As stated above, I'm running Curse of Strahd. I'm worried that they might figure out Visili von Holtz's true identity too fast, so I thought of an interesting spell combination to throw them off. For note, we use the 2014 rules and my Strahd may prepare spells from the wizard spell list every dawn.
It starts with Strahd under the effects of Disguise Self to look like von Holtz. After the players escalate things (by words or drawing weapons), Strahd casts Mislead. He then moves behind the players and uses his incredible stealth bonus to hide. The illusion is maneuvered to do something that won't look suspicious while standing still for 6 seconds (like thinking of a way to prove he isn't Strahd). Strahd then casts Dispel Magic to end Disguise Self. He not only looks like himself, but the invisibility (not the illusion) from Mislead ends. He then emerges from behind the players, announcing his presence while using all his actions to maneuver the illusion (probably to a state of shock).
Would this work? If it does, could he use this to pretend that someone who isn't there is? (Such as pretending that he captured Ireena when she's actually nowhere near?)
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I exist sometimes, especially when I'm DMing Curse of Strahd.
Rules as written, there's no reason to assume that the double created by Mislead (new or old version) wouldn't just look like Strahd himself. Disguise Self is just an illusion, it doesn't alter your actual appearance, and Mislead creates an illusory double of you.
That said, you could reasonably create a different scenario where the Mislead illusion Strahd meets the party at the same time as Visili (Disguise Self Strahd) does.
Looking into it further, Disguise Self says, "You make yourself... look different until the spell ends or until you use your action to dismiss it." The use of the word 'yourself' along with the wording of Mislead makes me think that Mislead would create an illusion of "you", which due to Disguise Self, looks different, therefore making an illusion of your disguise. Is this not the case?
If this is the case, Strahd wouldn't need to cast Dispel Magic and could instead use the built-in dismissal. He'd also cast something like thaumaturgy to end the invisibility.
Well, with Disguise Self, your physical form is not different, you just look different because you've covered yourself with an illusion; as the spell states, the illusion does not hold up to physical contact nor close examination. Mislead creates a copy of you, there's no reason to assume that effects cast upon yourself should also carry through.
It's of course up to you how you want to rule it in your game; I just personally think the intent is pretty clear, and caution that allowing ongoing effects to transmit through the double created by Mislead opens up a can of wacky possibilities. Off the top of my head, you could, for example, duplicate the effects of Darkness by carrying the source of the darkness when casting Mislead.
I might be speaking from a place of cynicism, though. I'm used to players who, if given an inch, will take a mile, as it were. So I need to be very careful with how I rule potential interactions like this.
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Hey! My Curse of Strahd players! Get out please.
As stated above, I'm running Curse of Strahd. I'm worried that they might figure out Visili von Holtz's true identity too fast, so I thought of an interesting spell combination to throw them off. For note, we use the 2014 rules and my Strahd may prepare spells from the wizard spell list every dawn.
It starts with Strahd under the effects of Disguise Self to look like von Holtz. After the players escalate things (by words or drawing weapons), Strahd casts Mislead. He then moves behind the players and uses his incredible stealth bonus to hide. The illusion is maneuvered to do something that won't look suspicious while standing still for 6 seconds (like thinking of a way to prove he isn't Strahd). Strahd then casts Dispel Magic to end Disguise Self. He not only looks like himself, but the invisibility (not the illusion) from Mislead ends. He then emerges from behind the players, announcing his presence while using all his actions to maneuver the illusion (probably to a state of shock).
Would this work? If it does, could he use this to pretend that someone who isn't there is? (Such as pretending that he captured Ireena when she's actually nowhere near?)
I exist sometimes, especially when I'm DMing Curse of Strahd.
Rules as written, there's no reason to assume that the double created by Mislead (new or old version) wouldn't just look like Strahd himself. Disguise Self is just an illusion, it doesn't alter your actual appearance, and Mislead creates an illusory double of you.
That said, you could reasonably create a different scenario where the Mislead illusion Strahd meets the party at the same time as Visili (Disguise Self Strahd) does.
Looking into it further, Disguise Self says, "You make yourself... look different until the spell ends or until you use your action to dismiss it." The use of the word 'yourself' along with the wording of Mislead makes me think that Mislead would create an illusion of "you", which due to Disguise Self, looks different, therefore making an illusion of your disguise. Is this not the case?
If this is the case, Strahd wouldn't need to cast Dispel Magic and could instead use the built-in dismissal. He'd also cast something like thaumaturgy to end the invisibility.
I exist sometimes, especially when I'm DMing Curse of Strahd.
Well, with Disguise Self, your physical form is not different, you just look different because you've covered yourself with an illusion; as the spell states, the illusion does not hold up to physical contact nor close examination. Mislead creates a copy of you, there's no reason to assume that effects cast upon yourself should also carry through.
It's of course up to you how you want to rule it in your game; I just personally think the intent is pretty clear, and caution that allowing ongoing effects to transmit through the double created by Mislead opens up a can of wacky possibilities. Off the top of my head, you could, for example, duplicate the effects of Darkness by carrying the source of the darkness when casting Mislead.
I might be speaking from a place of cynicism, though. I'm used to players who, if given an inch, will take a mile, as it were. So I need to be very careful with how I rule potential interactions like this.