I am a DM and soon either this session or next session they are gonna encounter an Evil wizard who has a small house in the forest.
The thing is the door of the house is a mimic, and the wizard of the party has the knock spell (there level 7).
Would the mimic who is then a door open if it is locked? the spell reads that it works on objects with mundane locks to technically speaking no but I just want to make sure.
Would the mimic who is then a door open if it is locked? the spell reads that it works on objects with mundane locks to technically speaking no but I just want to make sure.
Well no, the Knock spell doesn't open doors. It instead says
A target that is held shut by a mundane lock or that is stuck or barred becomes unlocked, unstuck, or unbarred.
So the door/Mimic would be unlocked but closed which of course means that fun stuff still happens if/when someone tries to push it open (probably also if they search it for traps). I guess that a sufficiently paranoid party could (if they had any inkling that the door shouldn't be touched) use Thaumaturgy to open it without touching it.
Keep in mind that a Mimic doesn't absolutely have to be touched before it can attack; if the party manages to avoid touching the door, you can then announce that they need to roll initiative as they attempt to proceed through, and barring features to the contrary are Surprised and so the Mimic basically gets one free shot before you start going by turn order.
Mimics aren't objects. They're not actually doors.
No, the spell would have no effect because it doesn't work on creatures.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Mimics aren't objects. They're not actually doors.
No, the spell would have no effect because it doesn't work on creatures.
Honestly, I'd call that a grey area; their Shapechange specifically says "The mimic can use its action to polymorph into an object or back into its true, amorphous form." There's a case to be made that this allows it to be treated as an object while transformed.
Even if the Knock spell has no effect on a Mimic it should be possible for the Mimic to play along and unlock itself. This would technically break its False Appearance so maybe a Stealth roll against the parties passive perception is in order.
Mimics aren't objects. They're not actually doors.
No, the spell would have no effect because it doesn't work on creatures.
Would that make Mage Hand the perfect mimic detector? Try to manipulate the door (it only works on objects) so the hand can’t do anything, be it a door, container, etc?
Would that make Mage Hand the perfect mimic detector? Try to manipulate the door (it only works on objects) so the hand can’t do anything, be it a door, container, etc?
I think that would require a level of buy-in from the DM. It's easy enough to describe mage hand's failure to work in such a way as not to give up the mimic.
DM: You're not able to manipulate the door with your mage hand. It's a pretty sturdy-looking door, and it might be locked. Would you like to take a closer look to investigate what is going on?
Would that make Mage Hand the perfect mimic detector? Try to manipulate the door (it only works on objects) so the hand can’t do anything, be it a door, container, etc?
I think that would require a level of buy-in from the DM. It's easy enough to describe mage hand's failure to work in such a way as not to give up the mimic.
DM: You're not able to manipulate the door with your mage hand. It's a pretty sturdy-looking door, and it might be locked. Would you like to take a closer look to investigate what is going on?
That is true. My comment was more in jest though I could have made that clearer. And Ace_of_Rogues had already pointed out the “grey area” of the description mentioning them changing to objects.
But you are absolutely right about the DM saying that the mage had was ineffective, as if it was locked.
I suppose if a PC wanted to attempt to cast toll the dead on every door, chest, and stalagmite in the dungeon, they might be able to discern which ones were creatures in disguise. It works within the rules as written.
Doesn't sound like a very engaging table experience for the rest of the players and DM, though. Mimics, ropers, gargoyles, etc. are all creatures that are intended to be used sparingly. A DM can break that trick out once in a blue moon, and everyone has a good laugh when the treasure chest bites the rogue attempting to pick it. But I would never want to run a session in the "Dungeon of the mimics" where the PCs know that any seemingly innocent object could be a monster in disguise. Clearing every room would be an exercise in patience and a small dungeon could take up the entire session or longer.
Mimics polymorph themselves into objects... so they are objects. Thus the "use target creature" detector spell does not in fact help with finding mimics in particular.
In this case, though, the object would not be the door but the house itself. That said, a Mimic could certainly turn itself into a door. Maybe a really big Mimic is the house and various smaller Mimics are the doors and "unassumin' pieces o' furntiure."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
I am a DM and soon either this session or next session they are gonna encounter an Evil wizard who has a small house in the forest.
The thing is the door of the house is a mimic, and the wizard of the party has the knock spell (there level 7).
Would the mimic who is then a door open if it is locked? the spell reads that it works on objects with mundane locks to technically speaking no but I just want to make sure.
Sincerely,
Me, RensPens
Well no, the Knock spell doesn't open doors. It instead says
So the door/Mimic would be unlocked but closed which of course means that fun stuff still happens if/when someone tries to push it open (probably also if they search it for traps). I guess that a sufficiently paranoid party could (if they had any inkling that the door shouldn't be touched) use Thaumaturgy to open it without touching it.
Keep in mind that a Mimic doesn't absolutely have to be touched before it can attack; if the party manages to avoid touching the door, you can then announce that they need to roll initiative as they attempt to proceed through, and barring features to the contrary are Surprised and so the Mimic basically gets one free shot before you start going by turn order.
Mimics aren't objects. They're not actually doors.
No, the spell would have no effect because it doesn't work on creatures.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Honestly, I'd call that a grey area; their Shapechange specifically says "The mimic can use its action to polymorph into an object or back into its true, amorphous form." There's a case to be made that this allows it to be treated as an object while transformed.
Even if the Knock spell has no effect on a Mimic it should be possible for the Mimic to play along and unlock itself. This would technically break its False Appearance so maybe a Stealth roll against the parties passive perception is in order.
Would that make Mage Hand the perfect mimic detector? Try to manipulate the door (it only works on objects) so the hand can’t do anything, be it a door, container, etc?
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
I think that would require a level of buy-in from the DM. It's easy enough to describe mage hand's failure to work in such a way as not to give up the mimic.
DM: You're not able to manipulate the door with your mage hand. It's a pretty sturdy-looking door, and it might be locked. Would you like to take a closer look to investigate what is going on?
"Not all those who wander are lost"
That is true. My comment was more in jest though I could have made that clearer. And Ace_of_Rogues had already pointed out the “grey area” of the description mentioning them changing to objects.
But you are absolutely right about the DM saying that the mage had was ineffective, as if it was locked.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
I suppose if a PC wanted to attempt to cast toll the dead on every door, chest, and stalagmite in the dungeon, they might be able to discern which ones were creatures in disguise. It works within the rules as written.
Doesn't sound like a very engaging table experience for the rest of the players and DM, though. Mimics, ropers, gargoyles, etc. are all creatures that are intended to be used sparingly. A DM can break that trick out once in a blue moon, and everyone has a good laugh when the treasure chest bites the rogue attempting to pick it. But I would never want to run a session in the "Dungeon of the mimics" where the PCs know that any seemingly innocent object could be a monster in disguise. Clearing every room would be an exercise in patience and a small dungeon could take up the entire session or longer.
No, that's not for me.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Mimics polymorph themselves into objects... so they are objects. Thus the "use target creature" detector spell does not in fact help with finding mimics in particular.
In this case, though, the object would not be the door but the house itself. That said, a Mimic could certainly turn itself into a door. Maybe a really big Mimic is the house and various smaller Mimics are the doors and "unassumin' pieces o' furntiure."