Area of effect spells don't do anything to a duplicate from Mirror Image.
Only attack rolls (any weapon or spell or anything that is an attack... requires a d20 roll to hit) affect mirror images.
The images are illusions that always look exactly like the caster and are indistinguishable at all times.
example: if a fireball went off and caught the caster and his mirror images in it's effect, then the caster would take full or half damage depending on his saving throw and the images would be unarmed (as there was no attack roll to hit them)... the images would look the same as the caster, maybe singed from the fireball (depends on how your DM wants to describe your appearance)... the images always look like you, if you cast the spell and then drop your staff and pick up a banana to eat... the images all do that too (not real staffs or bananas, just illusions so that they always look the same as you)
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Toren "Tickle-Whiskers," human abjurer 13, Coliseum of Conquest
Liafial Aloro, sunrise elf bladesinger 4, The Bounders STORY
Although it makes a certain sense to me that an area effect spell might that has a more tangible physical effect (falling chunks of ice from Ice Storm or the bludgeoning effect of Evard's Black Tentacles) would destroy the duplicates, I think for simplicity's sake its easier to rule that the duplicates must be targeted directly to dispel them.
Well it says under the spell that a duplicate is destroyed by an attack that hits it and ignores all other damage and effects... so it leaves little room for interpretation.
And by attack they mean a d20 roll to hit it (page 194 of PHB.)... not anything harmful, such as area of effect spells like Ice Storm or Evard's Black Tentacles, or even a potion of Fire Breath. There are a lot of things in the game that can be considered attacks, but for the purpose of game mechanics are not. Usually whenever the rules of D&D 5e refer to an attack they mean something that requires a d20 roll to hit. Most area of effects have a saving throw DC to beat.
Hope this further explains things without making it too convoluted.
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Toren "Tickle-Whiskers," human abjurer 13, Coliseum of Conquest
Liafial Aloro, sunrise elf bladesinger 4, The Bounders STORY
If all the images are getting hit, it's not obvious which is real, so the duplicates are still believable illusions. When only one gets hit at a time, everyone disbelieves it and it goes away. At least that's how I interpret it.
Thoughts on how an area effect spell interacts with duplicates generated by Mirror Image.
According to the spell description, "A duplicate can be destroyed only by an attack that hits it."
Does this imply that only area effect spells with that "hit" the duplicate physically are effective?
So a spell like Ice Storm could "hit" and destroy a duplicate but something like Stinking Cloud would not?
Area of effect spells don't do anything to a duplicate from Mirror Image.
Only attack rolls (any weapon or spell or anything that is an attack... requires a d20 roll to hit) affect mirror images.
The images are illusions that always look exactly like the caster and are indistinguishable at all times.
example: if a fireball went off and caught the caster and his mirror images in it's effect, then the caster would take full or half damage depending on his saving throw and the images would be unarmed (as there was no attack roll to hit them)... the images would look the same as the caster, maybe singed from the fireball (depends on how your DM wants to describe your appearance)... the images always look like you, if you cast the spell and then drop your staff and pick up a banana to eat... the images all do that too (not real staffs or bananas, just illusions so that they always look the same as you)
Toren "Tickle-Whiskers," human abjurer 13, Coliseum of Conquest
Liafial Aloro, sunrise elf bladesinger 4, The Bounders STORY
Thanks. I appreciate it.
Although it makes a certain sense to me that an area effect spell might that has a more tangible physical effect (falling chunks of ice from Ice Storm or the bludgeoning effect of Evard's Black Tentacles) would destroy the duplicates, I think for simplicity's sake its easier to rule that the duplicates must be targeted directly to dispel them.
Well it says under the spell that a duplicate is destroyed by an attack that hits it and ignores all other damage and effects... so it leaves little room for interpretation.
And by attack they mean a d20 roll to hit it (page 194 of PHB.)... not anything harmful, such as area of effect spells like Ice Storm or Evard's Black Tentacles, or even a potion of Fire Breath. There are a lot of things in the game that can be considered attacks, but for the purpose of game mechanics are not. Usually whenever the rules of D&D 5e refer to an attack they mean something that requires a d20 roll to hit. Most area of effects have a saving throw DC to beat.
Hope this further explains things without making it too convoluted.
Toren "Tickle-Whiskers," human abjurer 13, Coliseum of Conquest
Liafial Aloro, sunrise elf bladesinger 4, The Bounders STORY
Not convoluted at all. Thanks for the solid answer.
If all the images are getting hit, it's not obvious which is real, so the duplicates are still believable illusions. When only one gets hit at a time, everyone disbelieves it and it goes away. At least that's how I interpret it.
Another good arrow for the quiver. Thanks!