Disguise self, but only changing the colour scheme...

[dehro]

normally, a disguise self does not hold up to scrutiny when you add things like a hat or change your appearance substantially.
what happens if you keep everything as it is, same face, same build, same hairstyle, same clothes.. but just change the colours?
would that be just as "easy" as usual to catch?

[RogueJK]

RAW, that has no beneficial effect and is just as easy to notice with an Investigation check.

But personally, I grant Disadvantage to the ability check to notice minor Disguise Self changes, like merely changing skin tone or clothing color, or simply deleting something small like hiding a ring on your finger or a coin purse on your belt.

[clash]

The check to investigate the disguise doesn't increase in difficulty but as a dm it needs to be questioned why the character was making the check. Why are they scrutinizing your appearance. I would argue a color scheme change offers very little reason or opportunity for the reason arise that someone would inspect your outfit and make the check.

[Unoriginal]

normally, a disguise self does not hold up to scrutiny when you add things like a hat or change your appearance substantially.
what happens if you keep everything as it is, same face, same build, same hairstyle, same clothes.. but just change the colours?
would that be just as "easy" as usual to catch?

I mean, most people would be able to recognize someone if everything about them was the same except the color. Black-and-white photos, for one example.

So it wouldn't be a very good disguise.

If it's a "the suspect is a bearded blonde wearing a blue cloak" situation, then it has a chance of working, but in that case it would be the same difficulty as any other investigating-a-Disguise-spell situation, with the catch that many may not think to investigate someone not corresponding to the description given when things are happening fast.

[Chronos]

I think the OP is referring to incidental contact, not investigation. For instance, if a dragonborn wizard used Disguise Self to look human, and then shakes your hand, you'll notice that their hand feels scaly and clawed, not like a human hand, and thus realize what's going on. But if a human uses the spell to change their skin color, then they should still be able to pass the handshake test, because a dark human hand feels the same as a light human hand.

[Lord Vukodlak]

I mean, most people would be able to recognize someone if everything about them was the same except the color. Black-and-white photos, for one example.

So it wouldn't be a very good disguise.
Sure it is.


If it's a "the suspect is a bearded blonde wearing a blue cloak" situation, then it has a chance of working, but in that case it would be the same difficulty as any other investigating-a-Disguise-spell situation, with the catch that many may not think to investigate someone not corresponding to the description given when things are happening fast.
That would be the point, if you're spotted the description given won't be accurate. You don't wear the disguise when walking around town. You wear the disguise when doing the nefarious things.

[dehro]

I'm playing a half-duegar/half mountain-dwarf warlock who is physically indistinguishable from any other dwarven subrace... Long braided beard and all...
Except of course for the pale skin, his eyes and the whiteness of his hair and the above-mentioned beard.
He would in fact use disguise self to not advertise his mixed heritage in regular social interactions to avoid unnecessary complications and explanations, no nefarious intent.

[Unoriginal]

Sure it is.

That would be the point, if you're spotted the description given won't be accurate. You don't wear the disguise when walking around town. You wear the disguise when doing the nefarious things.

Again, most people are able to recognize someone even with the colors switched.

Ex: If you show this:

https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/36/750x445/966131.jpg

And then this:

https://starwarsblog.starwars.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/EP1_IA_72118-copy-1536x864-433723767381.jpg

Most people will be able to see it is indeed the same person, even if the colors are different and the first picture is pretty blurry. And it's not due just to the face tattoo.

So if you're out committing nefarious deeds with your altered color scheme and people do take a good look at your features beyond said color scheme, then they'll most likely be able to recognize you and oftentime describe you even if you go back to your regular color scheme.

If they don't get a good look at you, like if you're running in a dark alley, then it's likely to work, but a disguise that only works if people don't take a good look at you isn't a good disguise.


I'm playing a half-duegar/half mountain-dwarf warlock who is physically indistinguishable from any other dwarven subrace... Long braided beard and all...
Except of course for the pale skin, his eyes and the whiteness of his hair and the above-mentioned beard.
He would in fact use disguise self to not advertise his mixed heritage in regular social interactions to avoid unnecessary complications and explanations, no nefarious intent.

Well in this case people who meet your character are likely not going to be investigating the PC's appearance enough to notice there is an illusion on them, but those who do the investigation will notice the illusion with the same difficulty as any Disguise spell.

[Frogreaver]

Again, most people are able to recognize someone even with the colors switched.

Ex: If you show this:

https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/36/750x445/966131.jpg

And then this:

https://starwarsblog.starwars.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/EP1_IA_72118-copy-1536x864-433723767381.jpg

Most people will be able to see it is indeed the same person, even if the colors are different and the first picture is pretty blurry. And it's not due just to the face tattoo.

