Silent Image: The Moving Pictures
Usable By: Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard
Spell Level: 1
School: Illusion
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
Components: V, S, M (a bit of fleece)
You create the image of an object, a creature, or some other visible phenomenon that is no larger than a 15-‐‑foot cube. The image appears at a spot within range and lasts for the duration. The image is purely visual; it isn’t accompanied by sound, smell, or other sensory effects.
You can use your action to cause the image to move to any spot within range. As the image changes location, you can alter its appearance so that its movements appear natural for the image. For example, if you create an image of a creature and move it, you can alter the image so that it appears to be walking.
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.
Review by Sam West, Twitter:@CrierKobold
Like all illusion magic, Silent Image’s power varies wildly from table to table. Are you the kind of player that loves coming up with out of box solutions involving things that don’t normally exist? Are you at a table that doesn’t expect illusions everywhere and check for them frequently? If so, Silent Image can be an exceptional tool to have in your arsenal. Otherwise it can feel nearly pointless, or at least extremely challenging to get use out of.
Creating a 15 ft. silent creature or object is tricky. Sure, you can make the image of a huge monster like an adult red dragon, but you’re going to have to figure out why its not making any sound when it's only up to sixty feet away. This tends to leave the spell feeling like an expanded version of Minor Illusion where you’re able to make larger objects appear, and can manipulate them as you need to.
The utility here is fairly robust, but not that much more so than the utility you’re getting with the image half of Minor Illusion. I probably would put both of these at around the same power level in a vacuum, as the main differences are the image size, the ability to make the image a creature, and Minor Illusions bonus sound mode. If you’re ever looking to make a medium or smaller object with Silent Image, you probably could have just done it with Minor Illusion.
Still, a 1st level slot isn’t a huge ask for this effect. Sometimes having a figure pass by a window is exactly what you need to have happen. As a part of a larger plan, Silent Image offers you the appearance of any creature you’d like; impersonating a guard captain can be in the realm of possibility with some thrown voices and specific perspectives.
Major Image is a major upgrade from this, as it adds in sounds, smells, and temperatures to help really sell the illusion. Minor Illusion is a side-grade; if you’re not getting Silent Image from the warlock invocation Misty Visions I’d probably start with that instead. If you do find yourself casting Minor Illusion a bit and do want a larger object option or a creature option, Silent Image can absolutely be what you need.
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