Using the Image Spells

[The Spectrum Rider]

What interesting, clever, and/or effective use have people made of the "image" spells? I'm referring to silent, minor, major, persistant, permanent, and programmed image. I expect to have a character (with a thiefly bent) who has access to these spells, and I'd like to have some fun with them.

Also:

(1) only major image says "the image disappears when struck by an opponent unless you cause the illusion to react appropriately." Does this apply to any of the others? (Interestingly, the other spells are described as silent-image-with-modifications, instead of referring to major image.) I imagine people could figure out that a non-reactive image was an illusion, but that's different from the image disappearing. It seems strange that only major image has this property.

(2) Permanent image says "by concentrating, you can move the image within the range, but it is static while you are not concentrating." Can you cast the spell, leave for a week, then come back and still move the image by concentrating on it, only can you only move it by continuous concentration when you cast the spell? (I would say the former.)

(3) More generally, what do people think about effects whose areas are described by something like "20-ft. cube + one 10-ft. cube/level"? That's an awfully strangely-shaped space to fit something into. Would people like it better if it was something like "a cube each side of which is 20 ft. + 5 ft./level"? I realize this is not mathematically equivalent, but it still seems more natural to me.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

The Spectrum Rider

 

[The Spectrum Rider]

I really wanna know.

The Spectrum Rider

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

Well, in my first game with a new group, my gnome illusionist used Silent Image to create a scary looking cross between a Minotaur and a gnoll and had it appear in front of two troglodytes, thereby scaring them into backing off from it , and walking straight into the party's 1/2 orc cleric , invoking an attack of opportunity and were promptly taken down.

After the combat, I realized that since this was my first battle with the party, they may have been afraid of the image too, and so it was decided that whenever a creature that looked like that appears wearing a battered red vest, it's one of my illusions and nothing to be alarmed about.

I think it's a pretty nifty spell. When I was creating the gnome character, I decided she was not a character who would have a background leading to her knowing many offensive spells so I didn't take any, except color spray, which isn't much. No magic missiles. No fireball. No ray of frost. Nothing but illusion spells. I think it's going to be fun coming up with interesting ways to use them to the party's advantage. It seemed to work really well the first time.

The DM ruled that with silent image I could make the image move it's arms if I concentrated on it, which makes it look more menacing.

I like image spells

 

[d12]

One thing my diviner does is cast a minor image of a human fighter in chainmail with a sword. The figment-fighter "leads" the party in the marching order. Badguys who ambush usually waste at least one shot that way and if its one big bad monster, they can blow a whole round.

Another cool tactic is to cast summon monster and then follow it up with an illusory creature of the same type. At high levels you can alternate these castings unti lthe badguys don't knwo what's going on. 4 real earth elementals and 2 illusory ones can make for a confusing combat.

 

[alsih2o]

After the combat, I realized that since this was my first battle with the party, they may have been afraid of the image too, and so it was decided that whenever a creature that looked like that appears wearing a battered red vest, it's one of my illusions and nothing to be alarmed about.

one guy in our pary is an illusionist and i have wondered how to deal with this. consider your solution stolen.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

In tonights adventure my gnome bard and the party rogue were hiding in the woods trying to find out what was sneaking up to the outpost during the night. The rogue has no problems hiding on his own, but my hide skill isn't near as good. So I created an illusion of a big rock and plopped my butt down "inside" the rock to hide myself.

Also, in a battle with a giant spider, the party Paladin found himself thrown off his feet and under the spider. In order to give the Paladin a chance to escape I created a duplicate of him so the spider would possible attack the wrong morsel.

DS

 

[Victim]

Silent Image = Wall of Stone/Iron as long as your opponents don't fiddle with it. Blade Barrier works too.

 

[Kershek]

Try picking up a Summon Monster spell. Cast Major Image of the monster first and send it out towards the bad guy. When they figure out it's fake, cast Summon Monster and see how long they'll ignore the second one

 

[Jolly Giant]

Illusions aren't the easiest way to take out a foe, but when it works they sure are the funniest way!

Some examples I've used (or seen used):

Luring an opponent onto an illusionary bridge...

Conceal the one important door in a corridor with an image that looks like the surrounding wall...

Conceal the door as above and create an illusionary door 5ft down along the wall, then laugh yourself silly as your persuer charges straight into a brick wall...

Create the ultimate camouflage for a pit-trap...

Hide the staircase...

Create a false staircase...

Both of the above...

Stand inside an illusionary tree and try not to giggle as enemy trackers walk past wondering where you got to... (Don't try this if they have dogs!)

Lure guards or sentries away from their posts with r-rated images...

And then some!

 

[Xavim]

Unless they changed it, a lot of these applications don't work.

In the 3.0 PHB in the magic chapter it reads that a figment "can't make something seem like something else."

So no, making boulders/trees ect. and hiding in them.
No making a door look like a wall.
No making a wall look like a door.

However you can:
Make the fake fighter leader.
The Minotaur cross.
The summon copies.

IMO by denoting it a figment, they have turned a potencially way cool spell into something that is half as good as everyone would want.