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Minor Illusion

Illusion
Level: Cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Duration: 1 minute
Components: S, M
Materials: A bit of fleece.

You create a sound or an image of an object within range that lasts for the duration. The illusion also ends if you dismiss it as an action or cast this spell again. If you create a sound, its volume can range from a whisper to a scream. It can be your voice, someone else's voice, a lion's roar, a beating of drums, or any other sound you choose. The sound continues unabated throughout the duration, or you can make discrete sounds at different times before the spell ends. If you create an image of an object-such as a chair, muddy footprints, or a small chest-it must be no larger than a 5-foot cube. The image can't create sound, light, smell, or any other sensory effect. Physical interaction with the image reveals it to be an illusion, because things can pass through it. If a creature uses its action to examine the sound or image, the creature can determine that it is an illusion with a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC. If a creature discerns the illusion for what it is, the illusion becomes faint to the creature.

Spell Details

School: Illusion
Level: Cantrip
Ritual: No
Concentration: No
Classes: Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
A-Tier Minor Illusion is an exceptionally versatile cantrip that excels in roleplay, exploration, and creative problem-solving, with surprising combat applications when used cleverly.

Player Guide

Use Minor Illusion to create distractions in combat by manifesting illusory threats or sounds to redirect enemy attention away from allies or yourself. Outside combat, leverage it for deception checks by creating false evidence, disguising entrances, or producing convincing sounds to mislead NPCs. Remember that the illusion is non-interactive—it can't move, perform complex actions, or physically affect objects, so focus on static images or ambient sounds rather than dynamic scenarios. Combine it with Stealth or Deception checks for maximum narrative impact, and always clarify with your DM whether observers get to make Investigation checks immediately or only if they interact with the illusion.

DM Tips

Minor Illusion's power lies in the details of intent—a successful Deception or Stealth check should precede any attempt to use it for misleading NPCs, and observers can make an Investigation check (DC equal to the caster's spell save DC) if they interact with or closely examine the illusion. Be cautious about allowing the spell to trivialize encounters or social encounters; the illusion's static nature and lack of interactivity should limit its scope, and clever players will find unexpected uses that deserve creative rulings rather than blanket denials.