Mirror Image vs Touch Spells

[lukelightning]

Not to open a can of worms, but I think that if you rule that you retain the charge 'cuz you're not really striking a creature, then you certainly can't cleave mirror images, since you are not really killing them.

 

[TYPO5478]

Any successful attack against an image destroys it.

How do you destroy something that doesn't exist?

 

[pallandrome]

I'm not sure using logic to explain DnD is the right tact here. I mean, it's never made sense before, why should it start now?

I think that touching the image pops it. The spell says that a successful attack destroys the image. It does not mention anything about that attack needing to damage the target. There for a touch attack, whose only goal is to, by definition, TOUCH the target, would be enough. Unless you are houseruling that a touch attack is in not an attack...

 

[TYPO5478]

I don't disagree that touching the image pops it. But I also think the held spell is discharged. The image has an AC, so you must be able to touch it, and the rules for holding a charge state that touching anything (or anyone) discharges the spell. They don't specify that what you touch has to be real.

 

[phindar]

But if the Image isn't really there, you aren't actually hitting anything. You're just moving your arm through empty air, which wouldn't discharge the spell.

 

[pallandrome]

Touch says that you must touch a creature or object, and as far as I know, an illusion is neither an object nor a creature, any more than a beam of light is an object.

Unless you are a shadowcraft mage, of course.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Not to open a can of worms, but I think that if you rule that you retain the charge 'cuz you're not really striking a creature, then you certainly can't cleave mirror images, since you are not really killing them.

At least I'm consistent, then

-Hyp.

 

[lukelightning]

Of course we all know that in 4e they will take my advice and make mirror image a sort of "ablative" displacement, like 50-90% miss chance based on level, going down by 10% every time you're saved by it.

This would get rid of alot of the weirdness.

 

[phindar]

We need a spell that can make figments quasi-real and be controlled by another caster. The next time someone pops Mirror Image out, the enemy could take over the images and have them dogpile the caster. That would be hilarious.

Maybe a wild magic zone or a nightmare realm where figments become partially real and imbued with a malign intelligence. Just one encounter to freak the party out. (Its the Holodeck scenario.)

This is H.L. Puttgrass, signing off and heading for the tub.