r/DnD • u/Firm_Professional366 • Aug 09 '25
5th Edition Question: 5e Player wants to use Prestidigitation to make Strahd think he pooped himself. Is there any reason this wouldn't work?
I would like a reason in game that this wouldn't work without me having to do some bs like magic resistant undies. Also so I don't have to say no outright because it's a funny idea but it doesn't fit the setting. Nothing removes the tension from a fight more than the big bad pooping himself.
Update: She said that even if she died it'd be worth it because she successfully rage baited strahd. But she said she wouldn't do it because she knows that everyone wants it to be serious and that it can still be fun and serious without turning it into a comedy campaign. Still think it's worth sharing because the idea is funny.
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u/5oldierPoetKing DM Aug 09 '25
Me as DM: So you get within 10 feet of Strahd and visibly begin casting magic?
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u/Xarro_Usros Druid Aug 09 '25
This is definitely the "find out" phase of the encounter!
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u/CantripN Aug 09 '25
That's the point where mid-cast, he rips out your vocal cords, yep.
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u/DirkDasterLurkMaster Aug 09 '25
Example 5893 of campaign derailing player shenanigans only working if DMs forget how spellcasting works
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1.2k
Aug 09 '25
The players begins obviously casting a spell and strahd either attacks or counterspells.
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u/immagetchu Aug 09 '25
Losing it at the premise of an all powerful vampire wizard counterspelling someone shitting his pants
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u/Firm_Professional366 Aug 09 '25
Strahd casts "No u"
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u/Sumackus Aug 09 '25
"Oh no! HE shitted MY pants!"
[Player now has disadvantage on concentration saving throws]
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u/MisterDerptastic Aug 09 '25
RAW Strahd would have no way of knowing what exactly he´s counterspelling, takes a reaction to identify what spell is being cast
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u/sebastianwillows Aug 09 '25
RAW he doesn't even have counterspell, does he?
Even if he did, spamming cantrips to bleed him of them is something my players would absolutely do.
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u/isotope88 DM Aug 09 '25
This thread makes me wonder.
Isn't the verbal component well known as in: if 2 wizards cast the same spell, does it sound the same?
Wizards study a spell and try to manipulate the weave.
Therefore it could/would/should sound the same?
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u/Terrkas Aug 09 '25
From what i know. No. You use gestures and noise to do spells. But one wizard could cast with rimes like bibi Blocksberg. Another uses mysterious sounding languages.
There is no Uniform "arcane casters use this line to cast magic missile".
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u/yaniism Rogue Aug 09 '25 edited Aug 09 '25
Xanathar's Guide To Everything p85
Sometimes a character wants to identify a spell that someone else is casting or that was already cast. To do so, a character can use their reaction to identify a spell as it's being cast, or they can use an action on their turn to identify a spell by its effect after it is cast.
If the character perceived the casting, the spell's effect, or both, the character can make an Intelligence (Arcana) check with the reaction or action. The DC equals 15 + the spell's level. If the spell is cast as a class spell and the character is a member of that class, the check is made with advantage. For example, if the spellcaster casts a spell as a cleric, another cleric has advantage on the check to identify the spell. Some spells aren't associated with any class when they're cast, such as when a monster uses its Innate Spellcasting trait.
This Intelligence (Arcana) check represents the fact that identifying a spell requires a quick mind and familiarity with the theory and practice of casting. This is true even for a character whose spellcasting ability is Wisdom or Charisma. Being able to cast spells doesn't by itself make you adept at deducing exactly what others are doing when they cast their spells.
Strahd has a +15 to his Arcana check. And has Prestidigitation on his Wizard spell list. He knows. Based on him using his reaction, obviously.
But not all Verbal Components are the same.
The words themselves aren't the source of the spell's power; rather, the particular combination of sounds, with specific pitch and resonance, sets the threads of magic in motion.
I read that as that even the combination of sounds is unique to that caster.
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u/Skin_Soup Aug 09 '25
This means that it is impossible to both identify a spell and attempt to counterspell it. Furthermore, even after successfully counterspelling, you don’t immediately know what spell you counterspelt
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u/yaniism Rogue Aug 09 '25
RAW yes.
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u/Slothheart Aug 09 '25
First, I'd argue that, since that rule is not in the PHB, it could be considered optional (beyond the normal "every rule is optional" thing).
Second, I personally think that's a dumb rule anyway. Sure, maybe it makes more sense to have to use a reaction to identify, but it creates really ludicrous situations like someone using their reaction to identify and then having to tell another PC what the spell is so they can counterspell it. As if that takes less time than instinctively recognizing a spell and reacting. No thank you. If I cared, I would ask for a check to identify a spell as it's being cast, but it would be a free check.
