Magic Missile and Fireball vs. Mirror Image

[NecessaryWeevil]

At sufficiently high caster levels, Magic Missile gives you multiple missiles, which can be independently targeted. Given that you have enough missiles, can you target one missile at each image of an enemy mage who's cast Mirror Image, thus damaging them and making them vanish? Why or why not?

Second question: do area effect spells damage (and thus destroy) each image? From the example given in the Mirror Image description I'm thinking "no" but it would be helpful to get a second opinion.

[Crake]

At sufficiently high caster levels, Magic Missile gives you multiple missiles, which can be independently targeted. Given that you have enough missiles, can you target one missile at each image of an enemy mage who's cast Mirror Image, thus damaging them and making them vanish? Why or why not?

Second question: do area effect spells damage (and thus destroy) each image? From the example given in the Mirror Image description I'm thinking "no" but it would be helpful to get a second opinion.

Yes, each magic missile would destroy an image, as each image is being individually targetted. As for area effects, the example is pretty clear that they do not destroy images.

[HighWater]

Yes, each magic missile would destroy an image, as each image is being individually targetted. As for area effects, the example is pretty clear that they do not destroy images.

To add:
You have to explicitly call out you're spreading the MMs out between different targets and a roll will determine whether you hit an image or the real deal (though I'd add that if a MM hits the real deal, the rest should automatically hit only images).

That Fireball won't kill the Images, but it can kill their creator. :smallbiggrin: