination

That's not really 4E the way it was meant to be.

wedgeski · Sep 28, 2016

What's the big deal with allowing each dart to force a roll against a duplicate? Every rock should have its paper.

Plaguescarred · Sep 28, 2016

Xeviat said:
So, how would you rule this? Does the magic missile simply bypass Mirror Image, since it has no attack roll, and thus it's not an "attack"?

Yes that's is exactly it. Since magic missiles is not attack and has no attack roll, you don't have to determine if you select a mirror image or the caster as target, just like if you were casting hold person or other non-attack targeting spell.

D&D 5E Magic Missile vs. Mirror Image

Ganymede81

First Post

Leatherhead

Possibly a Idiot.

Sorcerers Apprentice

Hero

Lucas Blackstone

Explorer

Horwath

Legend

Yunru

Banned

TheCosmicKid

Hero

Sorcerers Apprentice

Hero

wedgeski

Adventurer

Plaguescarred

D&D Playtester for WoTC since 2012

Similar Threads