Does the Blur effect apply to the images, or does it only effect the caster himself? Thus negating the benefits of Mirror Image?
Just a random thought and was curious what people thought or if anyone has ever gotten an official ruling on this.
I believe it is in a order of operations that makes sense. Apply the blurr first to see if a hit is possible and then roll to see if an image or the caster is struck. The images would appear to be blurry though visually.
As strange as it sounds, I do not see any reason these wouldn't work together. The Blur spell is a glamer type of illusion, while the Mirror Image spell is a figment type of illusion. Nothing in the rules that I see says these types of illusions cannot interact.
According to the SRD,
A figment spell creates a false sensation. Those who perceive the figment perceive the same thing, not their own slightly different versions of the figment.
A glamer spell changes a subject's sensory qualities, making it look, feel, taste, smell, or sound like something else, or even seem to disappear.
In fact, per the SRD:
Because figments and glamers are unreal, they cannot produce real effects the way that other types of illusions can. Figments and glamers cannot cause damage to objects or creatures, support weight, provide nutrition, or provide protection from the elements. Consequently, these spells are useful for confounding foes, but useless for attacking them directly.
As far as I am concerned, that basically implies no reason why they shouldn't work together. However, I would adjudicate the Blur effect before the Mirror Image effect since that is more intuitive as a figment normally has an associated AC and the concealment should have a change of negating a potential hit prior to determining what is struck as far as the multiple images go.
Bummer, I was looking for a loophole around a PC's defenses.
Truesight, Blindsight, Tremorsense
Also, if you close your eyes and just target the square before you swing, you have a 50% chance to hit the guy, and it obviously can't accidentally hit the wrong mirror image, nor would the blur matter.
It's actually better odds that way than facing Blur and even just one additional Mirror Image (50% hit is better than 40%). It's even better with Blind Fighting, bringing you up to a 75% chance to hit the guy regardless of illusionary defenses.
Bummer, I was looking for a loophole around a PC's defenses.
Well, of course True Seeing is effective, but if you are looking at a lower level alternative, I'd suggest a nice melee type opponent that closes his eyes and fights using the Blind-Fight feat is one possibility...such has issues of its own (greater chance of concealment - 50% vs. 20% - though the attacker gets a reroll against the concealment too, and it does negate the multiple images). Certainly another option.
Bummer, I was looking for a loophole around a PC's defenses.Dispel Magic.
To be fair the PC is using two spells to get this. Those are spells he will not have for later encounters.
Very true. For example, a 5th level wizard most likely only has three 2nd levels spells prepared on average, and using two up on a single fight is significant especially when it does nothing towards defeating your foes in any way. Also, since the duration of each spell is only 1 min/level - on average, I'd wager the tactic is probably only good for a single battle or a really quick succession of small battles. Not to mention while this might be a great defensive combo for a lower level encounter, against, higher level combatants, they'll most likely have spells, magic items, or other means around this.
A low-level caster would be better off using two 1st level spells (Mage Armor and Shield) if the intent is to avoid being hit and using the two 2nd level spell slots on offense in my opinion.
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I don't think the images benefit from blur. You roll first to see if an image is the target. If so, it is destroyed. If not (and the caster is the target), you roll the 20% miss chance from blur.
Each "image" certainly looks blurry, but it doesn't matter if a blurry part of it is hit or a more "substantial" part is hit... it's all the same illusion, and any "hit" destroys it. The blurry outlines of the images are not any more or less real than the non-blurry parts.
That's how I run it in my games, anyway, for the bard with a cloak of displacement who likes to cast mirror image. It's still a pretty nice combo and has saved him in many a battle. Your GM's ruling may vary, and that's fine.