Prestidigitation soiling in combat

[KernelKertz]

Does anything RAW prevent me from using Prestidigitation to soil:

a face with tar, obscuring vision?
a bowstring with oil, making it slippery?
a quiver with spiderwebs, trapping arrows?
a component pouch’s interior with honey, making components hard to use?

[Unoriginal]

Does anything RAW prevent me from using Prestidigitation to soil:

a face with tar, obscuring vision?
a bowstring with oil, making it slippery?
a quiver with spiderwebs, trapping arrows?
a component pouch’s interior with honey, making components hard to use?

Yes. A bit of tar on a face isn't going to obscure vision (alternatively, humanoid skin isn't 1ft cube, and a face isn't a separate object from the body). A bit of oil on a bowstring won't make it slippery enough to affect anything. A bit of spiderwebs won't trap any arrows. And putting honey in a component's pouch won't do anything aside from dirtying stuff a bit.

Also, it says that you soil it, not that you can control the kind of soiling.

Prestidigitation's effects have no power in combat. Aside from arguably starting/snuffing a small fire in some cases.

[nickl_2000]

Does anything RAW prevent me from using Prestidigitation to soil:

a face with tar, obscuring vision?
a bowstring with oil, making it slippery?
a quiver with spiderwebs, trapping arrows?
a component pouch’s interior with honey, making components hard to use?

I wouldn't allow any of them personally. Due to several things.

a face with tar, obscuring vision?
It soils an object, a face is not an object. Even if you tried to do this on a helmet I still wouldn't allow it since you would making the helmet dirty with the spell, not adding tar to it...

Now if someone was wearing goggles of night (or other goggles) and you soiled the lenses of the goggles, I would certainly allow this.


a bowstring with oil, making it slippery?
a quiver with spiderwebs, trapping arrows?
a component pouch’s interior with honey, making components hard to use?
Again this is an issue of soiling. These are creating an object (spiderwebs, honey, or oil) not just making it dirty. Now, I would allow the component pouch with create food/water spell.

[BLC1975]

I would say all are too specific. It's supposed to be a basic training spell so the definition of "soil" in my opinion would be to just make it dirty or grubby and not conjure a specific thing, such as tar or web etc. I don't think the spell is designed to be that complex in nature.

[kamap]

Like all the above said "soil" is not as specific as with what it is soiled with.

Though the bowstring could maybe be done with mage hand undoing the string and the quiver could also be done with mage hand, tipping over the quiver or grabbing the arrows.

[Contrast]

If a DM let these work my immediate response would be to 'soil' my coin pouch by filling it with gold coins. It makes stuff dirty, it doesn't let you summon all items at will in any form or location of your choosing.

[BLC1975]

a face with tar, obscuring vision? --> a face is not an object, so RAW wont work.
a bowstring with oil, making it slippery? --> should work if your DM lets you decide that you can choose what "soil" means and can therefore choose oil. --> You could try to undo the bowstring with mage hand.
a quiver with spiderwebs, trapping arrows? --> spiderwebs are easy to get trough wouldn't really be a deterrent but again see above. --> You could tip the quiver out with mage hand, or take the arrows out with mage hand.
a component pouch’s interior with honey, making components hard to use? --> Again ask DM if you can choose the "soil" also I think it states that you need to be able to see the inside then.

I wouldn't think a bowstring attached to a bow would fit inside a 1ft cube? Same for a quiver?

[Unoriginal]

If a DM let these work my immediate response would be to 'soil' my coin pouch by filling it with gold coins. It makes stuff dirty, it doesn't let you summon all items at will in any form or location of your choosing.

I'm going to soil my moneybag with diamond dust. Also soil my opponent's lungs with diamond dust.

[kamap]

Depening if you go by volume or actual size.

Prestidigitations most frequent use is to clean dirty clothes after combat.
Now clothes when folded and stacked together easily fit that 1ft cube.
Worn they do not.
So if its the volume of the object then you can clean your clothes while wearing them, else you'll need to strip, fold them, clean them and put them back on.

[Blacky the Blackball]

I think this is one of those common cases where RAW doesn't specify so you have to go with what your DM says - and most DMs would probably agree that the RAI is that the spell is for "quality of life" roleplaying and is not designed to be a combat spell; therefore these sorts of tricks are beyond its power.

[noob]

Do casting prestidigitation allows to have wish at will?
it is not said it does not grants that.
you are exactly going with a way of thinking that leads to that:under pretext it does not says which way it soils you think "oh it will let me pick" so we could also say "it can clean my lack of wish out of the structure of the multiverse which is small enough since the multiverse can be seen as a negligible volume in the far realms therefore I can get wish at will and anyway if you argue it is not purely nonliving matter I will just argue back that life is not meaningful"
or yet "now that I did put the head of that person in a compactor it is small enough for being cleaned of its death"
Or "I am going to soil with gold that real life dice which is close enough to my player in order to make it fall on the right face and make my player gain gold"

[JoeJ]

Depening if you go by volume or actual size.

Prestidigitations most frequent use is to clean dirty clothes after combat.
Now clothes when folded and stacked together easily fit that 1ft cube.
Worn they do not.
So if its the volume of the object then you can clean your clothes while wearing them, else you'll need to strip, fold them, clean them and put them back on.

It doesn't say that it has to fit in a 1' cube, though, it says a volume no larger than 1 cubic foot. Those are two different things. A wooden post 3" in diameter and 20 feet long has a volume of a little less than 1 cubic foot, and could therefore be soiled or cleaned by this cantrip, even though it obviously won't fit inside a 1' cube.

[EvilAnagram]

I think the only combat application of Prestidigitation is making it look like the commander of your foes widdled his pants, undermining his authority.

