Minor Illusion question.

[rel]

The spell says 'objects' but then mentions footprints. Just what is the limit of what can be made? mud? liquids? smoke? metal so hot the air around it shimmers?

Do people think you can create an illusionary object that moves?

Say a trolley rolling across the floor or a potted plant with branches waving in the wind.

Assuming you can create a moving image Can you adjust the illusion on the fly or does any motion have to be pre-programmed?

Finally, if you can move the image is there any reason you have to stick to mundane objects or could you make fantastic creations?

maybe a sword that floats about menacingly or a statue that shifts slightly as if breathing.

[Balthasaurus]

Minor Illusion cannot create an illusion that looks like it is moving naturally. That would require multiple castings of the spell, and at best a slightly jerky movement as the object "teleports" short distances. For a more realistic illusion, try Silent Image. It is a 1st level spell, and I believe you can use your action to move the illusion and make that movement look natural (it's in the spell description).

[Tanarii]

It might be able to create an illusion of an object something that "moves" naturally in place. Like a boiling pot of water. That's on the DM.

Same with moving in place reactively, such as branches moving in the wind. Although personally that sounds like the kind of thing it wouldn't do ... and an action to take an Investigation check would reveal. Even the above boiling pot of water might be missing steam rising from it, giving it away if investigated.
(Remember an investigation check is a non-physical interaction. IMX usually visual, although auditory causes might reveal it too.)

IMO it definitely shouldn't allow an object to move around, like a trolley rolling across the floor, or a spinning wheel spinning. That'd require a silent image spell.

Some things my players commonly use this spell for visually:
- Pools of blood. Oh my gad, so many pools of blood!
- Muddy footprints/tracks. (Not to be confused with footprints/tracks in mud, which I also allow.)
- Objects to hide behind in a hurry. Details vary by location. Furniture and bushes are the most common.
- Distractions. Obviously out of place objects that make a creature go wtf for a crucial second.
- Fake doors overlaying walls. This can be quite hilarious when confused enemies are trying to beat a retreat. Also once a fake open window from the second floor, which an enemy then tried to jump out of.
(Rule of cool on that one. I was like, how can I not have the enemy do exactly what the player wants in this case? :smallamused: )

[SirGraystone]

Since Silent Image do say you can have the illusion move, and Minor Illusion doesn't say, I would assume that no, you can not make a minor illusion move. But a lot would depend of your DM.

[tieren]

Move isn't terribly well defined i the illusion spells.

In silent image it is perfectly clear you can use your action to move the illusion to a new space and make it appear natural in moving there (walking instead of teleporting) but it isn't clear if it can move within its space once there and you aren't using an action.

Suppose you make the illusion of a lion, does it sit perfectly still like a statue, then get up and move naturally while the caster uses and action, then wind up somewhere else still as a statue again?

If you assume some natural in place motion is included, there isn't any real explicit language to support that and the same assumption could be made for minor illusion, to create a clock with moving hands or something that moves but doesn't leave the initial 5 foot cube (noting of course you can't make creatures).

All illusions are mostly DM fiat, talk to him about it.

[Tanarii]

If you assume some natural in place motion is included, there isn't any real explicit language to support that and the same assumption could be made for minor illusion, to create a clock with moving hands or something that moves but doesn't leave the initial 5 foot cube (noting of course you can't make creatures).
My go to examples so far have been:
- A pot of boiling water
- a turning spinning wheel

Mentally adding for future M.I. threads:
- leaves moving in the wind
- clock with moving second hand

A minute hand generally wouldn't matter for the last one, since the spell only lasts a minute. And of course the lack of ticking might make people suspicious. Heck, a clock might make people suspicious if technology is pretty low in-world. It'd be a good distraction in that case. :smallwink:

[Segev]

In general, "ask your GM" is the best advice you can get for spells this...nebulous.

I would personally allow anything required for the thing created to actually look realistic, provided you're not requiring it to react to external stimulus.

As for the example of "muddy footprints," I figure it's a patch of illusory mud on the surface of the ground, with footprints embedded in it. The "object" is thus the patch of mud.