What can Image Spells Really do?

[Stalker0]

I've been curious about the actual power of image spells, like silent image, major image, etc.

First off, can you make a silent image move? Like create an elf that's walking?
Second, since silent image has no texture, does that mean if it attempts to grap something, the person will automatically pass their will save?

Moving on to major image, since this one has texture, can you actually grapple someone, and they take all the penalties of grappling, if they fail their save?

Since u can also create thermal effects, can you create the image of fire or a fire creature, and a creature that fails a save against it take fire damage? The damage would disappear once the illusion is determined to be false of course, but if that damage brought them down past 0 hp, would they pass out like taking subdual damage would do to them?

 

[LordAO]

Major Image doesnt have texture, just visual, sound, smell, and thermal effects. Yes you can have your images move, but most concentrate on them to do so. As far as I know, you can't have them grapple, because they are insubstantial. You can use shadow conjuration however, to do that sort of thing, because they are created from shadow matter and are a certain % real.

 

[dcollins]

- Images (and other figments) are absolutely prohibited from causing damage to objects or creatures (PH p. 158, "Figment", 2nd paragraph). The inability to "support weight" clearly indicates that grappling is disallowed, as well.

- A figment can certainly move, such as the example attacking illusory giant (PH p. 158, "Saving Throws and Illusions", 1st paragraph).

- I would rule that an apparently-grabbing figment allows a new save for "interaction". I suppose if the caster was particularly klutzy or was wishing to purposely destroy belief, that would count as "incontrovertible proof". (Per PH 158.)