Message vs. Magic Missile

BenjaminB · Jun 12, 2003

Yeah. I don't waste any time with this sort of rule hacking buisness.

Maitre Du Donjon · Jun 12, 2003

Hypersmurf said:
I believe the FAQ allows Magic Missile and Message to destroy Mirror Image.

I believe the PHB allows neither... just like me.

-Hyp.

I want to understand correctly (maybe i missed it in the first posts). What, in your opinion, happens when you cast magic missile at a mirror image? Say you have your Magic-Missile casting wizard (called Joe) and your Mirror-Imaged Wizard (called Bob). Joe is 9th level and Bob only has 4 images left. Joe aims 1 missile at each image (covering all his bases).

1) The spell fails
2) only one missile goes off and strikes the real Bob
3) all 5 missiles go off, hurting Bob but not dispelling the 4 images. Unless Bob moves, Joe knows who the real Bob is.
4) all 5 missiles go off, hurting Bob and dispelling the 4 images.
5) the universe collapses unto itself, killing Joe, Bob, and Kiki, Bob's squirrel familiar
6) other (please specify)

Maitre D

PS: i love you Hyp! wooo!

Gez · Jun 12, 2003

Is it magic or computer science we're debating ?

If it is computer science, then if the caster can't target mirror images with magic missile, he'll know at the time of casting what his potential targets are (I guess a big red cross appears around them, à la HUD, and a static-parasited voice declare: "acquired, let's look the result!" once selection is made). Then, that means that magic missile defeats mirror images not because it destroy them, but because he may bypass them and send all missiles at the proper target.

Another solution based on that same premise is that you may target whatever you want, but magic missile works only on creatures. In other words, at contacting the mirror images, the spell has no effect. To an onlookers, that looks like a wizard being hit by the spell, and soaking it without even a grunt of pain. Just like smite evil on a neutral or good person don't works, although you may try it.

I favor the latter solution.

Finally, it we're talking about magic, then please instantly stop that rule-lawyerism! Don't you know you're killing fey with such a tern behavior ? I want you to clap your hands! Maybe that'll undo the damage done.

Maitre Du Donjon · Jun 12, 2003

Gez said:
please instantly stop that rule-lawyerism!

Jamais! Vive la Révolution!

LokiDR · Jun 12, 2003

Gez said:
Finally, it we're talking about magic, then please instantly stop that rule-lawyerism! Don't you know you're killing fey with such a tern behavior ? I want you to clap your hands! Maybe that'll undo the damage done.

Have you not noticed where you are?

It would be good to know the "offical" position on any situation (if one exists) before we go off and change it.

If I am in a game, I would want to understand how it worked. I don't want to slow down the game everytime something comes up by starting a debate, hence the rules debate. If my DM wants to change the rules, he can tell me that. Untill then, I will assume we are using all the commonly accepted rulings, like mirror image is defeated by magic missle.

Angcuru · Jun 12, 2003

I would simply rule that anything that specifically and physically hits the image and deals a damaging effect(HP reduction, Ability Score Reduction, Negative Levels, Etc.) would dispel the image.

But actually, Dispel Magic, Detect/Dispel Illusions, or other such spells would be better alternatives.

Hypersmurf · Jun 12, 2003

I want to understand correctly (maybe i missed it in the first posts). What, in your opinion, happens when you cast magic missile at a mirror image?

2) only one missile goes off and strikes the real Bob

By the PHB, that's the one I pick.

By the FAQ, all five missiles would strike their designated Bob, and four Bobs would disappear.

PS: i love you Hyp! wooo!

That's a very disturbing line

-Hyp.

Etan Moonstar · Jun 14, 2003

There ARE more disturbing lines than "I love you Hyp!"...

...for example, he could have said, "I SMURF you Hyp!" *shudder*

Message spells destroying mirror images, and the undefined implications of ENWorlders smurfing each other--what terrible things unclearly-phrased words unleash upon this world!