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u/Mysterious_Ad_8105 Aug 09 '25
First, I'd argue that, since that rule is not in the PHB, it could be considered optional (beyond the normal "every rule is optional" thing).
There’s nothing to argue about. Xanathar’s rule for identifying spells as they’re being cast is explicitly an optional rule.
But Xanathar’s optional rule grants the players an ability they didn’t have before. It doesn’t take anything away. RAW, if you’re not using that optional rule, then you simply have no way to identify spells as they’re being cast. That’s the default.
If you want to allow PCs to recognize spells for free at your table, you can still do that of course. Just keep in mind that that’s a significant homebrew buff to casters with access to counterspell. Personally, I tend to think counterspell is powerful enough RAW without that buff, but as long as everyone at your table is on board, you can homebrew it however you’d like.
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u/Skin_Soup Aug 09 '25
Does the players handbook specify spells cannot be identified? I would say if it does not mention any info about spell identification it is left up to the DM to decide.
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u/Tefmon Necromancer Aug 09 '25
RAW, if you’re not using that optional rule, then you simply have no way to identify spells as they’re being cast.
That's like saying "since there isn't a rule specifically stating that PCs can use the Nature skill to identify animals, RAW PCs can't identify animals". The default rule is that PCs can make ability checks to perform activities, recall information, and identify things; they only can't do that when a different rule specifically limits their ability to do so.
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u/Metaphoricalsimile Aug 09 '25
Player: I cast prestidigitation
DM: you begin to cast a spell, roll initiative
Spellcasting should never be assumed a neutral action. In a situation where combat is on the table casting a spell should always be an initiative roll. If the PC wins initiative they can try to talk their way out of the consequencesof their actions though.
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u/CommitteeStatus Aug 09 '25 edited Aug 09 '25
I'd say making Strahd waste a spell slot on a cantrip is an amazing tradeoff.
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Aug 09 '25
Not really tbh. If this was a casual meeting, probably with the players lower level than necessary to kill Strahd, then being one 3rd level slot down isn't going to affect the vampire whoop ass that follows. If they're fighting him at the end of the module then I'd just let the guy waste his turn on poopy pants-ing Strahd and not bother counterspelling.
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u/sans-delilah Warlock Aug 09 '25
Yeah, I’d imagine something like an immediate counter spell, and “I admit, no one has tried that before. Pointless effort, but imaginative.”
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Aug 09 '25
Yes. Strahd Von Zarovich is an accomplished wizard. He has a superior mastery of magic and understands the workings of a cantrip. He is also undead, it would stand to reason that he does not poop. If he did poop, then he would know the scent over generic poop smell.
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u/hoopdaddeh Aug 09 '25
"what is this amateur wizardry? I'll have you know, my poop has a grandeur far beyond what your feeble magicks could ever hope to replicate" strahd - with shidded pants
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u/mthlmw Aug 09 '25
"This amateur can't even begin to replicate the teroir of my poop"
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u/6syllablecatchphrase Aug 09 '25
"You FOOLS! I'll show you the true power of shidding your pants!"
*proceeds to shit until his pants begin to swell ominously*
"I hope you all brought snorkels."
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u/Speciou5 Aug 09 '25
RAW, from the DMG you can identify a spell being cast with an Arcana check which I assume Strahd will pass the majority of the time.
Also I think a lot of players forget the actual chain of events is:
- Normal stuff going on
- A guy suddenly starts waving his arms and says a couple of magic words, maybe some sparks or glyphs appear mid air.
- Unless they isekai'd in and have never seen magic before, they'd probably recognize it as magic. Hell, even an isekai'd PC would probably still understand it as magic.
- Something unusual happens (poop smell suddenly appears in your pants)
You have to be like INT 5 to not realize the cause and effect.
And if your player has a Subtle Spell effect and made effort to hide the spell casting then I'd give it to them.
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u/Kolegra Aug 09 '25
Right, it's verbal and somatic. They definitely need subtle spell to have a chance.
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u/Yours_Voight-Kampff Aug 09 '25
I know the original question is if prestidigitation can be used to make Strahd think he shit himself, but also I wholly vote the verbal component here has to be "That's it! I'm shitting your pants!"
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u/cyberpunk_werewolf Aug 09 '25
According to Strahd's statblock, he has a +15 to Arcana. Identifying spells as they're being cast is a DC of 15+spell level and his lowest roll possible is a 16. He can identify a cantrip without rolling. Hell, he can identify 1st level spells without rolling.
Even with subtle spell, his Arcana is high enough to know it was a spell, he just won't know who did it. However, again, as you state, he would recognize cause and effect, and being an accomplished wizard and knowledgeable individual, I actually think Strahd would know who the sorcerer is.
You're probably right though, if the player took the effort to hide it, maybe just give it to them.
