Is the AC of a Mirror Image Duplicate fixed at Point of Casting?











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The spell Mirror Image states the following:




A duplicate's AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier.




However - if you were to cast Mirror Image, and then change your DEX (e.g. by equipping/unequipping an item, or being affected by a spell, etc) would the AC of the Mirror Image Duplicate change to maintain $(10+DEX)$, or would it remain at the original AC it was cast with?



(This has been 'promoted' from a musing I made as a comment on the question"Is it possible to increase the AC of a mirror image duplicate?")










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    up vote
    8
    down vote

    favorite












    The spell Mirror Image states the following:




    A duplicate's AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier.




    However - if you were to cast Mirror Image, and then change your DEX (e.g. by equipping/unequipping an item, or being affected by a spell, etc) would the AC of the Mirror Image Duplicate change to maintain $(10+DEX)$, or would it remain at the original AC it was cast with?



    (This has been 'promoted' from a musing I made as a comment on the question"Is it possible to increase the AC of a mirror image duplicate?")










    share|improve this question







    New contributor




    Chronocidal is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.






















      up vote
      8
      down vote

      favorite









      up vote
      8
      down vote

      favorite











      The spell Mirror Image states the following:




      A duplicate's AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier.




      However - if you were to cast Mirror Image, and then change your DEX (e.g. by equipping/unequipping an item, or being affected by a spell, etc) would the AC of the Mirror Image Duplicate change to maintain $(10+DEX)$, or would it remain at the original AC it was cast with?



      (This has been 'promoted' from a musing I made as a comment on the question"Is it possible to increase the AC of a mirror image duplicate?")










      share|improve this question







      New contributor




      Chronocidal is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.











      The spell Mirror Image states the following:




      A duplicate's AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier.




      However - if you were to cast Mirror Image, and then change your DEX (e.g. by equipping/unequipping an item, or being affected by a spell, etc) would the AC of the Mirror Image Duplicate change to maintain $(10+DEX)$, or would it remain at the original AC it was cast with?



      (This has been 'promoted' from a musing I made as a comment on the question"Is it possible to increase the AC of a mirror image duplicate?")







      dnd-5e spells armor-class






      share|improve this question







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      Chronocidal is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.











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      asked Nov 21 at 10:38









      Chronocidal

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          1 Answer
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          A duplicate's AC changes as your Dexterity changes



          The spell's description doesn't explicitly say one way or the other whether the AC is calculated at the time of the spell's casting or whether it changes real time, which means we need to apply logic to get to the bottom of this one.



          AC is defined in the PHB (pg. 14):




          Armor Class



          Your Armor Class (AC) represents how well your character avoids being wounded in battle.




          Furthermore, the mirror image spell description says (PHB, pg. 260):




          ... the duplicates move with you and mimic your actions, shifting position so it's impossible to track which image is real.




          These two statements and the fact that the duplicates' AC is derived from your Dexterity implies that the duplicates must be as dexterous as you are, and that they only "dodge" an attack because you were capable of doing so (i.e. if the attack was aimed at the "real" you, you would have been able to dodge it).



          If your Dexterity changes during the duration of the spell, then you are more/less dexterous now than when you cast the spell, and thus better/worse at dodging attacks. Given that the duplicates "move with you and mimic your actions", it stands to reason that they must now be as dexterous as you have become, since they must still be capable of dodging what you can (or can't) now dodge.






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            1 Answer
            1






            active

            oldest

            votes








            1 Answer
            1






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes








            up vote
            17
            down vote



            accepted










            A duplicate's AC changes as your Dexterity changes



            The spell's description doesn't explicitly say one way or the other whether the AC is calculated at the time of the spell's casting or whether it changes real time, which means we need to apply logic to get to the bottom of this one.



            AC is defined in the PHB (pg. 14):




            Armor Class



            Your Armor Class (AC) represents how well your character avoids being wounded in battle.




            Furthermore, the mirror image spell description says (PHB, pg. 260):




            ... the duplicates move with you and mimic your actions, shifting position so it's impossible to track which image is real.




