Silent Image -- How does it work now?

[Dalebert]

In some ways it's clearly better. It's concentration but that no longer means you have to spend every action maintaining it like in previous editions. But the wording on how it can move is... odd.

How are folks interpreting it? What can or can't you depict now with Silent Image?

Is the image completely still until you spend an action? For instance, might a tiger casually look around, blink, and flick its tail or is it going to look like a very detailed and colorful statue of a tiger? Could it be on a loop within the normal area? For instance, could a human guard be pacing back and forth across the opening to a hallway, stop and look occasionally, then get back to pacing?

Presumably from the new wording, you can't make the image engage in unnatural movements so an image of a bush isn't going to move at all. In theory, you can't morph the image from a human into a hobgoblin, but what if I say I'm not doing an image of a human? I'm doing an image of a rakshasa or succubus which can shapeshift.

Those are just a few of my thoughts. Interested in hearing various interpretations.

[MadGrady]

In some ways it's clearly better. It's concentration but that no longer means you have to spend every action maintaining it like in previous editions. But the wording on how it can move is... odd.

How are folks interpreting it? What can or can't you depict now with Silent Image?

Is the image completely still until you spend an action? For instance, might a tiger casually look around, blink, and flick its tail or is it going to look like a very detailed and colorful statue of a tiger? Could it be on a loop within the normal area? For instance, could a human guard be pacing back and forth across the opening to a hallway, stop and look occasionally, then get back to pacing?

Presumably from the new wording, you can't make the image engage in unnatural movements so an image of a bush isn't going to move at all. In theory, you can't morph the image from a human into a hobgoblin, but what if I say I'm not doing an image of a human? I'm doing an image of a rakshasa or succubus which can shapeshift.

Those are just a few of my thoughts. Interested in hearing various interpretations.

I think, and possibly also unfortunately, this might be one of those DM decisions. My personal opinion is that I would allow very basic lifelike movements (such as blinking and tail flapping as you mentioned) to come with the base part of the spell. It's what this spell is used for, so I'm good with that. To make it roar, lunge, run, walk, strut, pounce, etc I would rule you needed to use your concentration action (or whatever it takes, Im AFB at the moment.

[TheOOB]

I think, and possibly also unfortunately, this might be one of those DM decisions. My personal opinion is that I would allow very basic lifelike movements (such as blinking and tail flapping as you mentioned) to come with the base part of the spell. It's what this spell is used for, so I'm good with that. To make it roar, lunge, run, walk, strut, pounce, etc I would rule you needed to use your concentration action (or whatever it takes, Im AFB at the moment.

I mostly agree with this, the description implies that the image is not paticuarly animated without you spending an action, but the image should be belivable

[Shadow]

I interpret the movement as movement through space, not movement within its space.
You could make your hypothetical tiger move in very lifelike animations, such as standing up, growling, wagging its tail, etc, as part of concentration without action. If you want that tiger to appear to move from point A to point B, it costs your action.

Incidentally, I also restrict minor illusion to no movement at all, in any way. You could create the illusion of a door, but not of fire. That's what higher level illusions are for.

[Dalebert]

Incidentally, I also restrict minor illusion to no movement at all, in any way. You could create the illusion of a door, but not of fire. That's what higher level illusions are for.

I actually thought the spell explicitly stated this limitation but apparently not. Just reread it. I guess I just assumed objects don't move but then a few instances occurred to me like a clock (or I guess any kind of clockwork). It does explicitly state light can't be created so a fire or a lit candle is out.

The Silent Image and Minor Illusion (for sound) make a great combo. It's really best to have both. Take the warlock invocations for Silent Image and Disguise Self at-will and you can be quite the trickster.