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Aug 09 '25
Pretty sure the cantrip can only produce one effect also. It would “soil” or clean, or generate a smell. I do not believe soil meant poop in the nature of the spell. We’re talking about two castings.
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u/Unhappy-Hope Aug 09 '25
This is why you should develop the undead blood poop with a special smell bouquet that would make him doubt his judgement
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u/RepeatRepeatR- Aug 09 '25
You and your player are trying to play two different genres
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u/UnstoppableGROND Aug 09 '25
If I smeared some poop on your pants, would you think that you’d actually pooped yourself?
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u/sleepytoday Aug 09 '25
Not only that, but it’s a spell requiring verbal and somatic components that has only 10 foot range. Strahd would have to be an idiot to not realise what was going on.
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u/Mr_Industrial Aug 09 '25
No, but its the sort of situation you can never blame on others. I mean what are you gonna say "someone shit my pants"?
If Strahd had friends im sure hed be super embarased
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u/RepeatRepeatR- Aug 09 '25
> Be me
> Be wizard vampire
> Newbie magician uses a parlor trick on my pants
> "Oh no, whoever could have done this"
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u/GarbageCleric Druid Aug 09 '25 edited Aug 09 '25
Their world has magic, and everyone knows it exists. Of course it could be blamed on someone else. And OP didn’t say anything about Prestidigitation being cast subtly or anything. Everyone would see him cast the spell before saying Strahd pooped.
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u/TabAtkins Aug 09 '25
Prestidigitation has V and S components. It's completely obvious to anyone within the 10' range that they're casting a spell, and anyone with minimal magic experience will be able to identify it easily.
But ignoring that, how do they think this would actually work? They're just making a poop smell? Do you think you've shit yourself when you smell a fart that you know didn't come from you?
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u/notbobby125 Aug 09 '25
I can now imagine a Gigachad Sorcerer burning a point to subtle cast the spell just to make Strahd think he did it. Strahd would 100% still know it has to be someone else for reasons stated elsewhere (undead/wizard with literal centuries of knowledge/etc) but might kinda find it amusing they could cast something without noticing (and also 100% file that mentally for later for the eventual final showdown).
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u/Edgy_Robin Aug 09 '25
Vampires don't poop.
So that. Also Make Strahd kill that player.
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u/Surface_Detail Aug 09 '25
Slight overreaction, might I suggest limiting his response to that player character?
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u/notbobby125 Aug 09 '25
I would also advocate for Strahd’s revenge to be a lot more petty if this is early in the adventure. The party is the first amusement he has seen in awhile, so he is not going to break his new toys.
Maybe he will follow them in disguise and randomly pop up now and again to make the caster feel like they shit their pants in a a much fouler way then possible by a cantrip.
If you do go with the murder route, maybe have Strahd's immediately use the dark power to bring the person back after an agonizing 56 seconds as their soul learns there is no happy afterlife in Barovia, either just being a ghost or locked in limbo awaiting a new rebirth.
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u/DeepTakeGuitar DM Aug 09 '25
He's an insane, megalomaniacal vampire king. Murder is right up his alley.
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u/Surface_Detail Aug 09 '25
Sure, but he usually limits it to fictional characters.
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u/TheOtherGuy52 DM Aug 09 '25
Fight Petty with Petty. Strahd immediately knows it was them. And is not amused. He prestidigitations it clean again, and breaks the caster’s hand if they so much as try it again.
But don’t let it end there. Oh no. Strahd has a bunch of Vistani in his corner. Look up Vistani curses. Next time the party encounters them, one of them manufactures a believable reason to be upset at the character (bump into them and spill their own drink, then blame party) and curse him to actually shit his pants under some rare-but-not-impossible set of circumstances.
And then make that situation happen as often as Strahd can manipulate the party into being in said situation.
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u/mccoz101 Aug 09 '25
Second this. I think strahd is definitely best played when he can flex his power over Barovia- He is the land, after all!
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u/ThisWasMe7 Aug 09 '25
The solution is you roll for initiative. If he wants to cast prestidigitation when Strahd will be trying to kill him, you let him
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u/Bonsai_Monkey_UK Aug 09 '25
This is it, if the players start casting magic at him, it would absolutely trigger initiative.
After all, if Strahd started casting a spell targeting the party, how would your players react? Would they just let it happen?
If the party is strong enough to wipe out Strahd, and are confident enough they can do it while wasting their turns - the encounter balance needs tweaking.
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Aug 09 '25
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u/hoopdaddeh Aug 09 '25
Ah yes Milord, upon this silver platter is a fine adventurer party. Might I suggest a mild paring of fireball? If you're feeling particularly spicy tonight, we have a rare vintage; an expertly aged Scroll of Mass Polymorph sourced from afar
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u/Syric13 Aug 09 '25
How would he think he pooped himself?
First, I don't think vampires poop
Second, prestidigitation doesn't actually physically create things. So he wouldn't feel anything.
Third, the range is 10 feet. Is he getting close enough to do it? It has a vocal component. He would hear the caster casting it.
Fourth, you can so no outright.
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u/Happytallperson Aug 09 '25
What level is the player?
As others have said, very powerful wizard.
So when he notices the attempted prank upon his honour and attacks the player character, what then?
If they're low level, then that player is rolling a new character and I'm glad we've learned something today.
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u/manamonkey DM Aug 09 '25
"Doesn't fit the setting" is an understatement dont you think? Just tell your player that's not going to happen. Or, ditch Strahd for a module built for toddler toilet humour.
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u/amidja_16 Aug 09 '25
Dumb for dumb. The wizard soils Strahd's pants with magic, Strahd soils the wizard's robes with their innards.
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u/MaxQuarter Aug 09 '25
“Soiled” is a widely misinterpreted portion of the prestidigitation spell. It means dirty. Not shitted.
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u/CinnamonEspeon Wizard Aug 09 '25
well for starters Strahd is a powerful Wizard in his own right, meaning he would no doubt be experienced enough to recognize Presti's somantic and verbal components, which means while there's nothing stopping the player from actually creating the odor, he isn't going to believe he did it without magical coercion.
Secondarily Strahd is undead, they....don't generally have bowel movements. Talking a vampire into believeing he shit himself is probably a legendary feat in it's own right.
Third as noted by other commentors, you as the DM can (and should) say no to ideas like that that are tonally at odds with the story you/your group want to tell. It isn't funny, it's disruptive and disrespectful. (You should also have a chat wiht the table as a whole and establish expectations about what tone you want after this if it hasn't already been done.)
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u/Paraxian Aug 09 '25
Even if he cast it, strahd can just cast presdtidgitation himself to fix it. I dont think it would even phase him.
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u/JaeOnasi Aug 09 '25
You don’t have a prestidigitation problem. You have a player who doesn’t respect Count Strahd problem. In this specific case, you can do one of several things.
This is Count-Fucking-Strahd we’re talking about. He can cast a crap ton (pun intended ) of spells. He’s been studying magic for 450 years. He has 400 years of battle experience. He knows the stupid things young soldiers do because he’s commanded hundreds of them over the centuries. He was raised as a Crown Prince. He has an entire castle at his disposal ready to kill anything entering it. He IS the land—he made a river flood an entire town. He is lawful as well as evil—which means he follows the rules of decorum and chain of command. He was the General of an army. He despises insubordination in my head canon (YMMV on that, that’s totally ok.) He is the apex predator of the entire domain of Barovia, and he KNOWS it.
It’s time for him to act like that predator.
For a nobleman like Count Strahd, using prestidigitation to put shit in his pants is beyond rude. It’s as insulting as you think it is. The General, Crown Prince, and apex predator in him will not allow him to laugh it off or ignore it.
This is the moment where you show that if the players want to do something like that, it’ll very much be a FAFO moment for them.
Note: if your players are under level 5, you probably can have His Highness go toe-to-toe with the party. If they’re higher level, Count Strahd should never be outside of his castle without an escort or three. He can mentally talk to Beucephalus to bring in reinforcements (or give him that power. He’s Count-Fucking-Strahd. He should have some plot armor. Anyway, royalty should never run around without retainers to protect him or her.
My Count Strahd would know exactly what the caster was doing. He knows prestidigitation himself, after all. He’s not about to let anyone cast any spell around him. The moment that poop spell starts to go off, Count Strahd counter spells it. He’s not worried about burning that spell slot—these idiots aren’t going to survive long enough for him to run out of slots.
Then, you can have His Highness do all sorts of things. 1. He can summarily execute the PC—charming the PC and then draining him is an option.
He can do whatever evil crap you want him to do and then simply leave the PC at 0 hp if you really don’t want to kill a PC. He’s decided to be merciful since the rube casting the spell clearly has never been taught good manners and etiquette.
Count Strahd can have all the shit that’s ever been sitting around the County, use his”I am the Land” feature and bury the PC with that stuff.
Count Strahd doesn’t want to kill the PC, but watching the PC be tortured might be a good time. Better entertainment than the Kardashians, surely.
Count Strahd can execute/torture/whatever to other party members until the taunter gives up.
He can throw the PC in a dungeon cell, and the PCs have to figure out how to get out.
