Illusions And Range

[Koldun]

In our next campaign, I'm planning on whipping up a gnome illusionist who plans on going using his illusions to look as something else. Something like hoards of glittering robes and holding a sceptre of diamonds or some such thing.

Anyway, I was wondering how exactly the Range works with the Silent Image spell. If my character is going to be walking around with this spell cast on him to appear different, as long as he maintains concentration for the spell, with the range move with him, or does he have to re-cast it everytime he hits the end of the spells original range?

From the SRD:

Silent Image
Illusion (Figment)
Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Effect: Visual figment that cannot extend beyond four 10-ft. cubes + one 10-ft. cube/level (S)
Duration: Concentration
Saving Throw: Will disbelief (if interacted with)
Spell Resistance: No
This spell creates the visual illusion of an object, creature, or force, as visualized by the character. The illusion does not create sound, smell, texture, or temperature. The character can move the image within the limits of the size of the effect.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Why not just go with disguise self? That's what it's for, and it doesn't require you maintain concentration--which means you can actually cast other spells, which is a pretty big plus.

 

[blaskowicz]

Anyway, I was wondering how exactly the Range works with the Silent Image spell. If my character is going to be walking around with this spell cast on him to appear different, as long as he maintains concentration for the spell, with the range move with him, or does he have to re-cast it everytime he hits the end of the spells original range?

From the SRD:

Silent Image
Illusion (Figment)
Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Effect: Visual figment that cannot extend beyond four 10-ft. cubes + one 10-ft. cube/level (S)
Duration: Concentration
Saving Throw: Will disbelief (if interacted with)
Spell Resistance: No
This spell creates the visual illusion of an object, creature, or force, as visualized by the character. The illusion does not create sound, smell, texture, or temperature. The character can move the image within the limits of the size of the effect.

As a rule, you cannot make a spell do something beyond its range. In this case, however, you cannot make the image move outside the 10-ft cubes which limit the effect, meaning that your character would lose his illusory shell as soon as he left those boundaries. I would use Disguise Self, as the other poster suggested.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

I don't think you can do that with Silent Image. There are also illusion spells that completely change your appearance (disguise self, seeming, etc.) and I believe you must use those. IIRC, there's a rule that states you can't create a new spell with effects that duplicate an existing spell so I would assume you can't use Silent Image to duplicate the effects of other illusion spells either (since that would make the other spells useless).