Pielorinho
Iron Fist of Pelor
I've seen variants of this topic done before, but I wanted to zero in on a specific question: what effects are you likely to achieve through creative use of Improved Minor Illusion (minor illusion with both sights and sounds, gained through the illusionist subclass of wizards), and what illusions will achieve those effects?
The illusion must be mostly static, although Jeremy Crawford tweeted that he'd allow a minor illusion clock's hands to move, so I think teeny movements might be okay.
I'm thinking that, in combat, there are three main things you can get enemies to do:
1) Waste an action (usually an attack, possibly a spell). Illusions that might achieve this effect would include:
-An enormous black egg arising from the ground, with cracks shot through the shell and the muffled sounds of an immense creature within
-A 5' preying mantis statue facing the enemy, chittering madly (could be a reared-back snake, but I figure an insect is more plausibly still)
-A floating 3' skull, screaming
-A sudden mound of broken earth beneath which is coming the sounds of furious digging
-Muddy footprints that appear ostentatiously, either 10' distant with the sounds of spellcasting, or next to the enemy with the ring of a sword being drawn, as though there's an invisible enemy there.
and the like
2) Lose a reaction/provide cover/provide concealment. Any wall effect can do this, but you may as well make it fun, like:
-A rippling wall of maggots that squelches and burbles
-A wall of green briars with sticky crimson thorns, whispering, "Closer, come closer, my sweet!" in a susurrus like a breeze.
-Bigby's Interposing But Entirely Illusory Hand, and a sonorous voice intoning, "DIRECT ME, MASTER, WHOM TO CRUSH!"
3) Get the hell out of Dodge. Just needs to be scary enough. The skull or egg or broken earth might work, as might:
-A statue of a goblin holding a bomb, with the sound of a fuse burning, or the sound of something revving up. Or just a bomb, depending on the world.
-A deep purple summoning circle, with a demonic laugh emanating from within, rapidly increasing in volume.
-A Magic-looking door that shows up against a wall, with insanely loud banging and roaring coming from the other side, and the door begins to splinter/crumble.
-A spiral of Snickers bars with drops of blood between them. (Okay, I don't know if this one would work, but my kindergarten daughter suggested it, and I wanted you to know what it's like raising Wednesday Addams).
In general, I think that influencing a character to lose an attack or force a move is in keeping with the power of other cantrips (which do damage and sometimes have minor debuffs).
Are there other big categories I've missed out on? Have others come up with good uses for Improved Minor Illusion--that is, uses with both visual and auditory components?
The illusion must be mostly static, although Jeremy Crawford tweeted that he'd allow a minor illusion clock's hands to move, so I think teeny movements might be okay.
I'm thinking that, in combat, there are three main things you can get enemies to do:
1) Waste an action (usually an attack, possibly a spell). Illusions that might achieve this effect would include:
-An enormous black egg arising from the ground, with cracks shot through the shell and the muffled sounds of an immense creature within
-A 5' preying mantis statue facing the enemy, chittering madly (could be a reared-back snake, but I figure an insect is more plausibly still)
-A floating 3' skull, screaming
-A sudden mound of broken earth beneath which is coming the sounds of furious digging
-Muddy footprints that appear ostentatiously, either 10' distant with the sounds of spellcasting, or next to the enemy with the ring of a sword being drawn, as though there's an invisible enemy there.
and the like
2) Lose a reaction/provide cover/provide concealment. Any wall effect can do this, but you may as well make it fun, like:
-A rippling wall of maggots that squelches and burbles
-A wall of green briars with sticky crimson thorns, whispering, "Closer, come closer, my sweet!" in a susurrus like a breeze.
-Bigby's Interposing But Entirely Illusory Hand, and a sonorous voice intoning, "DIRECT ME, MASTER, WHOM TO CRUSH!"
3) Get the hell out of Dodge. Just needs to be scary enough. The skull or egg or broken earth might work, as might:
-A statue of a goblin holding a bomb, with the sound of a fuse burning, or the sound of something revving up. Or just a bomb, depending on the world.
-A deep purple summoning circle, with a demonic laugh emanating from within, rapidly increasing in volume.
-A Magic-looking door that shows up against a wall, with insanely loud banging and roaring coming from the other side, and the door begins to splinter/crumble.
-A spiral of Snickers bars with drops of blood between them. (Okay, I don't know if this one would work, but my kindergarten daughter suggested it, and I wanted you to know what it's like raising Wednesday Addams).
In general, I think that influencing a character to lose an attack or force a move is in keeping with the power of other cantrips (which do damage and sometimes have minor debuffs).
Are there other big categories I've missed out on? Have others come up with good uses for Improved Minor Illusion--that is, uses with both visual and auditory components?