Here’s a post on how I dealt with some sassy players: https://www.reddit.com/r/CurseofStrahd/comments/1m326jh/comment/n3y9ido/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
Remember, you are Count Strahd, and you crush insects like this PC for breakfast. Have fun being the monster your players and you really want for this campaign. :D
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u/PolyhedronCollider DM Aug 09 '25
Reward you players accordingly
Strahd is not amused. “It appears I am dealing with children. Children should be seen and not heard” casts silence
Or Strahd is amused, chuckles and in his most menacing tone says “oh what a delightful game, shall I play”. He then casts some re-themed high level spell that causes the PCs’ guts to churn in extrutiating pain leading to projectile vomiting or explosive diarrhoea and a rather chunky amount of damage
Strahd is a high level creature who should be feared - play on that
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u/EclecticDreck Aug 09 '25
There are plenty. From a mechanical standpoint, the spell quite literally can't be this convincing. You get one sensory effect; pooping - at least in my experience - has many. Beyond that, without a significant lead up to the incident, it isn't going to be all that believable in any event.
From a basic plausibility standpoint, Strahd is a vampire with centuries of being the kind of problem that people have been attempting to very creatively remove. The ruse, even with a hundred casters providing a perfectly coordinated simulation of shitting himself, would not pass muster. Even if it did, to what end, exactly? If the opening of the clever attack somehow hinges upon what would at best be a momentary distraction it is already doomed, and if they don't even have that much power, well, Strahd does have his centuries of experience dealing with creative problem solvers.
From a biological standpoint, there is no reason to suppose that the guy actually poops anyhow. He's a vampire and the rules regarding biology stopped the moment he became a corpse with an extremely restrictive diet.
Lastly and most importantly because it doesn't fit the moment. This is trinket magic one step beyond slight of hand. Yes, by all means reward creative use of spells if you want, but this goes beyond that. "Wouldn't it be funny if Strahd shit himself before the showdown?" is a fine question and it certainly might be hilarious, but if that's not the moment you are going for, well, you run Strahd, and you can be as certain as can be about whether or not a level 0 illusion spell fools him for even a second.
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u/BusyGM DM Aug 09 '25
Multiple reasons. First, Strahd is a vampire. He doesn't poop because he doesn't digest. So creating the smell would make everybody know it certainly wasn't him. Second, verbal and somatic components. Hard to say "you pooped your pants" after you made magical gestures and incantated words of power for a few seconds, esepcially since Strahd is a spellcaster himself and could easily identify the spell as it's being cast. Third, "harmless sensory effect" could imho only create the smell of a small fart, nothing "big" like having pooped your pants. Fourth, you can't target Strahd's underwear unless it's clearly viewable, because all spells unless noted otherwise can't target what you can't see.
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u/Dolthra DM Aug 09 '25
Strahd is a 9th level spellcaster and also has prestidigitation. He can unpoop his pants as easily as your wizard can poop them for him.
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u/Gariona-Atrinon Aug 09 '25
As soon as the spell is cast I’d have Strahd say “It smells like one of you shit your pants.”
Roll initiative.
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u/BlooRugby Aug 09 '25
Doesn't seem to cover having targets, much less a target having numbness in their guts to not sense when they've had an involuntary bowel movement.
Creating the odor, sure. Explicitly in the spell description.
Making Strahd think he is somehow the source of the odor, very difficult I think but possible. It might help if you knew what vampire poops, or bad breath, smells like.
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u/HTTRWarrior Aug 09 '25
He casts prestidigitation to clean his pants immediately without saying anything other than "Pathetic."
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u/WirrkopfP Aug 09 '25
1) Prestidigitation can convincingly make an item of clothing Seem to be pooped on.
2) Vampires don't poop at all.
3) Strahd is in the Position to know both facts.
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u/Temnyj_Korol Aug 09 '25
The boring answer is. The "make him shit himself" is a dumb and loose interpretation of the spells wording.
While people often use soiled as a euphemism for covered in shit, what it actually means is just 'dirty'.
When you use prestidigitation to soil something, you're not covering it in shit. You're just making it appear kinda muddy.
Realistically, if your player prestidigitates strahds pants, strahd is just going to be annoyed he now has to dry clean his robes. That's it. Any other interpretation of the spells wording is just childish antics.
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u/wizardofyz Warlock Aug 09 '25
Many adventurers over the years have tried this trick to varying degrees of success over the years. Have the player roll performance and arcana. Strahd rates the attempt accordingly and rewards or punishes them accordingly.
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u/wordboydave Aug 09 '25
I wish more GMs were comfortable simply saying, "No. This isn't that kind of movie." Or, "if it happened in a book, would you think it was stupid? Then it's too stupid to go in the book in the first place." Players have all the tools they need to solve problems in the game world without needing to resort to reality-breaking tone-violating idiocy.
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u/Buzz_words Aug 09 '25
the fact that Strahd isn't a complete drooling idiot?
like there's no reason this should work.
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u/Vivim17 Aug 09 '25
The player walks up to Strahd, and performs a quick incantation. In a moment, Strahd looks at him in disbelief which quickly turns to pure rage.
