[RPG] Can a PC use a mirror or other sight enhancer to use sacred flame at a target around a corner

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We have a PC that is getting very sneaky with his Sacred Flame application. Its fun outside-the-box play but if he carries a hand mirror or uses scrying spells its going to become far easier.

Can a mirror allow use of Sacred Flame around a corner?

Can a PC scry to the other side of a door and use this sight to activate sacred flame?

Rules for Total cover:

A target with total cover can’t be targeted directly by an attack or a spell, although some spells can reach such a target by including it in an area of effect. (PHB 196)

Sacred Flame Text:

Flame-like radiance descends on a creature that you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 radiant damage. The target gains no benefit from cover for this saving throw. (PHB 272)

Sacred flame specifically states "that you can see".

It is also confusing what the "area of effect" might be.

Best Answer

Yes you can target the creature with a mirror

Sacred flame is an exception to the rule requiring a clear path to the target

Sacred flame says:

Flame-like radiance descends on a creature that you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 radiant damage. The target gains no benefit from cover for this saving throw.

Jeremy Crawford talks about this on the Jan. 19, 2017 episode of Dragon Talk ("Wolfgang Baur on DMing for Girl Scouts"). Starting at 36:20, he says:

There are spells that create exceptions to this rule about needing a path clear of obstruction. One cantrip [that breaks] this rule is sacred flame. Sacred flame is one of the low level spells that has this text: "The target gains no benefit from cover for this saving throw." [...] So, they're getting no benefit from cover [...] and that includes total cover. So sacred flame is one of the few spells that allows you to target somebody even if they're behind total cover. [...] You can be looking through the window in the tower and cast it on someone outside.

So, since sacred flame ignores cover, the only issue for the spellcaster is that they need to be able to see the creature. And the mirror takes care of that.

Narrative explanation

The reason this works narratively is also explained by Crawford in that same discussion.

The narrative reason for that, the reason I wrote it that way, is that sacred flame is coming down from above the person. The idea is the cleric is calling this divine energy down on the target and it is not actually shooting out from the cleric, it's coming down. [Which is an exception] and in the game the exceptional always beats the general.

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