D&D 5E Toll the Chest

[CleverNickName]

Firebolt works pretty well in a pinch, too. If the chest screams "ouch!", it's probably a mimic.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Sir Bazil Kwestgifer: "Why are there scorch marks on this chest that I asked you to retrieve intact?"

 

[John R Davis]

Firebolt works pretty well in a pinch, too. If the chest screams "ouch!", it's probably a mimic.

Good point.
Draw hint of teeth on chest. Fill chest with oil.
Await firebolt!

 

[DEFCON 1]

I look at it narratively.

Is there anything to suggest a caster becomes incapable of using their magic and casting a spell if they target something "invalid"? Like all of a sudden they can't get the words out, their hand motions go all squiggly and they can't seem to grab the requisite components? I suspect very few people would say they agree with that interpretation.

Instead, what is more likely is that the caster goes through the whole process of casting the spell, but there is just no result from it because the spell doesn't affect the target. "You can't charm a doorknob" as was said. This is what it probably looks like if we take the whole scene from a narrative point of view.

So you can cast a spell onto most anything or out into the ether... but it only has a perceptible effect if the spell has a target to interactive with. And if it just so happens that the target can actually be a valid target (even if you weren't aware it was when you started), then lucky you!

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

Divination by Necromancy

Also: Divination by Evocation - a player could have done the same thing with Magic Missile.

This 'only targets 'creatures' rule is silly to me but, if you use it, then it should be allowed to be used creatively. For the record, I just say the spell fails but the slot gets used. It goes off with no effect. The missile hits the object does no damage. Or for toll the dead, there is a sound but nothing else happens.

 

[Hriston]

I have no problem with the roleplaying.

This is how I would resolve it;

As the necromantic energy of your spell begins to channel through you, you are all surprised as the chest suddenly opens, revealing rows of sharp teeth and a huge tonguelike pseudopod as it moves to attack you. Roll initiative!​

 

[Jacob Lewis]

A single chest sitting in the middle of a large chamber bare of anything else is highly suspicious. Launching a fireball into the room would have been completely justified, even if overly cautious about any number of potentially unseen or hidden surprises.

 

[aco175]

You can always change the indistinguishable trait for your game. Make mimics and animated objects a normal whatever until they come to life. It's a work around but should not be needed.

Another idea is to change the chest being a mimic to the door the PCs are opening, or a table in the room, or a rug or something if they have been trained to suspect something. Of course, this leads them to be more paranoid of other objects.

 

[Agametorememberbooks]

And next time have a room full of various chests and tables so that they don’t know which one to target.

 

[Steampunkette]