If I have a creature that can fit within a 5x5 space, (for example, a small goblin, or a gnome) could they cast minor illusion on themselves to mimic the effects of Disguise self? Or can minor illusion only create sounds and objects, not illusionary creatures?
The spell doesn't specify that it CAN'T make creatures, so I wanted to make sure.
Edit:Ok, so, RAW:no, but the DM might allow it anyway. Good to know, thanks.
One of the most common "mistakes" that are made in D&D is giving too much freedom to what can be accomplished with Minor Illusion. The most important detail that gets ignored is the fact that any illusion created by the spell can not move... You can't flip someone an illusory coin, or give yourself an illusory mask... you can create a mask that floats in place and just stand behind it, but it's not likely to trick anyone. If you create the illusion of a creature it'll have to be a creature that's standing perfectly still.
That said, a lot of DM's treat Minor Illusion with a certain "Rule of Fun" attitude. So it's worth asking your DM what they'll allow.
Minor illusion only creates the image of an object, or a sound.
Note that the object does not move (compare to silent image), nor can it change appearance. A mirror created with minor illusion would have a static reflection, that probably doesn't even change with the angle you are looking into it.
A fake beard you are creating would hover in mid-air, and could only possibly help disguising you, if you keep your head still enough.
While you are not allowed to create an image of a creature, you *can* create the image of a realistic wax statue, but again, it would be static and inanimate.
However, many DMs are in fact allowing minor illusion to achieve much more than what it says in the spell description. The best advice I can give you is to check with your DM if they want to allow that or not.
Going back to the OP, "The spell doesn't specify that it CAN'T make creatures". One of the most common uses of minor illusuon is to create an image of a creature either to find out if they recognise them or to ask them to do something is they see them later (The party are chasing down the bad guy and think he has gone to a particular town, they ask around to see if anyone has seen him, (minor illusion is much better than "a little above average height, black hair,.....")
Going back to the OP, "The spell doesn't specify that it CAN'T make creatures". One of the most common uses of minor illusuon is to create an image of a creature either to find out if they recognise them or to ask them to do something is they see them later (The party are chasing down the bad guy and think he has gone to a particular town, they ask around to see if anyone has seen him, (minor illusion is much better than "a little above average height, black hair,.....")
The rules tell you exactly what a spell can do, no more, no less. In this case:
You create a sound or an image of an object within range that lasts for the duration.
If it could do anything else, it needed to be in the spell description.
You are right, of course, that in a vast number of games, the DM allows it to achieve more than what RAW permits, but you need to check with your DM, if they want to allow that or not.
Going back to the OP, "The spell doesn't specify that it CAN'T make creatures". One of the most common uses of minor illusuon is to create an image of a creature either to find out if they recognise them or to ask them to do something is they see them later (The party are chasing down the bad guy and think he has gone to a particular town, they ask around to see if anyone has seen him, (minor illusion is much better than "a little above average height, black hair,.....")
You should be able to do an image of a portrait painting of the bad guy but you should not be able to do the bad guy himself. And you should certainly not be able to do anything that moves.
The spell doesn't specify that it CAN make images of creatures, therefore it can't.
However, as long as you don't expect your image to move (which the spell doesn't allow anyways), there is functionally no difference between an image of a creature (creature) and an image of a perfectly painted statue of the creature (object). No DM fiat necessary.
The spell doesn't specify that it CAN make images of creatures, therefore it can't.
So, you make an illusion on an object - that object is a multi-coloured statue of the creature you want to present.
Or a Corpse of said creature as Corpses are considered objects.
Can you cite where in the books that is stated? I was under impression a corpse is still a creature, just a dead one.
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Now I know a good roll on perception or investigation would kill it, but would minor illusion work if cast on an archer, making it look like a big rock is there, will they get the sneak attack? a variation of Solid Snake using the cardboard box
Or say you place a glyph or warding in a square than MI a treasure chest. will the chest hide the glyph from visual searches or others traps?
Corpses are objects, but they have some aspects of a creature as well, or else no resurrection spells would work as written. This is a bit of a derail to the question at hand, but I will address the point at the root of this quote. The spell does not say it can make an illusion of a creature. Since this spell creates a static illusion of a particular size, whether it can make an illusion of a creature or an illusion of an object identical to that creature really doesn't matter. pwhimp raises a fair point that details matter in spell descriptions, but in this case, it's a detail without much of a distinction when put into practice. A simulated "creature" that cannot move or behave like a creature may as well be considered an object. And since this is an illusion anyway, it ends up being neither.
I still can't find where it says this in the books. Can you advise where it says this?
