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I have a level 2 wizard (D&D 5e) with prestidigitation as one of their cantrips and I want to semi-permanently alter my appearance with a silly looking fake moustache, because reasons. I'm unclear about 2 things:

  1. Does a small object created with prestidigitation last for an hour regardless of whether concentration is maintained, or does it last while concentration is maintained only, up to an hour?

  2. Does casting another spell interrupt the prestidigitation effect? Like say I'm in battle, do I have to choose between casting combat spells and maintaining my moustache? Or does it stay put as long as its hour isn't up?

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    \$\begingroup\$ Perhaps try to acquire a (top) hat of disguise? Or maybe a sombrero of disguise? I suppose it depends on the specific style of silly moustache you're aiming for. \$\endgroup\$
    – Jon
    Oct 25, 2016 at 19:20
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Jon the backstory here is that I have an agender half-elf of androgynous appearance but the DM keeps misgendering them by saying "she" (I guess he assumes my character has the same gender presentation that I do IRL) so my character has no naturally occurring facial hair but I thought a silly costume moustache would be a lighthearted way to help the DM remember that my half-elf's not a female. \$\endgroup\$
    – beth
    Oct 25, 2016 at 20:20
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    \$\begingroup\$ You can always ask your DM to let you research a cantrip. Are questions about the best name for a mustache cantrip on topic for this site? \$\endgroup\$
    – Peter
    Oct 25, 2016 at 23:52
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    \$\begingroup\$ If you showed up at my table wearing this extra fabulous fake mustache IRL I think I'd give you extra experience points for it. :-} \$\endgroup\$
    – candied_orange
    Oct 26, 2016 at 13:49
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Peter Peter's Prodigious Pogonotrophy? \$\endgroup\$
    – Jon
    Oct 31, 2016 at 18:27

2 Answers 2

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While I whole-heartedly support your quest for a fine moustache, I'm afraid the best you can reasonably manage with prestidigitation is a moustache tattoo. The relevant bits of the spell are:

  • You make a color, a small mark, or a symbol appear on an object or a surface for 1 hour.
  • You create a nonmagical trinket or an illusory image that can fit in your hand and that lasts until the end of your next turn.

As written, it appears that you'll need to re-cast prestidigitation every round to maintain a physical moustache, but if you go for a moustache tattoo, the mark will be maintained for up to an hour with no additional effort on your part.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Ah, yes I overlooked that bit. So in battle, unless I want to cast prestidigitation every turn, I'd lose my mustache after the first turn. But what about when not in combat? How long is "the end of the next turn" when no fighting is going on? \$\endgroup\$
    – beth
    Oct 25, 2016 at 20:27
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    \$\begingroup\$ Also, do you think adding sparkles counts as a "color"? It's important that my moustache be extra fabulous. \$\endgroup\$
    – beth
    Oct 25, 2016 at 20:34
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    \$\begingroup\$ Outside of combat, a round lasts 6 seconds (PHB 189). \$\endgroup\$
    – Ilya Donskikh
    Oct 26, 2016 at 2:20
  • \$\begingroup\$ I hadn't noticed the "that lasts until the end of your next turn" part when I gave my answer, unfortunately. However, you could still either make a moustache tatoo ("a small mark, or a sympol"), or you could find some way to stick some straws or grass or something like that to your upper lip, and then color it "moustache-colored" for an hour at a time? Of course... You could also just find an animal, pluck some hairs or fur from it, and find a way to stick it on there, no magic needed? :) \$\endgroup\$
    – P.G.
    Oct 26, 2016 at 6:13
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Prestidigitation is not a concentration spell, and thus you can keep your magnificent mustache, as long as you re-cast prestidigitation every hour.

Just remember that you can "only" have three active non-instantaneous Prestidigitation effects active at a time, and your moustache would "occupy" one of those three. This does however mean that you can actually have a moustache and a monocle (each "spending" one of the three active effects permitted), and still have one effect left, to heat your cup of tea for an hour!

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    \$\begingroup\$ I'd rather go for the top hat instead of the tea cup. \$\endgroup\$
    – Mindwin Remember Monica
    Oct 25, 2016 at 16:04
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Mindwin savage! \$\endgroup\$
    – Patrice
    Oct 25, 2016 at 16:39

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