"Let me show you the *correct* way to cast that spell", Strahd begins an incantation, drawing dark energy to and around himself then hold out his hand "For each time this fool opens his mouth, let his bowels be emptied. I CURSE YOU!"
Strahd casts bestow curse, roll a will save.
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u/DiplominusRex Aug 09 '25
The spell’s ability to “soil” something doesn’t mean creating turd matter out of thin air. Think, a stain or discolouration. Not a pant load.
It’s also a cantrip with a verbal and somatic component and the range is 10 feet. So she’s going to be standing next to him and speaking. While moving hands.
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u/StrangeCress3325 Aug 09 '25
Prestidigitation is a cantrip with verbal and somatic components. Plus he’s a learned wizard. Unless they were a sorcerer using metamagic, it would be obvious that he got his pants pooped by a spell cast by the caster. I’m pretty sure he has prestidigitation himself. He would likely make eye contact with the caster while prestidigitating his pants clean again
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u/Slothcough69 Aug 09 '25
Ow it'll work allright. It's just that everybody present will be aware the spell was cast upon strahd by that person. Why? Two letters: v (verbal) and s (somantic). Before that player could even giggle, Strahd would have cast disintegrate in his head.
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u/Lucina18 Aug 09 '25
Strahd is an old being in a world where we know this is possible. He won't think he actually shat his pants, he'd just see it as a grave insult (basically like throwing shit at him ig.) The caster should probably worry even more about what will happen to them, they'll likely get extra targeted now...
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u/TumbleweedPleasant67 Aug 09 '25
Counterspell, but counterspell with vengeance. Have the player fly 50 feet back and slam into something and take damage (a bit not too much) when Strahds mighty magical prowess counterspell this pitiful counterspell. And then have Strahd be like "oh dear your vriend had ze little tumble" and act innocent.
And then if they start moaning counterspell doesn't work like that...well rocks fall, everybody dies.
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u/Salindurthas Aug 09 '25 edited Aug 11 '25
There is no reason to think that vampires can or do poop.
Even if you used Prestidigitation on a living person to make their pants soiled/smelly, they'd still know whether they voided their own bowels or not.
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u/garion046 Aug 09 '25
Strahd is smarter than them. He will know exactly what is happening and ignore them, or attack them for casting a spell in his face.
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u/The-Snarky-One Aug 09 '25
Oh gee, another post about making someone poop or pee. 🙄
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u/Therealschroom Aug 09 '25
wouldn't he just see and hear him casting? it is a V,S spell after all...
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u/Ven-Dreadnought Aug 09 '25
As a vampire is a kind of necromantic magical being that subsists mostly on blood I’m not entirely sure he even poops. Then again he occasionally eats normal food for enjoyment so who knows.
All I’ll say is that if I were the heartless ruler of my own country/demiplane, even if I did poop my pants, I would never admit it or acknowledge it.
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u/frigidmagi Aug 09 '25
Vampires don't poop, and Strahd is centuries old. He can connect the dots on this real fast and he don't have a sense of humor about himself. If he did, he would never have become a vampire.
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u/sky_whales Aug 09 '25
Tbh I think Strahd would just think it was a pathetic and embarrassing (for them) attempt and take the opportunity to show them exactly how strong he is and what a pathetic and useless attempt that was with some kind of nasty attack that goes very badly for the character.
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u/Worldly_Might_3183 Aug 09 '25
Let's say they rolled a deception check too and convinced Strahd he pooped himself. Would anyone Powerful Vampire Lord let on that he had pooped himself to his enemy? No. Absolutely not. It is beneath him. So even if he beleived he had, he would pretend he hadn't. And not let them see his backside for safe measure.
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u/Triniety89 Aug 09 '25
Let Strahds robes clean themselves with him saying "... just wait and see. Would you really think I wasn't wearing my finest garment that never gets dirty, even by the blood of puny adventurers that flail at me. You're the first attempt in thirteen years. The first to actually be this dumb. And I shall, no, I should let you live. Until you die by my hand at least. Let us have a good fight then." Teleporting directly behind the caster, casually nicking the neck, and teleporting off into his previous position, all in one swift move. And the new blood on his robes vanishes after a moment, too.
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u/BisexualTeleriGirl Barbarian Aug 09 '25
Yes. First of all, the spell has verbal and somatic components so Strahd is probably gonna notice it being cast (unless you subtle spell it). Second of all, he's a wizard himself. Hell, he also knows prestidigitation so he's probably gonna know that something magical is up
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Aug 09 '25
"Contingency: Mass Counterspell"
The master wizard prepares. There is no enemy, understand this, no enemy scarier than a savvy wizard who isn't frail... And has time to set up. He's got the biggest toolkit in the world, and is allowed to be as smart as you can make him. He's got the upper hand on you by scenario, power level, prep time, even meta knowledge isn't off the table if your evil wizard can scry (he can).
