You create an illusion of an object, a creature, or some other visible phenomenon within range that activates when a specific condition occurs. The illusion is imperceptible until then. It must be no larger than a 30-foot cube, and you decide when you cast the spell how the illusion behaves and what sounds it makes. This scripted performance can last up to 5 minutes.
When the condition you specify occurs, the illusion springs into existence and performs in the manner you described. Once the illusion finishes performing, it disappears and remains dormant for 10 minutes. After this time, the illusion can be activated again.
The triggering condition can be as general or as detailed as you like, though it must be based on visual or audible conditions that occur within 30 feet of the area. For example, you could create an illusion of yourself to appear and warn off others who attempt to open a trapped door, or you could set the illusion to trigger only when a creature says the correct word or phrase.
Physical interaction with the image reveals it to be an illusion, because things can pass through it. A creature that uses its action to examine the image can determine that it is an illusion with a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC. If a creature discerns the illusion for what it is, the creature can see through the image, and any noise it makes sounds hollow to the creature.
* - (a bit of fleece and jade dust worth at least 25 gp)
Can this illusion move around or is it stuck in the hex you create it on? :)
Ref: C.Widogast, Island of Rumblecusp, Critical Role Campaign 2 Ep. 103
So the jade dust isn't consumed? That seems like a mistake.
No they are right, according to the PHB it doesn't consume the jade.
Just wait till you see 107.
Lol literally watching that episode as I read this spell description, for obvious reasons
His use of it was awesome. BUT i didn't here them reference that 10 minute cooldown time. His usage of it in that episode was better. I would allow my players to use it anyway they want. I like that better.
I would say that it sounds like the illusion must remain within the 30 ft cube, otherwise how is it going to be capable of maintaining the Spell indefinitely? Much less follow complex commands, given in advance, on the other side of the world.
The Critical Role usage of this spell also didn't reference the fact that the illusion is invisible until triggered.
Can you use this to create multiple illusory objects/creatures as long as they all fit in 30 ft cube?
The spell description states 'an object, a creature...'
'... or some other visible phenomenon' which seems kinda open ended, depending on DM interpretation.
I think that the visible phenomenon part was intended to convey something like flowing water or the northern lights. And again, it is also singular, not plural.
Everything is definitely open to interpretation though. A suit of armor is an object but also a collection of objects. A Swarm of Rats is considered a creature, but it's also a collection of creatures.
And also, looking at Silent Image and Major Image, which both have similar language, we can see that the area of effect that takes place increases as we get to the higher level illusions.
So perhaps the illusions are able to get more complex and incorporate more as the level of spell increases. Or maybe it just means you can make an illusion of a dragon instead of a giant. Talk it over with your DM.
But, I would say that the use of the singular case in the wording suggests to me that the illusion is intended to focus on one creature or one object or one phenomenon fwiw.
Personally I'd say yes; the spell only states that the illusory object/creature/phenomenon must be no larger than a 30-foot cube, but it can behave how you like.
To me that means you could set a trigger for enemies approaching within 30-feet of a cave entrance, causing a dragon to appear (just out of sight) then fly from the cave roaring and flying around in an arc like it's going to make a pass and return, hopefully scaring away the intruders who'll think they're about to be a dragon's dinner if they don't make themselves scarce.
Only restriction is the amount of time the illusion lasts, so something moving at a realistic speed can only travel so far, also the fact the illusion will be broken if it passes through something (though if you make it look like a ghost that might not be a problem). Also the trigger must be within 30-feet of the starting point, so no matter how far it can move it must start from and be triggered there.
What I love most is the fact that this spell's duration is "until dispelled"; my Bard tavern owner is 100% going to cast this every day to create annoying greeters outside the bar, chaining the trigger conditions together to bypass the 10-minute downtime (if the first casting is on cooldown, the second will trigger instead etc.). The only potential problem is that he doesn't have dispel magic. 😂
Yes.
But seriously, you'd want to talk to the DM about that.
Personally, I'd allow a preprogrammed movement. Like pacing around the room. It would be something that can't react to any changes so, so if a person put a box in the path of the pacing, it would walk through the box.
Jukebox bard
set it up identical to a jukebox, except an illusory bard appears on the stage to play the song
repeatedly cast the spell on the same spot, once for every song.