[RPG] Can Prestidigitation be used to create a nonmagical key to fit a specific lock

dnd-5espells

One of the uses of the prestidigitation spell is:

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.

There are a lot of questions about prestidigitation's "nonmagical trinket" ability that tend to have an answer that you can create any item that fits the stipulations (nonmagical and fits in hand). However, I couldn't find any that specifically answer this question:

Could you make a working key with prestidigitation?

This would definitely require that the caster have exact knowledge of the key (or a drawing of it) so that they aren't just able to open any lock, but would you theoretically be able to create a nonmagical key that fits in your hand to the exact dimensions of a key needed to open a lock?

My assumption is yes, but I wasn't sure if there was a Sage Advice on the topic I missed or if a DM would object.

Best Answer

Maybe, but how useful is it?

If a player says "I cast Prestidigitation and conjure a key to this safe", well, they can't. Because they don't know the design of the key. That's like casting Illusory Script and specifying that you write "the correct answer to the Sphinx's riddle", or Eldritch Blast with a target of "the invisible guy I know is around here somewhere".

There's no rule that says that you have to know the design of an object to magically create it, but it's implied by this limitation on Fabricate:

You also can't use it to create items that ordinarily require a high degree of craftsmanship, such as jewelry, weapons, glass, or armor, unless you have proficiency with the type of artisan's tools used to craft such objects.

Now if you have a detailed, accurate image of the key to work with, it might be possible. But your wizard doesn't have a smartphone, so images of that quality are pretty much limited to magical scrying (for example with a familiar or Arcane Eye), or having access to the key for long enough to trace it on paper, or looking directly at it. There are cases where Prestidigitating a key might still have benefits over (having your familiar steal it / taking the paper to a locksmith / picking up the key with your hand) but it's hard to see anything game-breaking there.