Magic Missiles vs Mirror Image

It seems that the best strategy with magic missile versus mirror image is to hit as many different images as possible. The targetting will fail on images, but succeed on the real caster, if you happen to choose her. Then, anyone who saw that will know which image to hit, until the caster moves again. In this way, a sorcerer could act as a "spotter" by throwing a barrage of missiles against a mirror-imaged foe, and probably locate the caster at least every other round. If there are allies that follow the sorcerer, they can then pound the caster until he has a chance to move again.
 

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Let me put it this way...

There are a number of ways to fool a creature's perception, even without magic.

Presumably, you would let a mage target MagMiss on a mostly concealed creature upon whom he establishes LOS by spotting a hat or a gauntlet. He can't see the whole critter, but he can see a part of it. LOS is all the mage should need to target that spell. This interpetation of the spell means the spell depends upon the perceptions of its caster for targeting- it can target an item if the caster believes he is targeting something worn by a creature.

Would you also rule that he can be decieved by someone waving that hat or gauntlet as if it were being worn? You know- the old "hat on a stick" trick? If so, then MagMiss should be able to target the illusions caused Mirror Image.

If not, then there are 2 options for the reason why it cannot:

1) The spell depends upon the perceptions of its caster for targeting- but it can target an item only if the caster KNOWS he is targeting something worn by a creature.

2) The spell does not depend upon the perceptions of its caster for targeting, its targeting is entirely magical- the spell itself "knows" whether what the caster is targeting something worn by a creature or is a portion of a creature.
 

My reading (which disagrees with the FAQ) is to apply this:
If you ever try to cast a spell in conditions where the characteristics of the spell cannot be made to conform, the casting fails and the spell is wasted.
The current "official" approach to the Mirror Image spell seems to be that it's a special case. A lot of the standard RAW are effectively overruled when it comes to that spell, in order to make it's mechanics match the intent. So while Hypersmurf's interpretation certainly jibes with the rules for normal illusions, Mirror Image is this weird exemption to that logic, and can be targeted as if it were a creature even though it is not.

Just look at the number of questions in the FAQ about it. It's such a problematic spell that wizard's has effectively houseruled it in order to make it work. ^_^
 

Infiniti2000 said:
Sure, you'll know how many images (including real one) exist. Nothing more. You cannot target them separately because that's contradictory to indistinguishable.

There are multiple targets, but you cannot target them separately when they are indistinguishable.
It is not contradictory to the doctrine of Indistinguishability. You cannot tell one from another, and that is still the case when you target random, but different, images.

Between the five images, A, B, C, D, and E, you cannot tell which is an image and which is real. Rather, you cannot distinguish between them; the spell's call for Indistinguisabilitude remains intact. This does not mean, however, that you do not realize that A is A, and a seperate and distinct target from E.
 

There are multiple targets, but you cannot target them separately when they are indistinguishable.
Come on, it's not like the caster and the mirror images are superimposed bosonic wave functions. They're still visual images with a distinct location in space. And, obviously, they don't all have the same location, because then it would make the spell bloody useless.

You can use this spatial information to discriminate amongst them when choosing a target. You can't tell which ones the caster, or which on you targeted the previous round, but you can still point to one and target it.
 

Dannyalcatraz said:
2) The spell does not depend upon the perceptions of its caster for targeting, its targeting is entirely magical- the spell itself "knows" whether what the caster is targeting something worn by a creature or is a portion of a creature.

That's what I'd go with.

You see the hat, you cast Magic Missile... and if the characteristics of the spell (Target: Up to five creatures) cannot be made to conform, the casting fails.

So if the hat is a creature, the casting succeeds; if it isn't, it doesn't.

-Hyp.
 

So, are you saying that if I cast a magic missile spell -- I can make three missiles -- I target two at myself (work with me here) and one at something I beleive to be a creature but turns out to be a mannequin...

That the spell fails entirely and no missiles are sent out??
 


Dracorat said:
So, are you saying that if I cast a magic missile spell -- I can make three missiles -- I target two at myself (work with me here) and one at something I beleive to be a creature but turns out to be a mannequin...

That the spell fails entirely and no missiles are sent out??

I think that's what the rules would indicate, but personally I would have the two aimed at you manifest normally, and the one aimed at the mannequin fail.

For example, what would you say are the effects of targeting a Horrid Wilting (Target: Living creatures) or Implosion (Target: one corporeal creature) on a figment?

-Hyp.
 

I rule slightly different in this matter. I guess I emphasize a different part of the same rules you have quoted so far.

Specifically, when targetting, I allow the caster's perception to dictate the valid targets. Then, at resolution, I resolve the situation as normal.

Because a figment creates an illusion that folls senses, I allow the figments to be counted as valid 'creatures' since to the caster, they ARE creatures.

The missile will unerringly strike the pointed out figment. Which means if it was a figment, the illusion of the figment is broken and a mirror image goes down. It doesn't have to damage the figment, simply interacting is enough to break the illusion.

If, as has been suggested, casting a magic missile against an object were to automatically fail the spell, I would have to ask why a spell that specifically called out:

Targets: Up to five creatures, no two of which can be more than 15 ft. apart

Has to also have the description:
Inanimate objects are not damaged by the spell.

Since by default, objects are not a part of the target entry...

... unless by some method, an object COULD be targetted, even if only because the targetter THOUGHT the object was a creature? =)
 

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