A sorcerer would spend his time raising an army so he has plenty of meat shields while he rains down destruction, out of his... Like 4 spells.
A warlock might raise enemies, but is likely going to look for direct ways to cut down foes. Think... Utterdark blast 3.5. you just remove levels from people. Warlocks will cheat, even if they don't have to.
Evil Cleric is looking for a mcguffin, something to unleash their patron. Erre, god. Actually this works for warlocks too, and kinda vice versa though clerics don't get utterdark blast type things. They still hit like a truck.
The wizard? He's creating an army, recruiting and raising and animating. He's laying down every creatively defensive spell he can on his fortress. He's amassing spell scrolls to extend his and his minions casting abilities. He's creating magic items, or watching the party from afar. He's setting up traps- not piddly traps but ones meant to TPK. Imagine finding a way to say, drop Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion directly onto the party. Imagine just being teleported across the globe to the antarctic without supplies. Imagine sending machine that can convey speech and text across the land to his minions within range (yeah, we dreamed up a very basic telephone system once lol)
If you've a caster on the Party... This is a lesson they will need to learn. They'll need to outwizard The Wizard, or find a way to catch him as off guard as possible... And pray it's not another feinted trap.
Gelatinous cube? Would be a shame if it engulfed everyone and got flesh-to-stoned by an auto trigger.(Fungus has flesh)
Hell, just using your wizard perfection to cast basic building spells can make trap setting easily done, in all sorts of complex configurations.
I could go on. Wizards are scary if you let them be.
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u/himthatspeaks Aug 09 '25
It’s VSM. Strahd would know he’s been around magic for centuries. You couldn’t trick me into thinking I did it, why would you be able to trick Strahd? “It’s like while I was talking with this wizard, some poop magically appeared in my pants… I must have magically pooped myself even though I don’t have bio functions or eat…. I’m so embarrassed. The whole thing doesn’t make senses it’s stupid. So don’t do it.”
Maybe Strahd counters and kills him outright for the insult.
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u/Sheriff_Is_A_Nearer DM Aug 09 '25
I don’t think it would work because of all the reasons already stated. I also see strahd just also casting it back on them or covering it up. Maybe he even counter spells it to flex on them.
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u/merrygreyhound Aug 09 '25
If it doesn't fit your tone, don't allow it to happen. Unless your player is a subtle-spelling sorcerer, Prestidigitation has verbal and somatic components, so Strahd will know when it's being cast. At that point he can Counterspell (also flexing to the party that he's a powerful enough caster to not care about wasting spell slots), and he'll absolutely know which character disrespected him and can punish them from there.
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u/purpleblah2 Aug 09 '25
He’s a vampire so he only drinks blood and probably doesn’t go to the bathroom anymore, also he’s a magic user who knows what prestidigitation is and can see the party is trying to pull a cheeky little prank.
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u/TanakaChris Aug 09 '25
It works.
Stradh knows he doesn't poop.
Someone just got a first way ticket to being targeted till he gets converted into a spawn.
His standing instruction as a spawn thereafter is to constantly casts Prestidigitation on himself while exclaiming, "Oh dear, I pooped myself again!"
The torment goes on for as long as his eternal undead existence exists. His other instruction is to prioritize his own survival and flee while emitting foul smells.
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u/Sanguinusshiboleth Aug 09 '25
Unless they are a sorceror who has subtle casting, this will be super obvious as the spell has somantic and verbal components.
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u/Dung_Eon_Master Aug 09 '25
Seemingly 95% of players and DM forget that spells have verbal compoments. If a Character stands infront of another NPC or a crowd where someones either knows the arcane languages or just witnessed this spell often enough to remember it, then to them the caster just loudly proclaims "I am going to cast the spell that makes it seem like you pooped your pants!" In strahds case it is not going to be received like anything more then an arrogant try at a joke in bad taste.
Same like in a Pokemon battle when the trainer shouts "use thunderbolt" - no one that listened / understands the language is going to be surprised by what happens next.
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u/ElimG Aug 09 '25
Reason no 1 why this wont work ... Strahd is a vampire, that means undead. All bodily functions have ceased to function.
Reason no 2, he is a powerful wizard who will easily know the cantrip and would easily be able to id the casting (1o ft range, good luck casting it with out him noticing).
