D&D 5E Silent Image ideas

[BASHMAN]

Hehe. I'm assuming you meant minor illusion. Silent image isn't the best spell for making sounds. [emoji3]

D'oh! You're right.

 

[aramis erak]

[MENTION=92511]steeldragons[/MENTION] I know i recently read somewhere that, unless stated otherwise, illusions shouldn't be able to create or block light or make things invisible, as those things are covered by other spells.

Even so, those are a lot of great ideas. Thanks!

Note that either they create light, or reflect light like the real thing, otherwise they cannot be seen.

 

[Joe Liker]

Note that either they create light, or reflect light like the real thing, otherwise they cannot be seen.

It's magic, so physical laws need not apply.

Since some people (those who disbelieve) can see through the illusion and others cannot, we're already snug in bed with a paradox. We might as well make the most of it.

 

[rjfTrebor]

It's magic, so physical laws need not apply.

Since some people (those who disbelieve) can see through the illusion and others cannot, we're already snug in bed with a paradox. We might as well make the most of it.

do you know where you saw that by chance? i have a player who uses it to make fog clouds to hide in.

 

[KarinsDad]

It's magic, so physical laws need not apply.

Since some people (those who disbelieve) can see through the illusion and others cannot, we're already snug in bed with a paradox. We might as well make the most of it.

Paradigm shift, not paradox. "Squint with the left eye and tilt the head to the right a little and see, you can see right through it."

 

[TarionzCousin]

Illusion spells have always been too dependent upon the DM for my PCs' liking; one DM will let you do cool things but another will have every monster make a saving throw and alert his monster buddies.

However, as a DM, I have used illusion spells quite effectively. Here is one gnomish trap that has never failed to scare away PC's.

First, give some clue that there is poison gas in the area. Usually I have old, broken gnomish face masks that astute PC's will recognize as gas masks. Have "Mask Area" carved onto a wall in gnomish.

And, when the PC's trigger the trap, have yellow billowing gas flow slowly out of the PC's desired destination. Make it move slow enough that the PC's can easily escape it.

If they ask what it smells like, reply "Are you getting close enough to smell it?" Nobody has ever said "Yes," to me so far!

 

[aramis erak]

In Re "Seeing through illusions"...
Disguise Self: Close inspection allows an Int (investigation) check. Sounds more like "spotting missing things" than "seeing through the illusion"... things like missing spatter, wrong nap of the fabric, or wrong smell.

Hallucinatory Terrain: doesn't change the feel; again, close inspection allows an Int (investigation) check, not a save. Success still sees the illusion, but sees it as a superimposed image.

Illusory Script: Only the designees and those with truesight can see through it.

Major Illusion, Minor Illusion, Programmed Illusion, Project Image: It's an action and an Intelligence (Investigation) Check, or touching it or seeing someone else touch it. It becomes transparent to those who realize it's an illusion. (Note: They all end with the same boilerplate text.)

Minor Illusion: same as major.

Mirage Arcane: Truesight is aware of the ground, but still sees the illusion and can interact with it. If you add a road, you gain the benefit of a road. If you add a swamp, you suffer the mire of the swamp. If you add a building, you can climb its stairs... Even if you are aware (via truesight) that it's an illusion.

Mirror Image: hit it or sense it with Blindsight or truesight.

Mislead: Truesight, by its definition, reveals which is real. No other means is mentioned for seeing through it.

Seeming: If they spend an action inspecting you, they realize you're disguised. They don't "see through" it, but are aware it's a magical disguise. Does NOT use the boilerplate text mentioned above.

Nystul's Magic Aura: only affects divination spells anyway, so the normal methods don't really matter.

Phantasmal Force: only affects one target. And an investigation check (as with the others) ends the spell.

Phantasmal Killer, Weird: Save each turn; save ends, fail is take damage.

Phantasmal Steed: no save.

 

[TarionzCousin]

Phantasmal Steed: no save.

Fighter "They're too many of them! I can't hold them!"
Illusionist (casts Phantom Steed) "Attack my horsey minion!"
Warlord Type "Everyone fall back while the horse holds the line!"
Horsey Minion (charges) "Neigh!"