The rules, in this case are pretty clear. The spell never mentions mirrors or reflections, it “summons illusory duplicates." Spell names aren’t indicative of their mechanical effect. See Chill Touch.
There’s also vampire wizard statblock that has Mirror Image on its spell list.
It would be funny if the spell just failed though.
If anobody feels like a variation on a known image macro:
I’ll make a nice transparancied version and post it :)
You and Khonsi truly are treasures.
But do their mirror images show in a mirror, as the mirror image itself isn’t a vampire?
Now I want to know wether the rules allow you to stand perfectly inside your mirror image (don’t have a 5th ed./any other D&D ed. rulebook to check myself, sorry)… Because if it does (without going all wavy or otherwise distorting) and it casts a reflection this could be a fun “find the hidden vampire in this banquet hall with mirrors” scenario!
I think the illusory duplicates made by the magic are designed to “move around in your space” to make it hard to tell which one is actually you - the purpose of the spell is to make you harder to hit, so it’s behaviour probably works to let that happen. It’d also be very difficult to get away with it in a social setting because you have to cast the spell first, it makes four duplicates, and they don’t last that long…
Now on the other hand… Trickery Cleric “invoke duplicity” allows you to control the movements of the duplicate (which is incorporeal), so it might be possible to hide it inside you if you were really practiced. Konsi sometimes summons it in her exact position while standing still, then uses her second channel divinity slot to turn invisible and run away.
It’ll only give you cover for a moment, but if they’re doing some sort of “check every visitor for vampirism” check on the door, it might get you past.
I genuinely appreciate the technical breakdown. 💜
I suppose it depends on whether applying the mirror to a vampire with mirror image counts as an “attack.” It is an action that functions similarly to a divination spell. If the Vampire casts Mirror Image, and then you try to “target” the vampire with the mirror, there’s a chance you target one of the mirror images, and it would be visible in the mirror.
Vampires also don’t cast a shadow, and Mirror Images are identical images, so none of them would cast a shadow. So while the mirror trick might not work against a vampire who has cast Mirror Image, you would be able to use any light source, including ambient light, to check if any of the images are casting a shadow.
I don’t I can make a good case for “looking in a mirror” to use the “attack” rules. If it’s an attack you’d have to make an attack roll (if you’re not making an attack roll, it’s not an attack.)
Likely, if there was a d20 roll involved, it’d be a perception check.
If you ask my opinion only silver mirrors don’t show vampires
That’s based on the idea that vampires are weak to silver, right? In D&D, they don’t seem to have that weakness. It should be werewolves, devils, wights, jackalweres, wraiths and night hags that don’t have reflections in silver mirrors. Also, the mirror in equipment is steel. The only way to get a silver mirror is to learn Sanctuary and have a component pouch.
Well, you could just buy one.
I’ve read something along the lines of it being because silver is a “noble metal” (or something like that) and vampires are unholy/foul creatures, somehow making them not be reflected by silver mirrors
