D&D 5E Magic Missile vs. Mirror Image

[Cognomen's Cassowary]

Yep, Someone posted that. Not sure I care who he is. The rules are sh*t and some dev roles out to clarify that "you should do it this way". No Thanks. Rewrite that sh*t and have it reflect that is the actual rule, and put it in the new edition. Until then I have a Rule book at my table and I am not going to Twitter to seek out the latest answer by a random developer while I am at my table. Its ridiculous, and slows the game down.
However, If that suits you and your players that is cool.
I am not a slave to the rules ( which is good because often rules are broken or sh*t), and neither are my players. We just do it the old fashioned and way where we talk about it and decide how we think it should work since its unclear. Once we do that, it works that way for Players and Npc's and we move on.
Never been much of a problem in my game past the first discussion. Problem solved.

So you don't care about what the rules say and don't care about online clarifications. Why do you keep returning to this thread again?

 

[hejtmane]

Odd. I had never thought of it that way and at our table, we have always rolled for each damage separately. Ditto for spells like Scorching Ray.

Something new to think about. I suspect that my players will not like the "official rule" after years of playing it the other way.

I am sticking with my rulings how can they make one not an aoe in EB spam and since magic missle can go 120 ft in several directions I call shenanigans and am not changing my ruling; the same for scorching ray you have to roll to attack for each ray. Sorry I am not buying this at all. You can for one cantrip but not other spells makes no sense.

Yes Evocation wizards make out on my rulings but if I am going to rule one way for EB I am not going to change it for other spells that act the same way.

I invoke my right to call out WOTC for shenanigans on these double standard rulings

 

[Lord Twig]

Given that Magic Missile functions like a special AoE spell (one damage roll for all missiles), it's non-interaction with Mirror Image falls in line with other AoE damage.

I call shenanigans on this as well. I have never heard such a ridiculous ruling from a "Lead Rules Designer" in my entire life. And I mean that literally and I am not exaggerating. Here is the text of Magic Missile:

Magic Missile
1st-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous

You create three glowing darts of magical force. Each dart hits a creature of your choice that you can see within range. A dart deals 1d4 + 1 force damage to its target. The darts all strike simultaneously, and you can direct them to hit one creature or several.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the spell creates one more dart for each slot level above 1st.

Here is Fireball:

Fireball
3rd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 150 feet
Components: V, S, M (a tiny ball of bat guano and sulfur)
Duration: Instantaneous

A bright streak flashes from your pointing finger to a point you choose within range and then blossoms with a low roar into an explosion of flame. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a Dexterity saving throw. A target takes 8d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

The fire spreads around corners. It ignites flammable objects in the area that aren’t being worn or carried.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 3rd.

There is a subtle difference that may have escaped the esteemed Mr. Crawford's notice. The difference where one is an area of effect attack and the other is not. The difference where one does 1d4+1 damage per dart and the other does 8d6 damage to everything within its radius.

Here is another good spell, Hold Person:

Hold Person
2nd-level enchantment

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (a small, straight piece of iron)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Choose a humanoid that you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be paralyzed for the duration. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the spell ends on the target.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can target one additional humanoid for each slot level above 2nd. The humanoids must be within 30 feet of each other when you target them.

Do you see how Hold Person is also an area of effect spell that effects everything within its radius? No? That's because it isn't an area of effect spell. It talks about targets just like Magic Missile does. Because Magic Missile isn't an area of effect spell either.

Sorry, but even "Lead Rules Designers" can make mistakes. The Magic Missile ruling is one of his biggest.

 

[Ristamar]

Well, shenanigans have been officially called. Guess that settles it.

Oh, and Jeremy can amend that resume again and add "Most Ridiculous Ruling Ever" to his list of professional accomplishments!

 

[Lord Twig]

Well, shenanigans have been officially called. Guess that settles it.

Oh, and Jeremy can amend that resume again and add "Most Ridiculous Ruling Ever" to his list of professional accomplishments!

Yep!

And hey, Jeremy wrote an awesome game. I love what what he did with D&D and think it is the best version so far. That doesn't mean he is infallible. He just made a bad ruling here. A really bad ruling. That doesn't make him a bad designer or a bad person.

 

[Brandegoris]

Crawford should amend his resume, replacing "Lead Rules Designer for Dungeons & Dragons" with "Dungeons & Dragons -- Random Developer" so it accurately reflects his role.

Wouldn't want to mislead anyone!

He is still just a dude. And the Spell description Sucks.
I am sorry I am not impressed with what the "lead designer: had to tweet about. It was a bare bones LAZY way to answer. Literally the Minimum he could say to answer the question.
What WOULD impress me is if the "Lead designer" took the Initiative to rewrite the description of the spell that was initially written and clarify it in that description.
So Im sorry I referred to our hero as a Random designer. I guess since he answered like a random designer I was confused....

 

[Caliban]

He is still just a dude. And the Spell description Sucks.
I am sorry I am not impressed with what the "lead designer: had to tweet about. It was a bare bones LAZY way to answer. Literally the Minimum he could say to answer the question.
What WOULD impress me is if the "Lead designer" took the Initiative to rewrite the description of the spell that was initially written and clarify it in that description.
So Im sorry I referred to our hero as a Random designer. I guess since he answered like a random designer I was confused....

The sense of entitlement is strong with this one. I'm sure impressing you is at the top of their to-do list, random internet guy.

"Your game is sh*t, you suck, a monkey could do a better job...now cater to my whims or I'll hesitate 30 seconds before buying the next supplement!"

 

[Ristamar]

He is still just a dude. And the Spell description Sucks.
I am sorry I am not impressed with what the "lead designer: had to tweet about. It was a bare bones LAZY way to answer. Literally the Minimum he could say to answer the question.
What WOULD impress me is if the "Lead designer" took the Initiative to rewrite the description of the spell that was initially written and clarify it in that description.
So Im sorry I referred to our hero as a Random designer. I guess since he answered like a random designer I was confused....

So you're not really upset by the ruling, just the style and medium in which it was delivered?

 

[Brandegoris]

The sense of entitlement is strong with this one. I'm sure impressing you is at the top of their to-do list, random internet guy.

"Your game is sh*t, you suck, a monkey could do a better job...now cater to my whims or I'll hesitate 30 seconds before buying the next supplement!"

I feel that we are entitled to a better explanation. Yes.
His answer was akin to when you ask your parents why you cant do something and they say " Because I said so"
He literally gave a feeble explanation.

No Im not upset by the ruling itself. I don't care for it but that doesn't really matter. What I am upset with is the Nearly total Lack of explanation.

 

[Cognomen's Cassowary]

I feel that we are entitled to a better explanation. Yes.
His answer was akin to when you ask your parents why you cant do something and they say " Because I said so"
He literally gave a feeble explanation.

No Im not upset by the ruling itself. I don't care for it but that doesn't really matter. What I am upset with is the Nearly total Lack of explanation.

Mirror image does not affect magic missile, because magic missile is not an attack. This is a complete explanation consistent with what is written in the book. What more needs to be said?