D&D 5E Minor Illusion...can it be cast over other objects?

[Lehrbuch]

...an ever changing set of demands on coin makers as different people came into power, and no way of recalling previously made coins.

That's not true. As old currency returns to the imperial or royal treasury (or whomever owns the mint) it is melted down and re-cast into the currency of the new emperor/king.

That's also assuming that the new regime is not actively hostile to the previous and forcibly seizes all images of the previous regime (to melt down and re-cast). Which happened historically at various times.

 

[jgsugden]

The illusion rules are very sparse. If they made them comprehensive, they'd take 300 pages all by themselves.

Rather than do that, they give the basics and ask the DM to rule. As such, the only answer that matters to a lot of these questions is your DM's... and if you're the DM, your best option is to read what is on the page and then make the ruling that will be most fun for your players. The job of the DM is to bring enjoyment to the game for the group.

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

I for one think it's fair to say that in a world of magic and artificers, a regular shaped coin is doable. Yes, it's "medieval", but, being fantasy, is actually "medieval plus".

 

[Saeviomagy]

But those pictures are also over centuries of usage. The collection of coins that an archaeologist deals with is quite different to the collection that an actual living Roman would use. A living Roman would only see one or two versions in circulation at a time.

And adventurers usually fall on the "archaeologist" end of the scale, rather than the regular Joe end. And my point was mostly about the bad printings rather than different designs.

 

[Lehrbuch]

And adventurers usually fall on the "archaeologist" end of the scale, rather than the regular Joe end.

Maybe, but the person you are attempting to fool with illusionary coins is likely neither an adventurer nor an archaeologist. She's probably an inn-keeper, weapon-smith, horse-trader, or similar.

 

[ChrisCarlson]

IMO, the whole coin thing seems an odd, niche thing to fixate on when there are so many more interesting things to use the spell to do. It can be up to a 5'x5'x5' illusion.

Like... What about the gnome who uses it to stand hidden inside an illusion of a thick bush or small boulder? Can the elven AT hide by crouching inside a "dark sphere" at night?

 

[Saeviomagy]

Maybe, but the person you are attempting to fool with illusionary coins is likely neither an adventurer nor an archaeologist. She's probably an inn-keeper, weapon-smith, horse-trader, or similar.

My point is that no matter what, the adventurer will be passing odd currency to those he interacts with. If the NPCs are accepting coins from ancient crypts, they're already accepting currency they're unfamiliar with.

Which might actually be a good explanation for the ridiculous gold prices in D&D - there's an assumption that adventurer gold is funny money and the people they interact with are making damn sure they don't end up at a loss. Which would suggest that, for instance, adventurers could go the extra mile to get their coins assayed and exchanged for coin of the realm, and suddenly pay drastically reduced prices for things.

But again - it makes it much more likely that the NPCs are already viewing your coins with distrust, and the illusion is likely to be foiled.

 

[Springheel]

IMO, the whole coin thing seems an odd, niche thing to fixate on when there are so many more interesting things to use the spell to do. It can be up to a 5'x5'x5' illusion.

Like... What about the gnome who uses it to stand hidden inside an illusion of a thick bush or small boulder? Can the elven AT hide by crouching inside a "dark sphere" at night?

Also good questions. I wondered about that myself. Seems like the cantrip could become very useful for hiding, allowing the player to create chests to hide in or curtains to hide behind.

And for combat, is a gnome hiding behind an illusionary rock considered to have cover?

 

[Saeviomagy]

Double post.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Also good questions. I wondered about that myself. Seems like the cantrip could become very useful for hiding, allowing the player to create chests to hide in or curtains to hide behind.

And for combat, is a gnome hiding behind an illusionary rock considered to have cover?

I would say he has cover. If someone misses due to his cover bonus, they hit the illusionary rock at a point that he's hiding behind it, dispelling the illusion and causing the arrow to pass through the illusion and into him.

Of course the most complicated questions are things like

Can you make an illusion of a mirror that shows something you cannot personally see? What does it show? Something you made up, or the real reflection?
What about an illusion of a portal to a place you cannot see? What does it show? Again, something you made up, or the real location?
Does an illusion of a 5' cube of thick fog get dispelled if objects pass through it?

All of which have very strange effects no matter how you answer.