Silent Flanker?

[lotofsnow]

Can the illusion created by the Silent Image spell flank a creature? Let's say I create a silent image of a menacing wolf on the far side of a goblin, would the fighter on the near side get a flanking bonus until the goblin interacts with my image and succeeds in disbelieving?

[hewhosaysfish]

By RAW, I don't think so. (It cannot attack and so does not threaten and so does not flank... even though the goblin realises none of this )
If I were GMing, yes it would.

[Tyger]

Short answer: Yes. At least in my game.

Long answer: The goblin believes the wolf to be real, thus a threat. They will then attempt to dodge the bites of the wolf. Therefore, they are treating the illusion as a "creature or character" friendly to their real opponent. As such, the flanking bonus should apply.

RAW is sketchy here though. One could argue otherwise.

[lukelightning]

I'd say yes, but then would rule that the flanked creature gets a will save each round, as it would have constant interaction.

[The Prince of Cats]

I'd say yes, but then would rule that the flanked creature gets a will save each round, as it would have constant interaction.

I would agree with this. I am of the school of thought that says that a single round is more than one back-and-forth. They are probably dodging and parrying the wolf's blows, so all it would take is a single attack that connects and does not touch them to ruin the illusion...

I like illusions, so I would let my player get the flanking bonus. The DC for the save would drop each round though...

[lotofsnow]

The DC for the save would drop each round though...

That's a good idea. Maybe, since this is kind of a gray area, I'll bring it up with this stipulation.

[Fixer]

I like lukelightning's solution and dislike the reduction in saving throw each round. For criminy's sake, it's a 1st level spell. The save DC is paltry anyway.

[Jasdoif]

As mentioned above, this is not allowed by RAW. To flank, your opponent has to be threatened by a creature on the opposite side of you. A silent image is not a creature, nor does it threaten.

This is a cousin of the "invisible creatures still flank you when you can't see they're threatening you" scenario. No, it makes little sense. Rules of the game has an unofficial rule regarding flanking that you might be interested in, if this kind of thing bothers you.

Remember three things with this situation, though:

• The usual flanking spell, summon monster and similar, takes a round to cast; while silent image takes a standard action.
• Silent image has a duration of Concentration, meaning it could last longer or shorter then the summon monster flanker.
• Silent image has a duration of Concentration, meaning you can't take any other standard actions or cast other spells while you're maintaining the image.

It's up to you (well, your DM if you aren't the DM) if this is acceptable or not.

[Fax Celestis]

Silent image has a duration of Concentration, meaning you can't take any other standard actions or cast other spells while you're maintaining the image.

This is what sonorous hum is for.

[Pestlepup]

I'm with Tybalt (I.e. Prince_of_Cats ) and lukelightning on this. Though the illusionary wolf would likely manage to flank the goblin for only a round or two. Three to four at best. That's for four basic reasons. 1) The wolf has no scent. Even a bit brighter goblin will pick that up fast. 2) The wolf makes no sound. This is almost the trickiest part. No growl, no bark, no claws scraping the ground, no nothing. A dumber one might think it a ghost wolf, but not for long. 3) Easy; no substance. Once either makes contact, it's blown ruse all around. 4) Unless the caster REALLY knows what he/she's doing, the wolf won't act like a wolf. At best, like a dog, but I betcha by golly that any out-of-the-woods goblin knows more about actual wolves than your standard city-caster.

[Miles Invictus]

RAW, it doesn't provide flanking...but I'd happily house rule that it flanks for one round (maybe two rounds for low HD creatures). It's a clever use of the spell and it makes sense that the sudden appearance of a dangerous creature would provide a momentary distraction.

[lukelightning]

What's embarassing is when you make an illusion of a wolf to flank a goblin...then find out the goblin is an illusion.

[Pestlepup]

RAW schmaw. If it works and is not broken, let 'em use it as long as it makes sense.

OT: I suffer from a condition I've come to call Babel's Eyes (I also have Babel's Ears and, I suspect, Babel's Head). It translates roughly into that what I see and what I think I saw don't always exactly meet. Take the name of this thread, for example. My eyes (hopefully) inform my brain that it reads "Silent Flanker?". What I thought I saw was... less savory. Suffice to say the consecutive letters "F" and "L" registered as a single letter, which was neither of the one's I actually saw. Still, it managed to pique my interest, as it very well might have been a more... exotic... prestige class for rogues and ninjas.

[lotofsnow]

Still, it managed to pique my interest, as it very well might have been a more... exotic... prestige class for rogues and ninjas.

Or beguilers, as the case may be.