So if you're out committing nefarious deeds with your altered color scheme and people do take a good look at your features beyond said color scheme, then they'll most likely be able to recognize you and oftentime describe you even if you go back to your regular color scheme.

If they don't get a good look at you, like if you're running in a dark alley, then it's likely to work, but a disguise that only works if people don't take a good look at you isn't a good disguise.



Well in this case people who meet your character are likely not going to be investigating the PC's appearance enough to notice there is an illusion on them, but those who do the investigation will notice the illusion with the same difficulty as any Disguise spell.

IMO.

Police come to scene of crime where suspect has fled. They get a description of a white man with red hair with X other features. The unknown suspect 3 blocks away changes his skin back to be dark and hair to be black. The witness would recognize the suspect but the police probably would never find the correct suspect even though the witness could probably recognize him if they did.

[Lord Vukodlak]

Again, most people are able to recognize someone even with the colors switched.

Ex: If you show this:

https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/36/750x445/966131.jpg

And then this:

https://starwarsblog.starwars.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/EP1_IA_72118-copy-1536x864-433723767381.jpg

Most people will be able to see it is indeed the same person, even if the colors are different and the first picture is pretty blurry. And it's not due just to the face tattoo.

So if you're out committing nefarious deeds with your altered color scheme and people do take a good look at your features beyond said color scheme, then they'll most likely be able to recognize you and often time describe you even if you go back to your regular color scheme.
First, this is using a photo and not a written or spoken description.
But lets go with this for a second
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/602x581q90/923/4Y23tO.png
Try and find the man on the right with a description of the man on the left. Or vica versa. Not a photo just a description. I cut out the head spines as those are kinda a dead give away, and would need to be covered up in any disguise. He also played Toad in the first X-Man film.


IMO.
Police come to scene of crime where suspect has fled. They get a description of a white man with red hair with X other features. The unknown suspect 3 blocks away changes his skin back to be dark and hair to be black. The witness would recognize the suspect but the police probably would never find the correct suspect even though the witness could probably recognize him if they did.

This, also throw in freckles for full ginger effect.

[Anymage]

RAW, anyone with incentive to closely investigate you can still make the check. Which makes sense. If you plastered on makeup someone investigating you closely could tell that you were wearing some. A full body illusion could very easily have flaws and telltale signs that an alert enough investigator could spot.

Just like subtle makeup, however, most people are not likely to be paying close enough attention to justify a check. Especially without any telltale mismatches between visual and tactile experiences. If you go somewhere that the guests are expected to face heavy scrutiny before getting in the door, you might slip up. (Also, such places tend to look out for magic which would be a complication anyways.) Day to day around town, I'd rule that nobody would have reason to scrutinize you too closely and encourage your DM to do the same. The time limit and slot cost are already complicating enough.

[Unoriginal]

IMO.

Police come to scene of crime where suspect has fled. They get a description of a white man with red hair with X other features. The unknown suspect 3 blocks away changes his skin back to be dark and hair to be black. The witness would recognize the suspect but the police probably would never find the correct suspect even though the witness could probably recognize him if they did.

Not disagreeing on that, but again it means you need to avoid anyone who saw you directly in order to not be discovered.

Imagine if it was Gotham City and the Riddler was doing the color-switch disguise. The police may have troubles identifying him if witnesses describe him as a a blonde with a tan, but if someone who knows what the Riddler look like (including most of the GCPD) sees his face, the disguise isn't going to hold.

So sure, it's a disguise that can help if you're only worried about eyewitnesses giving a wrong description of you, but if you get seen while stealing the Duke's papers you should probably avoid going to the Duke's place the next day with your normal color scheme.

To me that makes it not a very good disguise.

[Chronos]

The two pictures of Darth Maul aren't very convincing, because in the blue one, we know that the blue is just because of whatever-the-heck hologram technology the Star Wars universe uses. We see that, and we know to ignore the blue, and think of someone who looks like that except not necessarily blue. But if both of them were clearly actual skin colors, and they were skin colors that were actually fairly common for members of that species, it'd be a lot harder. If you take a High Elf, and shift their skin, hair, and eye color to match a Drow, then an observer wouldn't automatically recognize them on sight (they might, if they were looking closely, realize that all of the facial features are exactly the same shape, but that'd be an Investigation check).

[Damon_Tor]

An extreme color change (hair, skin, etc) is just one part of the potential for a disguise that changes no shapes. You can age a face dramatically by adding creases and wrinkles. Makeup by design changes the apparent contours and symmetry of a face, and doing the same by flushing cheeks, darkening the eyelids, changing the apparent fullness of the lips etc are all good ways to appear very different without making any tangible changes at all.


https://www.dreampirates.in/images/img/07-05-2019-4562-scarlett-johansson-(51).jpg