Mirror Image and Dispelling

[Malcer]

How do you apply Dispel Magic if you want to get rid of Mirror Images floating around an enemy caster?

A: We used to play that you have to get a targetted Dispel Magic through (with the miss chance that Mirror Image provides) in order to dispel the images. Is that correct?

B: From reading the description of the spell, I'd assume that the images of the Mirror Image spell do not nescessarily affect the caster personally; they pop up into being around the caster and mimick his action and follow him around. Is it possible to get rid of them with an Area Dispel?

We used to apply A in our game, which makes it very difficult to successfully dispel Mirror Image if you don't have True Seeing.

If B applied, does that mean that when you'd successfully target a caster with Mirror Images that the images would remain even if you'd succesfully banished all his other spells?

Thanks for you help!

 

[Hypersmurf]

Just target the Mirror Image spell...

Targeted Dispel: One object, creature, or spell is the target of the dispel magic spell.

-Hyp.

 

[UltimaGabe]

Exactly. It would be far too powerful if even Dispel Magic was subject to the miss chance.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Like Hyp said.

Although, I think the best method of 'dispelling' it was an ogre with a big club and great cleave... Gave a sorceror I know a nasty suprise.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

I think it's clear that, other than great cleave or magic missiles, there are three ways that dispel magic could interact with mirror image:

1. Targetted on the Mirror Image spell. If successful, the mirror image spell is dispelled but nothing else is.

2. Targetted on the sor/wiz who cast mirror image. Subject to the random chance of getting the real wizard. If successful on an image would dispel the one image. If successful on the the wizard would dispel the mirror image spell and get a shot at every other active spell on the wizard.

3. Area dispel. Gets one shot at every target in the area. So, if the spell failed to dispel any higher level spells on the wizard, it would get a shot at the mirror image. If it stripped a higher level spell from the wizard, however, it would stop before reaching the mirror image.

All of these versions have their uses. An area dispel is a good choice if one can include more than one foe in the area. If it doesn't get the mirror image, odds are that it'll get something more important. And it can get some of the wizard's allies' spells too. Targetted on the mirror image spell is another viable choice though it's overkill (the almost the same thing could be accomplished with a magic missile). Targetting one of the images and hoping you get the right one is another possibility. Though risky, it carries the possibility of great success. (And if you strike with a quickened magic missile first, you can probably figure out which image is the real wizard (the one that doesn't disappear after being hit) and eliminate the risk).

 

[Malcer]

Just target the Mirror Image spell...

Targeted Dispel: One object, creature, or spell is the target of the dispel magic spell.

-Hyp.

I wasn't aware that this was possible. Thank you for telling me.

That opens up some very interesting possibilities. I hope you do not mind if I ask you some further questions on the matter.

A: How do you see active spells? If the spells have any visible effect, like the effect of Mirror Image or Fire Shield, the answer is obvious. But what about spells that do not have any visible effect? Can you target a Resist Energy spell? Or a Dominate Person spell?
An arcane spellcaster can see magical auras through Arcane Sight (well, and through Detect Magic though the utility in combat seems to be limited), but can he distinguish between them? If you had several Abjuration spells that were all cast by the same caster, are you able to distinguish between them, and selectively banish a specific one?

B: How does targetting spells interact with preemptive measure like Counterspell rings or Spell Turning? Seems that you could bypass both measures of defense because they seem to only provide protection if the wearer or the caster are targetted by a spell.

Those questions would only arise, if I interpreted correctly that it is actually possible to choose which spell to banish from among several that are in effect on a caster.

-Malcer

 

[Hypersmurf]

A: How do you see active spells? If the spells have any visible effect, like the effect of Mirror Image or Fire Shield, the answer is obvious. But what about spells that do not have any visible effect? Can you target a Resist Energy spell? Or a Dominate Person spell?
An arcane spellcaster can see magical auras through Arcane Sight (well, and through Detect Magic though the utility in combat seems to be limited), but can he distinguish between them? If you had several Abjuration spells that were all cast by the same caster, are you able to distinguish between them, and selectively banish a specific one?

The rule for spells with a Target entry is that the caster must be able to "see or touch" the target. You can see or touch a Fire Shield; you cannot see or touch a Dominate Person.

With Arcane Sight, you know the number and location of all auras in line of sight, and can see them, so I would say you could certainly target a specific, say, Abjuration... but Arcane Sight doesn't tell you the difference between two Abjurations of similar level, so you might still have to guess which 3rd-level Abjuration you're dispelling.

Greater Arcane Sight would let you pick a specific spell by name.

Detect Magic, on the other hand, doesn't let you see auras; it just lets you sense them. Just as you cannot target an invisible pixie with a Magic Missile by making a Listen check, I'd say you can't target an abstract spell by sensing it with Detect Magic.

B: How does targetting spells interact with preemptive measure like Counterspell rings or Spell Turning? Seems that you could bypass both measures of defense because they seem to only provide protection if the wearer or the caster are targetted by a spell.

Sounds right.

-Hyp.

 

[Ovinomancer]

Of course, relating to the original question, I can see the caster of mirror image, thus fulfulling the targeting rules for dispel magic (barring invisibility, of course). Dispel magic does not require a attack roll, and is not subject to miss chances. Neither is magic missle. If you cast them at a mage with mirror image up, the mirror image does not affect your ability to target the caster. Its magic, it knows even if you don't.

 

[Hypersmurf]

If you cast them at a mage with mirror image up, the mirror image does not affect your ability to target the caster. Its magic, it knows even if you don't.

"Enemies attempting to attack you or cast spells at you must select from among indistinguishable targets. Generally, roll randomly to see whether the selected target is real or a figment."

-Hyp.

 

[Chronos]

Of course, relating to the original question, I can see the caster of mirror image, thus fulfulling the targeting rules for dispel magic (barring invisibility, of course). Dispel magic does not require a attack roll, and is not subject to miss chances. Neither is magic missle. If you cast them at a mage with mirror image up, the mirror image does not affect your ability to target the caster. Its magic, it knows even if you don't.

I agree, only spell with that need a hit roll can be the subject of miss chance by Mirror images. That is how we have always used images and targeted spells.

And i would target dispel the said mage with the images since it would give me a shot at all his spell and not just only the mirror image if i targeted that spell only.