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The relevant quotes are as follows:

Performance of Creation. Also at 3rd level, as an action, you can channel the magic of the Song of Creation to create one nonmagical item of your choice in an unoccupied space within 10 feet of you. ...The created item disappears after a number of hours equal to your proficiency bonus.

Creative Crescendo. At 14th level, when you use your Performance of Creation feature, you can create more than one item at once. ...You are no longer limited by gp value when creating items with Performance of Creation.

Imprisonment. Components: V, S, M (a vellum depiction or a carved statuette in the likeness of the target, and a special component that varies according to the version of the spell you choose, worth at least 500 gp per Hit Die of the target) Duration: Until dispelled ...A Dispel Magic spell can end the spell only if it is cast as a 9th-level spell, targeting either the prison or the special component used to create it. ...You can use a particular special component to create only one prison at a time. If you cast the spell again using the same component, the target of the first casting is immediately freed from its binding.

Am I reading this correctly, that I can cast Imprisonment using spell components made by Performance of Creation, which will then last for 6 (the proficiency bonus at level 20) hours, at which point the component will disappear and the spell dispelled? From world-building/theory crafting, one can fathom that the RAI is that the component is a sort of anchor for the spell, meaning that anything along the lines of destruction, disintegration, dispelling, or otherwise compromising the integrity of the material would result in the spell malfunctioning and ceasing to operate.

To clarify, I understand that Performance of Creation can be used for spell components of ludicrous price through Creative Crescendo. My question is asking specifically after the edge-case where the component required for Imprisonment, obviously supposed to remain in existence during the effect of the spell, just ceases to exist. Am I correct in assuming the spell would be annulled?

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    \$\begingroup\$ Does this answer your question? Can objects created by Performance of Creation be used as expensive material components? \$\endgroup\$
    – jwodder
    Commented Sep 4, 2023 at 3:05
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    \$\begingroup\$ This question is assuming that the spell would end when the created component disappears at the end of 6 hours, but I'm not actually sure what would happen at that point. It might be worth asking as a separate question. \$\endgroup\$
    – Ryan C. Thompson
    Commented Sep 4, 2023 at 4:05
  • \$\begingroup\$ @jwodder Unfortunately, it doesn't clarify what I don't already know from reading questions on the website. Thank you for the thoughtfulness though. \$\endgroup\$
    – J Thompson
    Commented Sep 4, 2023 at 5:16
  • \$\begingroup\$ @RyanC.Thompson Yeah, I'll try editing that into the question just to be safe. \$\endgroup\$
    – J Thompson
    Commented Sep 4, 2023 at 5:16

1 Answer 1

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The spell persists

While it is implied that the material component for imprisonment spell is a sort of anchor for the spell there is no mentioning that the spell is dispelled if something were to happen to that component - only if it were to be targeted by a Dispel Magic spell. And since there are no hidden rules that means that destruction (or in this case the disappearance) of a material component doesn't end the spell. It is after all a level 9 spell. It would be weird if a level 1 barbarian could 'dispel' it with a maul!

But as always a DM can house-rule that the spell is bound to it's anchor. And that destruction/disappearance of that anchor ends it.

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    \$\begingroup\$ The interpretation in this answer does leave the option open for a Imprisonment caster to deliberately destroy the component after casting the spell, to reduce possibility of discovery or release via Dispel. Although that does have a significant cost to the caster, so doesn't cause too much trouble. Kind of "lock them up and throw away the key". \$\endgroup\$
    – Neil Slater
    Commented Sep 4, 2023 at 10:29
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    \$\begingroup\$ @NeilSlater Nothing in the spell description prevents that tactic. But it is costly, and it prevent the jailor from easily releasing his victim. \$\endgroup\$
    – Negdo
    Commented Sep 4, 2023 at 10:57
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Negdo in what way is it costly? They already spent the resources needed to get the material component. Also worth noting that using the burial option and then tossing the mithral orb into a sphere of annihilation means it will be virtually impossible to end the spell without a magic item or something like wish. Also worth noting that it doesn't actually make it harder for the caster to end it because you can set a condition that will cause the spell to end. \$\endgroup\$
    – Disdyakis triacontahedron
    Commented Dec 24, 2023 at 8:13

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