Right after casting mirror images

[LordHenry]

... wouldn't I be distinguishable in that my images appear next to me (or even in my square as it was suggested in the FAQ), and without movement on my part after casting, it would be quite obvious who the "right" me is, wouldn't it?

In particular I'm thinking about greater mirror image, the spell being a immediate action would not allow me to move if not cast while it's my turn.

I know there are many threads about that ominous spell (or it's lvl 2 version), but strangely I have never seen that question in particular coming up - and it occurs to me that for this spell it is very decisive how to handle the situation right after casting.
Maybe it's obvious and that's the reason I have never seen that question. Generally, I'd like answers according to RAW if that even exists, I may very well make my own opinion, but I'm more interested if there is the one "right" answer.

[jaybird]

"Moving" around in your square doesn't count as movement.

[LordHenry]

I see, so as long as my images are in the same square as I am, there should not be a problem.. but what if they are the possible 5ft away from me?

[TuggyNE]

I see, so as long as my images are in the same square as I am, there should not be a problem.. but what if they are the possible 5ft away from me?

Presumably, even if you've already made a 5' step or moved that turn, some of your images can remain in your square to confuse your enemies, and the others are close enough to still act as a distraction (given that it would take a careful observer with metagame knowledge to realize that one of them had apparently, say, taken two 5' steps in the same round).

[jackattack]

"These figments separate from you... You can move into and through a mirror image. When you and the mirror image separate, observers can’t [...] tell which one is you and which the image."

The mirror images don't just appear around you. You appear to split into multiple instances of yourself. And if a couple of steps within your square are part of the somatic component of the spell, then a casual observer won't be able to tell which one is which.

[danzibr]

"These figments separate from you... You can move into and through a mirror image. When you and the mirror image separate, observers can’t [...] tell which one is you and which the image."

The mirror images don't just appear around you. You appear to split into multiple instances of yourself. And if a couple of steps within your square are part of the somatic component of the spell, then a casual observer won't be able to tell which one is which.
Yeah, I was under the impression that they appear, like, overlapping with you then walk off.

[LordHenry]

Yeah, I was under the impression that they appear, like, overlapping with you then walk off.

But that seems a lot like my problem, it's your turn. You want to charge me with that greatsword of yours. I cast greater mirror images. You:"Nice try bro, but all your images just moved quite a lot, whilst you just moved a little within your square."

Unless some appear in my square, it seems that it's necessary to a least move 5ft. to deceive others.

[TuggyNE]

But that seems a lot like my problem, it's your turn. You want to charge me with that greatsword of yours. I cast greater mirror images. You:"Nice try bro, but all your images just moved quite a lot, whilst you just moved a little within your square."

The world is not actually divided into neat little 5' squares with the borders marked off, and the spell nowhere says the images cannot share your space (in fact the 3.5 FAQ suggests all of them do in fact share a space, although that's not RAW). Taken together, the effect of casting (greater) mirror image is to produce a dense cloud of identical duplicates that scatter out to be mostly separate. It is impossible to tell which of those is the caster, because you can't tell where the 5' square begins or ends. For example, the caster might start out within six inches of their actual (metagame) square's border and cast this spell, then move 4' over to the other side of the square. Meanwhile, one of their images nudges 1' over the line, which would be a 5' step. Which of those actually moved the furthest to the eyes of the oncoming greatsword-wielder?

[ahenobarbi]

But that seems a lot like my problem, it's your turn. You want to charge me with that greatsword of yours. I cast greater mirror images. You:"Nice try bro, but all your images just moved quite a lot, whilst you just moved a little within your square."

Unless some appear in my square, it seems that it's necessary to a least move 5ft. to deceive others.

Than have them appear in your square :smallbiggrin: