Can you target a magic missile at an object?

[domino]

Right. So does the SRD. I must have just missed that.

 

[frankthedm]

Though wisdom without intelligence doesn't make a great deal of sense, as far as what it actually means goes.

The D&D system gives instinct to wisdom. An int of zero makes a pudding move to food it can percieve.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Actually, my MM says this...

Gosh... that was much simpler than the route I took!

-Hyp.

 

[dcollins]

I was pretty happy to find that.

 

[Quasqueton]

'Creatures' are anything with a Wisdom and a Charisma score. So, obviously, Magic Missiles have a Charisma-seeking ability.

If you can stand between the bard and the paladin, there's a good chance the Magic Missile will get dazzled and lose its lock on you.

OK, that is just damn funny.

Quasqueton

 

[Egres]

From the FAQ:

A magic missile spell
normally cannot be aimed at an object. Because an animated
object is a creature, however, it can affect the animated table in
the example.

 

[Murrdox]

Hyp - I'm curious how you would handle this situation as a DM, just because I know you're awesome with rules and such.

Let's say a party enters a rather large room, heavily decorated. They are going through a wizard's domain. In previous rooms, they have defeated animated objects which the Wizard has left scattered around as sentries.

Suspicous, the wizard of the party lets loose with a magic missle. He has 3 missles from his caster level. He decides to target a large rug on the floor, a large ornamental candlestick on a table, and a decorative sculpture of a warrior.

The candlestick is an animated object which is currently not moving.

What happens to the spell?

a) Magic missles streak from the wizard's hand, hitting all the objects in question, but only the candlestick is affected.

b) Only the missle which targets the candlestick actually materialize - the other two simply fizzle

c) The entire spell fizzles

d) ALL the missles home in on the Candlestick, since it is the only valid target.

Personally, I'd go with A, but I'm curious what you think.

- Edit hmm I think Egres just answered my question by posting the FAQ.... B happens?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I'd go with B, actually.

 

[Corsair]

I'd say A, but I would also say that there is no visible damage on any of them. (But that has to do in part with how I rule force effects vs creatures)

 

[ARandomGod]

Wisdom: Any creature that can perceive its environment in any fashion has at least 1 point of Wisdom. Anything with no Wisdom score is an object, not a creature. Anything without a Wisdom score also has no Charisma score.

Charisma: Any creature capable of telling the difference between itself and things that are not itself has at least 1 point of Charisma. Anything with no Charisma score is an object, not a creature. Anything without a Charisma score also has no Wisdom score.

creature
A living or otherwise active being, not an object. The terms "creature" and "character" are sometimes used interchangeably.

Hyp, could you please tell me where these quotes come from, exactly?