Can magic missiles shoot around corners?

[Alcamtar]

Specifically, if a wizard sees an enemy through scrying or other indirect means, could he hit him with a magic missile even if it must navigate around corners?

 

[Bonedagger]

The question could be if you can target a creature/person with a "Target" spell (e. g. Magic Missile, Charm Person, Dominate Person etc.) if you are detecting the target through divination, and if the target is within range of a unblocked parth.

....I would say yes. But spells have limited range and often the unblocked path is much longer than the actually distance.

 

[Kraedin]

You need direct line-of-effect to cast most spells, magic missle included.

 

[Bonedagger]

You need direct line-of-effect to cast most spells, magic missle included.

Well. Yes. But the question is if they took into account that certain spells allows you to look around corners. In the case of selfguiding spells you must assume that they are able to change direction in midair. Otherwise they wouldn't have a 100 % hit chance.

In the case of a fireball that need to be targeted at a certain area a straight-path line of effect makes sense.

 

[Kraedin]

Line of effect rules apply, clairvoyance or no. The ability to see the proposed target is immaterial.

PHB, pg. 150 A line of effect is a straight, unblocked path that indicates what a spell can effect... [y]ou must have a clear line of effect to any target that you cast a spell on or to any space in which you wish to create an effect.

 

[Bonedagger]

Line of effect rules apply, clairvoyance or no. The ability to see the proposed target is immaterial.

The question is if that apply to selfguiding spells like MM. It certainly doesn't apply to the spell Clairvoyance.

(It only says that you must be able to see or touch the target)

 

[Bonedagger]

Double post

 

[Kraedin]

Magic Missile includes no text that supercedes the general LOE rule. It still applies. Clairvoyance does include text that supercedes the general LOE rule, so it doesn't apply to that spell.

 

[Bonedagger]

...

 

[Lela]

I would say no.

Under the same argument presented above I could set up a serries of Mirrors that would allow me to Magic Missile, Charm Person, and Dominate Person around corners (and other areas). I don't see this working.

This also leeds into the Rays bouncing off mirrors argument (which I also believe doesn't happen in magic).