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If I have a creature that can fit within a 5x5 space, (for example, a small goblin, or a gnome) could they cast minor illusion on themselves to mimic the effects of Disguise self? Or can minor illusion only create sounds and objects, not illusionary creatures?
The spell doesn't specify that it CAN'T make creatures, so I wanted to make sure.
Edit:Ok, so, RAW:no, but the DM might allow it anyway. Good to know, thanks.
It can create an image of a creature but it would not be able to move so would be fairly obvious it is not real.
You could try to do something like that with silent image. The image surrounds you and you use you action to move the image as you move.
In general you can not do with a lower level spell what a higher level spell does.
But minor image is a cantrip, so couldn't you cast it repeatedly to mimic movement?
One of the most common "mistakes" that are made in D&D is giving too much freedom to what can be accomplished with Minor Illusion. The most important detail that gets ignored is the fact that any illusion created by the spell can not move... You can't flip someone an illusory coin, or give yourself an illusory mask... you can create a mask that floats in place and just stand behind it, but it's not likely to trick anyone. If you create the illusion of a creature it'll have to be a creature that's standing perfectly still.
That said, a lot of DM's treat Minor Illusion with a certain "Rule of Fun" attitude. So it's worth asking your DM what they'll allow.
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Minor illusion only creates the image of an object, or a sound.
Note that the object does not move (compare to silent image), nor can it change appearance. A mirror created with minor illusion would have a static reflection, that probably doesn't even change with the angle you are looking into it.
A fake beard you are creating would hover in mid-air, and could only possibly help disguising you, if you keep your head still enough.
While you are not allowed to create an image of a creature, you *can* create the image of a realistic wax statue, but again, it would be static and inanimate.
However, many DMs are in fact allowing minor illusion to achieve much more than what it says in the spell description. The best advice I can give you is to check with your DM if they want to allow that or not.
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Yes, with wild gesticulation (somatic components) you could go at 10 fps (one round is 6 seconds). That doesn't sound very convincing to me.
1/6 fps. 1 frame per casting, 1 casting per 6 seconds. 10 fps is 60 castings per turn.
Thank you. 10 frames per minute. Even less convincing.
I call it "Forest Gnome Powerpoint" for a reason :D Most useful for making a static rock/barrel to hide in, or for communicating how something looks.
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Going back to the OP, "The spell doesn't specify that it CAN'T make creatures". One of the most common uses of minor illusuon is to create an image of a creature either to find out if they recognise them or to ask them to do something is they see them later (The party are chasing down the bad guy and think he has gone to a particular town, they ask around to see if anyone has seen him, (minor illusion is much better than "a little above average height, black hair,.....")
The rules tell you exactly what a spell can do, no more, no less. In this case:
If it could do anything else, it needed to be in the spell description.
You are right, of course, that in a vast number of games, the DM allows it to achieve more than what RAW permits, but you need to check with your DM, if they want to allow that or not.
More Interesting Lock Picking Rules
You should be able to do an image of a portrait painting of the bad guy but you should not be able to do the bad guy himself. And you should certainly not be able to do anything that moves.
The spell doesn't specify that it CAN make images of creatures, therefore it can't.
However, as long as you don't expect your image to move (which the spell doesn't allow anyways), there is functionally no difference between an image of a creature (creature) and an image of a perfectly painted statue of the creature (object). No DM fiat necessary.
So, you make an illusion on an object - that object is a multi-coloured statue of the creature you want to present.
Or a Corpse of said creature as Corpses are considered objects.
Can you cite where in the books that is stated? I was under impression a corpse is still a creature, just a dead one.
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Now I know a good roll on perception or investigation would kill it, but would minor illusion work if cast on an archer, making it look like a big rock is there, will they get the sneak attack? a variation of Solid Snake using the cardboard box
Or say you place a glyph or warding in a square than MI a treasure chest. will the chest hide the glyph from visual searches or others traps?
Corpses are objects, but they have some aspects of a creature as well, or else no resurrection spells would work as written. This is a bit of a derail to the question at hand, but I will address the point at the root of this quote. The spell does not say it can make an illusion of a creature. Since this spell creates a static illusion of a particular size, whether it can make an illusion of a creature or an illusion of an object identical to that creature really doesn't matter. pwhimp raises a fair point that details matter in spell descriptions, but in this case, it's a detail without much of a distinction when put into practice. A simulated "creature" that cannot move or behave like a creature may as well be considered an object. And since this is an illusion anyway, it ends up being neither.
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I still can't find where it says this in the books. Can you advise where it says this?
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I don't think the books directly say it. It is more of a logical conclusion that has been confirmed by the devs. Might be in sage advice.