Mirror Image vs Cleave

[starwed]

A big problem of allowing cleaving off non creatures is that the Orc barbarian can now cleave through a PC's gear and into them. That great axe slicing though the wizard's wand, then into the wizard actually makes sense too.

Right, but it's pretty clear from the (rather numerous) FAQ entries on mirror images, that although by the rules they are figments they are to be treated as creatures. (Can be targeted by magic missile, for instance.)

 

[Darklone]

Yeah, the sundering cleave ability.

 

[frankthedm]

Right, but it's pretty clear from the (rather numerous) FAQ entries on mirror images, that although by the rules they are figments they are to be treated as creatures. (Can be targeted by magic missile, for instance.)

That still leaves the "deal a creature enough damage to make it drop".

 

[ThirdWizard]

Right, but it's pretty clear from the (rather numerous) FAQ entries on mirror images, that although by the rules they are figments they are to be treated as creatures. (Can be targeted by magic missile, for instance.)

Because no one disputes magic missile versus mirror image.

 

[Shane_Leahy]

That still leaves the "deal a creature enough damage to make it drop".

The SRD defines 'drop' as:

typically by dropping it to below 0 hit points or killing it.

Now Mirror Image states

Any successful attack against an image destroys it.

So to me that fulfills the requirement. Destroy = Kill.

 

[frankthedm]

The SRD defines 'drop' as:...

The SRD quote is taken from cleave and does not overide "deal a creature enough damage" requirement of cleave. If the damage does not occur, then cleave does not trigger. The images pop on being hit, they never take damage. You also don't get to cleave if an effect of the hit kills the foe outright such as from a disrupting weapon.

Cleave [General]
Prerequisites
Str 13, Power Attack.

Benefit
If you deal a creature enough damage to make it drop (typically by dropping it to below 0 hit points or killing it), you get an immediate, extra melee attack against another creature within reach. You cannot take a 5-foot step before making this extra attack. The extra attack is with the same weapon and at the same bonus as the attack that dropped the previous creature. You can use this ability once per round.

Special
A fighter may select Cleave as one of his fighter bonus feats.

 

[frankthedm]

And on the same vien, does miss chance apply to mirror images from concealment or other spells? I believe it should and of course my players agree.

If the concealment is part of the image, such as Blur or Displacement, the image is being hit, thus popping.