No, you cannot get an official ruling on this. It's pretty much totally up to GM's fiat.
That said, an easier way to test with Prestidigitation might be to do something like "color all corpses in a 1' cube." It's able to color the corpses (objects), but not the ghasts (creatures).
You could probably also just throw a torch in the pile, or throw Disrupt Undead around--I don't know, what other cantrips did you have?
mplindustries is correct.
If the GM rules against you, however, it's worth noting that, as the spellcaster, your character would not have made a plan and gone with it presuming something that doesn't work, so it's worth a minor retcon.
I probably would have set the bodies on fire with Spark.
Sadly, that doesn't work as Spark only works on fine objects.
They aren't poor choices, especially for a bard: they're situational and you're not in a good situation.
So far this...
That said, an easier way to test with Prestidigitation might be to do something like "color all corpses in a 1' cube." It's able to color the corpses (objects), but not the ghasts (creatures).
... is the best idea I have seen.
What level are you? What are your other spells? What about your allies? What do they have going for them/what can they do?
Actually, Spark might be useful after all: you said the rogue "shot" the ghoul. I presume the same is true of the ghouls you killed? Since arrows are "destroyed" and thus unrecoverable, I presume they're still within the bodies of the ones you killed? Spark the wood and feathers of an arrow, if you can see one. The fire might spread from there.
Sadly, that doesn't work as Spark only works on fine objects.
I assumed shreds of clothing, small objects you tossed in the pile, etc.
I know I came up with the idea, but I'd be nervous to color the corpses since Prestidigitation only has a 10' range.
Fair enough on the Spark.
If they're prone, it'll take two move actions at minimum for the ghasts go that 10ft: one to stand up and the other to move (not including any climbing or other modifiers). That means you're safe from attack for the one round (though, yeah, it'd be nerve-wracking).
Another question: does anyone have a longspear?
I just realized that you guys successfully took out enough ghasts to make a decent "wall" big enough to block off a cave entrance. That's... pretty impressive.
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Although prestidigitation can colour objects, it colours the objects you select. It doesn't know stuff that you don't! It doesn't 'know' anything! It is not sentient!
If you don't know which ones are corpses and which ones aren't, the spell isn't going to somehow detect them! Prestidigitation cannot duplicate other spells, including detect undead. It doesn't have any information gathering function; identifying corpses included!
Personally, I absolutely love the spell! But it can't do anything you wish!
Objects and creatures are different in PF.
Prestidigitation specifies that it can perform it's actions on "items", which is a bit vague: does it meant "objects" or "usable tools" (which the corpses count as, considering what they're being used for) or "those things that fall under the items tables in the book".
Besides, using this isn't doing the same thing as detect undead, which has a longer range, provides more information (strength, location, and number within a 60ft cone for undead specfically) and grants the information more discreetly and accurately. The only thing prestidigitation is doing in this case is coloring objects. The only reason the player learns that there's undead there is that they already know that there's undead there.
Incidentally, I found it both humorous and disturbing that you could flavor part of the ghouls (whether destroyed or not).
Are you saying that he use prestidigitation to colour all of the corpse-like things in front of him, in a 1-foot cube per round, but that the spell will fail to colour the undead because they are not 'items' and therefore not a viable target to be coloured by this spell?
Thats how I understood it. Corpses, being objects, are valid target and therefore would change color. The wights, being undead, are not objects and so can't be targeted, and so would not change color.
Can I get an official ruling on this?
Surely :)
"Prestidigitations are minor tricks that novice spellcasters use for practice. Once cast, a prestidigitation spell enables you to perform simple magical effects for 1 hour. The effects are minor and have severe limitations. A prestidigitation can slowly lift 1 pound of material. It can color, clean, or soil items in a 1-foot cube each round. It can chill, warm, or flavor 1 pound of nonliving material. It cannot deal damage or affect the concentration of spellcasters. Prestidigitation can create small objects, but they look crude and artificial. The materials created by a prestidigitation spell are extremely fragile, and they cannot be used as tools, weapons, or spell components. Finally, prestidigitation lacks the power to duplicate any other spell effects. Any actual change to an object (beyond just moving, cleaning, or soiling it) persists only 1 hour."
Nope, you cannot.
As an aside: My personal way of adjudicating prestidigitation is to determine whether it is for fluff or a mechanical advantage. If it is the latter it does not work. If it is the former, fill your boots.
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Prestidigitation can color creatures, see PFS First Steps. "Items" is not a defined term and I would prefer to read it as "targets".
I doubt undead even feel pain (they are immune to many conditions that represent it) and wouldn't have them react to being poked in the eye or set on fire if they could wreak more destruction on the living by taking the damage for a while.
I probably would have set the bodies on fire with Spark.
Wouldn't this create a wall of burning corpses and suffocating smoke between you and the only exit?
Make sure it's human bacon, though. (Which, from various accounts, including food tasting robot, is just like normal bacon. Hence the original suggestion.)
I probably would have set the bodies on fire with Spark.Wouldn't this create a wall of burning corpses and suffocating smoke between you and the only exit?
Depends on how big the cave area is, and how thoroughly they explored it before hand. But that could definitely be a problem.
The original rules for the color cantrip from unearthed arcana 2e you could change the color of your hair or a living persons eyes... Not sure what the official documentation is available past 2e though.
Seems like the perfect time for that acid orb cantrip though. Sizzle sizzle
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That and a a 1 foot cube is a total of one corpse/body period.Although prestidigitation can colour objects, it colours the objects you select. It doesn't know stuff that you don't! It doesn't 'know' anything! It is not sentient!
If you don't know which ones are corpses and which ones aren't, the spell isn't going to somehow detect them! Prestidigitation cannot duplicate other spells, including detect undead. It doesn't have any information gathering function; identifying corpses included!
Personally, I absolutely love the spell! But it can't do anything you wish!
It's unclear whether prestidigitation would colour undead or not. It may work on the living; if it does (and we know it works on objects) there's no reason for it not to colour undead, so it won't help you tell which is corpse is undead. It may be that it won't work on the living, but undead are not living so it might work on undead anyway. It might not work on undead or the living. If the latter is ruled by your DM to be the case, your caster should know this.
So, if your DM rules that the spell won't colour undead, then you can attempt to use prestidigitation to find the undead. All you have to do is stand well within 10-feet of the wall of combined corpses/undead and concentrate on colouring one/round.
If I was the DM I'd let the spell work in the hope that the PC is foolish enough to try this. : )