Mirror Image vs Magic Missile

[Goolpsy]

Well... not a big problem is it ? Just use Orbs to eliminate the images and MM afterwards.

Magic missile is just like some "Heat seeking Missile"... If you can't target a source of Heat.. how can you expect it to hit anything?

In our Case, it is "Creature seeking"... Hence... no effects on Images

 

[Nail]

Magic missile is just like some "Heat seeking Missile"... If you can't target a source of Heat.. how can you expect it to hit anything?

Errrr?

 

[pawsplay]

I view the mirror image's description of reacting as though attacked as trumping the Target line of magic missile. You target the victim, the victim's illusion then has the effect specified in the spell description, and the mirror images disappear.

 

[The Levitator]

Honestly, it's a silly debate at this point. We all know how this ends. Three camps are created:

1) MM can hit the individual images themselves. Most people seem to support this view.
2) The MM fizzles because you cannot target an image. This is a small but distinct minority.
3) The MM strikes the caster and ignores the images entirely. This is an even smaller minority.

My view is actually #1, though I think either of the other two can be supported by the rules.

Wow, I never realized I fell into the minority camp on this one. Although it's only come up once in a game, on the fly I went with #2 and the spell just fizzled because the wizard targeted the wrong images. Although I can see where the wording "any successful attack against the image destroys" could easily be interpreted like #1. I guess I have a personal preference for defensive and buff spells over offensive spells so that may have also played a part in how I chose to rule it.

 

[Mistwell]

Well... not a big problem is it ? Just use Orbs to eliminate the images and MM afterwards.

Magic missile is just like some "Heat seeking Missile"... If you can't target a source of Heat.. how can you expect it to hit anything?

In our Case, it is "Creature seeking"... Hence... no effects on Images

Orbs? They hit one target. Period. You really want to spend every round, round after round, eliminating images that way with that many spell slots?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Orbs? They hit one target. Period. You really want to spend every round, round after round, eliminating images that way with that many spell slots?

He may be playing 3E...? The Tome and Blood versions added extra orbs, rather than increasing the damage of the single orb, as caster level increased.

-Hyp.

 

[Thanee]

Figments are not creatures, so Magic Missile cannot target them.

But they can trick the spell into believing they were actually creatures, thus making it work.

Bye
Thanee

 

[KarinsDad]

But they can trick the spell into believing they were actually creatures, thus making it work.

Except that the writeup of Mirror Image does not state that it overcomes the rule:

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 instant that the caster picks an image instead of the real creature is the instant that Magic Missile fails and the spell is wasted.