[SpanielBear]

Casting it stealthily on the Barbarian, so it looks like no matter how many hits he takes he's still fresh and good to go. Give an advantage to intimidate.

[kamap]

Thank you JoeJ for clearing that up so that bow with a bowstring has less volume then 1 cubic foot so it could be soiled or cleaned.
Same with the worn clothes, armor and such if it has a volume less or equal to 1 cubic foor you can soil it or clean it but not choose how it is soiled, it just generally durty and might be wet or dry "soil".

[qube]

a bowstring with oil, making it slippery?Which does ... what, exactly?
considering the poundage of a bow, it's not you draw the string by pressing thumb & index finger together - you draw the string by hooking it (be it by bending your finger in a hook-shape, using an archery thumb ring, etc ...). Hooking a slippery string is equally easy as hooking a normal string

[mgshamster]

I'd allow things like that to grant advantage to an ally, basically making it the same as the Help Action, but with a magical theme. But since we're using the help action, I'd also say that you'd have to fulfill the same conditions for it to apply.

It just gives it more flavor.

[Innocent_bystan]

I'd allow things like that to grant advantage to an ally, basically making it the same as the Help Action, but with a magical theme. But since we're using the help action, I'd also say that you'd have to fulfill the same conditions for it to apply.

It just gives it more flavor.
I rule the same: creative cantrip use = help action, possibly at range.

This also solves a lot of the Minor Illusion discussions. My players know exactly what to expect effect-wise when they get creative.

[DM.rpg.J4R3D]

All of the below is subject to DM discretion but there are some pretty cool things you can do in combat with the right interpretation of the rules...

1). Unremovable Blindfold
Make a color mark or small symbol on the surface of an object within 10 feet for 1 hour?
-Black marks covering surface of eyes for 1 hour, blinding anything without true sight... for 1 hour
2). Infinite Blow-Darts
Summon a nonmagical trinket that fits in your hand lasting until end of next turn?
-Make a needle one turn, fire it next turn. Not super good for dpr unless...
-needle poisoned with purple worm poison or whatever is in your campaign setting, you could even blow it out by creating a puff of wind next turn with the same spell (this one is stretching it quite a bit)
3). Cesium Bomb
This one is a very big stretch but:
-Make a non-magical trinket that is a class sphere with two separated compartments, one with H2O and the other with Cs. Throw next turn and BOOM!

Don't be mad and try and explain to me why I'm wrong, you're relatively correct as am I, this is a single interpretation of the rules and yours may be different and correct to your group. Debating or debunking is cool as long as you bein chill.

[JackPhoenix]

1). Unremovable Blindfold
Make a color mark or small symbol on the surface of an object within 10 feet for 1 hour?
-Black marks covering surface of eyes for 1 hour, blinding anything without true sight... for 1 hour

Creature isn't an object, so it's invalid target.


2). Infinite Blow-Darts
Summon a nonmagical trinket that fits in your hand lasting until end of next turn?
-Make a needle one turn, fire it next turn. Not super good for dpr unless...
-needle poisoned with purple worm poison or whatever is in your campaign setting, you could even blow it out by creating a puff of wind next turn with the same spell (this one is stretching it quite a bit)

Weapons aren't trinkets.

The last one makes a lot of assumption on how the world works, what the characters know about element that doesn't exist in pure state in nature and was discovered using technology far beyond what's available in D&D, and what constitutes a trinket.

[sambojin]

There are a surprisingly large amount of useful trinkets to summon though.

There's a doll with needles for your thrown dart/blowgun idea for instance. A gnome music box to throw as a distraction. A one ounce unknown material orb for throwing. A brass orb as thrown or sling ammunition. A silver star badge for a really bad shuriken. Metal cups that emit sparks when wet for a shock-helper/firelighter. A small weightless block (there has to be something you can do with this. Truly weightless would hold an infinite load for a free one-round of levitation) . A dead sprite inside a bottle (resurrection target for a free, good familiar). A whistle for signalling or distraction. A glass ornament with a fish inside (that would cause horrible injuries when thrown at someone). A silver skull or an old unknown gold coin (distraction by way of value). A pyramid of black sticky incense (there's your handful of tar, now throw it at their face). A small packet of pink dust (anti-invis on-call). Various water containers and teardrops (never go thirsty, for one round). A set of bone pipes (more sonic distraction). A vial of dragon blood (carnivore distraction, shark bait, really good soiling). An ancient elven arrow (free ammo or stabby stuff). An unbendable needle (more stabby stuff). An empty bottle of wine (glassing people features fairly highly on what Prestidigitation does). Lard in a glass (more glassing, or potential slipperiness).

Curse of Stradt has even more.
A set of silverware (animate object target). A lantern (mini-light cantrip). A hand mirror (anti-basilisk/medusa device). A key to the family crypt (you automatically get a free crypt in the gameworld, backstory it in. Could be all kinds of useful stuff there. Might not be combat related, but still cool). Another music box that plays while you dance (I'd give performance advantage with this). Another whistle. Another mirror that shows an older reflection. More music boxes. More silver stuff. A spool of thread that never runs out (gotta be something good to do in combat within one round with this). And lots of other stuff.

So if you can pick the trinket, Prestidigitation is very versatile. It's a mini-summon-anything, as long as you're creative. At worst, it's improvised throwing and (silver) thumping weapons. At best it can help solve all kinds of situations (mirrors and anti-invis dust being pretty high on the list to have on-call). Lots of stuff to make it worth distraction or help action bonus points worthy anyway.

This might not have anything to do with the soiling/cleaning part of the cantrip, but it's the part that would do the stuff the OP was asking for. If you can choose your trinket, it's a truly amazing cantrip, for all kinds of stuff.