            These two statements and the fact that the duplicates' AC is derived from your Dexterity implies that the duplicates must be as dexterous as you are, and that they only "dodge" an attack because you were capable of doing so (i.e. if the attack was aimed at the "real" you, you would have been able to dodge it).



            If your Dexterity changes during the duration of the spell, then you are more/less dexterous now than when you cast the spell, and thus better/worse at dodging attacks. Given that the duplicates "move with you and mimic your actions", it stands to reason that they must now be as dexterous as you have become, since they must still be capable of dodging what you can (or can't) now dodge.






            share|improve this answer



























              up vote
              17
              down vote



              accepted










              A duplicate's AC changes as your Dexterity changes



              The spell's description doesn't explicitly say one way or the other whether the AC is calculated at the time of the spell's casting or whether it changes real time, which means we need to apply logic to get to the bottom of this one.



              AC is defined in the PHB (pg. 14):




              Armor Class



              Your Armor Class (AC) represents how well your character avoids being wounded in battle.




              Furthermore, the mirror image spell description says (PHB, pg. 260):




              ... the duplicates move with you and mimic your actions, shifting position so it's impossible to track which image is real.




              These two statements and the fact that the duplicates' AC is derived from your Dexterity implies that the duplicates must be as dexterous as you are, and that they only "dodge" an attack because you were capable of doing so (i.e. if the attack was aimed at the "real" you, you would have been able to dodge it).



              If your Dexterity changes during the duration of the spell, then you are more/less dexterous now than when you cast the spell, and thus better/worse at dodging attacks. Given that the duplicates "move with you and mimic your actions", it stands to reason that they must now be as dexterous as you have become, since they must still be capable of dodging what you can (or can't) now dodge.






              share|improve this answer

























                up vote
                17
                down vote



                accepted







                up vote
                17
                down vote



                accepted






                A duplicate's AC changes as your Dexterity changes



                The spell's description doesn't explicitly say one way or the other whether the AC is calculated at the time of the spell's casting or whether it changes real time, which means we need to apply logic to get to the bottom of this one.



                AC is defined in the PHB (pg. 14):




                Armor Class



                Your Armor Class (AC) represents how well your character avoids being wounded in battle.




                Furthermore, the mirror image spell description says (PHB, pg. 260):




                ... the duplicates move with you and mimic your actions, shifting position so it's impossible to track which image is real.




                These two statements and the fact that the duplicates' AC is derived from your Dexterity implies that the duplicates must be as dexterous as you are, and that they only "dodge" an attack because you were capable of doing so (i.e. if the attack was aimed at the "real" you, you would have been able to dodge it).



                If your Dexterity changes during the duration of the spell, then you are more/less dexterous now than when you cast the spell, and thus better/worse at dodging attacks. Given that the duplicates "move with you and mimic your actions", it stands to reason that they must now be as dexterous as you have become, since they must still be capable of dodging what you can (or can't) now dodge.






                share|improve this answer














                A duplicate's AC changes as your Dexterity changes



                The spell's description doesn't explicitly say one way or the other whether the AC is calculated at the time of the spell's casting or whether it changes real time, which means we need to apply logic to get to the bottom of this one.



                AC is defined in the PHB (pg. 14):




                Armor Class



                Your Armor Class (AC) represents how well your character avoids being wounded in battle.




                Furthermore, the mirror image spell description says (PHB, pg. 260):




                ... the duplicates move with you and mimic your actions, shifting position so it's impossible to track which image is real.




                These two statements and the fact that the duplicates' AC is derived from your Dexterity implies that the duplicates must be as dexterous as you are, and that they only "dodge" an attack because you were capable of doing so (i.e. if the attack was aimed at the "real" you, you would have been able to dodge it).



                If your Dexterity changes during the duration of the spell, then you are more/less dexterous now than when you cast the spell, and thus better/worse at dodging attacks. Given that the duplicates "move with you and mimic your actions", it stands to reason that they must now be as dexterous as you have become, since they must still be capable of dodging what you can (or can't) now dodge.







                share|improve this answer














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                edited Nov 21 at 16:05

























                answered Nov 21 at 11:13









                NathanS

                20.1k686212




                20.1k686212






















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