Using a Mirror of Opposition

[tennyson]

Hi Everyone,

I'm planning on running a session where our party of four encounters a Mirror of Opposition.

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Mirror of Opposition
This item resembles a normal mirror about 4 feet long and 3 feet wide. It can be affixed to a surface and activated by speaking a command word. The same command word deactivates the mirror. If a creature sees its reflection in the mirror’s surface, an exact duplicate of that creature comes into being. This opposite immediately attacks the original. The duplicate has all the possessions and powers of its original (including magic). Upon the defeat or destruction of either the duplicate or the original, the duplicate and its items disappear completely. The mirror functions up to four times per day.
Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, clone; Market Price: 92,000 gp; Weight: 45 lb.
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It says that it can generate up to four duplicates per day. What if, by chance, only one character encounters the mirror. It would obviously generate a duplicate of the charcater (assuming the mirror was active), but how would the DM be able to rule if the charcater looked at the mirror again to create another duplicate?

Would the mirror be treated as though it had a gaze attack? Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[AuraSeer]

It says that it can generate up to four duplicates per day. What if, by chance, only one character encounters the mirror. It would obviously generate a duplicate of the charcater (assuming the mirror was active), but how would the DM be able to rule if the charcater looked at the mirror again to create another duplicate? Would the mirror be treated as though it had a gaze attack?

That's how I've always played it. If the character tries to "avert his eyes," it works just like averting one's eyes from a medusa. If he closes his eyes entirely, he has no chance of spotting his reflection at all.

Note that, although it's not specified in the item description, it's probably a good idea to rule that only one duplicate of a character can exist at a time. That seems to be the intent of the item.

If you give the character a chance of seeing himself in the mirror twice in a row, you should give the duplicate the same chance, with an independent role. A duplicated duplicate would attack the first dupe, so you might have situations where a good PC and his "good twin" ganging up on the evil twin. Or two evil twins attacking the original PC. Or even a two-on-two battle, 2 good vs. 2 evil, with all of them worried about the alignment of the final duplicate who might give one side the edge. It'd be an interesting combat for sure, but the rest of the party might get bored.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Now that I think of it, that mirror is the best way to beat someone with his own tricks: Have some players using silly tactics or loopholes in the system? Put a mirror of opposition in their way and do unto them as they have done to your monsters.

 

[Stalker0]

Now that I think of it, that mirror is the best way to beat someone with his own tricks: Have some players using silly tactics or loopholes in the system? Put a mirror of opposition in their way and do unto them as they have done to your monsters.

Yes, and god bless it, everyone

 

[andargor]

Or, put two mirrors facing each other...

*bamf*

2 duplicates at a time, and maybe 2 more chained...

Andargor

 

[Hypersmurf]

Ever been involved in one of those crazy 20th level Arena Challenge games?

Mirror of Opposition is the first thing on my shopping list...

-Hyp.

 

[andargor]

Ever been involved in one of those crazy 20th level Arena Challenge games?

Mirror of Opposition is the first thing on my shopping list...

-Hyp.

Was it in Conan the Barbarian that he is in a room full of facing mirrors?

Imagine...

*shudder*

Andargor

 

[Hypersmurf]

Was it in Conan the Barbarian that he is in a room full of facing mirrors?

Destroyer.

I never liked that movie very much. Barbarian was fantastic, Destroyer was... blah.

Maybe it's just that I loathe and detest Olivia d'Abo...

-Hyp.

 

[andargor]

Destroyer.

I never liked that movie very much. Barbarian was fantastic, Destroyer was... blah.

Maybe it's just that I loathe and detest Olivia d'Abo...

-Hyp.

Riiiight. Barbarian was the snake one.

Olivia did wear a nice little number, tho.

Andargor

 

[arcane mastermind]

Seeing his reflection?

I'd think that someone could only see their reflection in a mirror of opposition if they were directly perpendicular to the current plane of the mirror face. The mirror would have to be an intelligent item to be able to relocate its self (change it's facing) in order to rule it as a gaze attack.

If the character steps out of the perpendicular where he could see his reflection, there is no possibility of another image being created (until someone moves back into it during combat ).

Just my opinion.

(edit to clarify)