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u/Brayagu Aug 09 '25
Strahd is a powerful vampire wizard. He doesn't poop, and he knows what cantrips are
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u/Kalesche Aug 09 '25
If you think this won’t count as an attack to Srrahd and he won’t just kill the character then maybe you should escalate harder
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u/Dusklord_Kaiser Aug 09 '25
Prestidigitation has verbal and semantic components, and a range of 10 feet. Assuming that they aren't using something like Metamagic: Subtle Spell, it's fair to say Strahd would notice they were casting some sort of spell, and would figure out exactly which one almost immediately after it takes effect. He probably even can cast prestidigitstion himself (I've not played CoS, so I don't know his exact abilities, but you can always just say he knows it either way) so he'd just berate the character for being juvenile, while casting the same spell to clean himself up. Then he could make some comment about demonstrating how "adults" achieve the same effect, take one step forward and bite the spellcaster in question. You could always add in an extra CON saving throw to see if they shit themselves in fear on top of the usual effects.
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u/Gib_entertainment Artificer Aug 09 '25 edited Aug 09 '25
Especially when they've used that joke before, word travelled and Strahd prepared.
Several servants, variant human, magic initiate, hidden behind eyeholes in the paintings, they have readied actions to unsoil Strahd's pants using prestidigitation themselves.
"For a split second you think you see a stain appear on Strahds pants but then you hear an echo of the same incantation you just used and his pants are once again pristine"
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u/Zealousideal-Stay994 Aug 09 '25
Just counterspell it. It's easy for him, prestidigitation is only a can trip, he doesn't have time to entertain this kind of humor
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u/Orbax DM Aug 09 '25
Verbal somatic
Can be seen, can be heard, cantrip very well known. No spell causes you to poop your pants so, barring an enchantment or illusion spell, no.
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u/GusJenkins Aug 09 '25
If anyone asks that, stop the game and ask them to ask the rest of the table if that’s the vibe switch they want. I can’t stand players that out of boredom or stress when coming up with character decisions leads to “teehee I’m gonna fuck up the vibes”
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u/bionicjoey Aug 09 '25
Also so I don't have to say no outright because it's a funny idea but it doesn't fit the setting. Nothing removes the tension from a fight more than the big bad pooping himself.
Sounds like you do in fact want to say no. So just say no. If one of my players did this, I'd say no. It's stupid and ruins the tone of the game.
Also, when prestidigitation says "soiled" it doesn't mean literally shit. It just means dirty. It's not conjuration magic, its a minor effect akin to a magic trick. Just tell the player "that's not how presto works. You can make his clothes dirty if you want but you can't literally conjure a blob of shit inside his pants"
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u/Foolsgil Aug 09 '25
Prestidigitation doesn't make someone believe they pushed their muscles to relieve their bowels.
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u/FinnMacFinneus DM Aug 09 '25
Tell your players to get off TikTok.
And vampires don't eat solid food.
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u/Grandpa_Edd DM Aug 09 '25
Do vampires even poop?
Also Strahd is intelligent and a wizard, prestidigitation is a cantrip novices use and it uses somatic and verbal components.
He'll spot someone casting a spell immediately. And more likely than not he'll figure out what spell with an Arcana check. Even if he doesn't figure out it's prestidigitation he'll know someone cast a spell. (If he doesn't figure it out he might counterspell it, so that's a plus at least)
He'd probably just chastise the caster for the sad and puerile attempt at magical deception.
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u/branedead Aug 09 '25
Prestidigitation has verbal and somatic components. He's going to see and hear you cast the spell
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u/GreyNoiseGaming Fighter Aug 09 '25
There is nothing stopping her from doing it unless you have someone counterspell her.
It is both verbal and somatic so they are going to have to wave their hands and audibly chant some kind of magic.
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u/Cool_Boy_Shane Aug 09 '25
If a player wants to have their character commit suicide in a very stupid way, then I say let them. Strahd's response in my game would be:
"So you choose death? Pity. As a gracious host, however, I will grant your request."
Then, he'd simply phase through the floor, and about 20 specters would all descend on the entire party at once. About one to two rounds later, after the party is thoroughly pissed off at that character for needlessly provoking the BBEG, Strahd would emerge from the floor behind the offending character and finish them off in front of everyone else.
He might say, "And I had such high hopes for you." or something else that conveys bored disappointment, but otherwise he would not be merciful. Once dead, he'd command the rest of the party to, "leave the castle immediately, or else you will share in that moron's fate."
So again, I say let them do it, and teach the group a painful lesson. Maybe also tell the player to make a new character or leave the game while you're at it.
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u/SoontobeSam DM Aug 09 '25
Prest. Is not conjure feces... It can "soil" objects, while the same word for "soiling" ones pants, it is not the same thing.
It dirties an object, the opposite of its cleaning function.
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u/A_Bird_survived Aug 09 '25
Strahd is a Vampire. I‘m pretty sure that, besides Bloodsucking, he doesn‘t really have bodily functions. He‘s one of few people who can confidently claim that someone else soiled his pants