Area Dispell magic and ongoing spell effects [Archive] - Wizards Community

Area Dispell magic and ongoing spell effects [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Father Dale
06-07-04, 01:46 PM Lets say a 10th lvl Fighter had Bull's Strenght cast on him by a 9th lvl Cleric, and Haste and Enlarge Person by a 10th lvl Wizard.

The Fighter then gets caught in an area dispell magic by an enemy sorcerer.

Thus, the sorcerer gets to make caster lvl checks against the ongoing spell effects on the Fighter until he either dispells one or fails on every attempt.

According to the Dispell Magic description, he would start with the spell effects with the highest "caster level." Thus, the dispell would attempt to dispell the Haste or Enlarge Person first, because thy are at 10th caster level, whereas the Bull's Strenght is at 9th caster level.

Let's say the sorcere makes his first caster level check to dispell one of the 10th caster level spells.

Which spell gets dispelled? Haster or Enlarge Person?

The description of the spell doesn't seem to say. Do you roll randomly? Does it affect the highest spell first? The lowest spell? Does the target get to choose? Does the caster get to choose?
roll8dn
06-07-04, 01:57 PM You're right, it doesn't really expalin. However, from reading the spell description of targeted dispel, it attempts to dispel the highest caster level spell first. Since both Haste and Enlarge Person are the highest caster level, I'd simply roll a d% and make one of them low and one high. This would represent the fact that the dispel goes up against the highest caster level spell because it has the highest magical "energy" level, and area dispel has no concious (sp?) choice in the matter. Since both spells have the same magic "energy" level, imbued by their casters, it would simply go up against one at random.
Father Dale
06-07-04, 02:01 PM Thats kind of what I figured would be best.

The only problem I could see would be if there were 13 or more spell effects on at one time, which is unlikely but still possible with certain spellcasters, particularly in a large party with multiple casters and a bard or something.

Anything less than that would be easy enough. Say you had 8 spells effecting you, then roll a d8 to figure out which one. If 9 spells are affecting you, roll a d10 and reroll on 0's. But after 13, theres no die except for a d20 or a percent roll that would help.

I guess divide 13 into 100 and roll a percent. Sure seems like a lot of math, but I guess it won't come up that often. Well, maybe roll a d20 and reroll on 14 and up.

Anyways, thanks for the quick reply!
Seeker95
06-07-04, 02:31 PM If you want a non-random method for determining the order of dispel for same-caster-level spells, use "last in - first out". The one most recently cast is "on the surface" and gets affected first.
tarkin
06-07-04, 02:50 PM You are supposed to go highest level first, then highest caster level, then randomly.

So 3rd level haste, then 2nd level Bull Strength then first level Enlarge.
Faragdar the Wise
06-07-04, 03:04 PM Originally posted by tarkin
You are supposed to go highest level first, then highest caster level, then randomly.
No, it's based on caster level, not spell level, at all. If two spells have the same caster level, you should determine randomly which gets checked first. I personally like Seeker's non-random method as an alternative to a random check, though, or you could start with the highest level spell if two or more spells have the same caster level. As long as the DM sticks to the same method every time, it shouldn't be a big issue.
Seeker95
06-07-04, 03:46 PM I sure do wish the area dispel sequence were reversed.
Take out all the piddly protections first!

Of course, in my campaign, when I DM, this is do-able. So my lament is really that I wish it weren't my house rule. But they don't need to go and change the core rules on account of my whining!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Father Dale 06-07-04, 01:46 PM	Lets say a 10th lvl Fighter had Bull's Strenght cast on him by a 9th lvl Cleric, and Haste and Enlarge Person by a 10th lvl Wizard. The Fighter then gets caught in an area dispell magic by an enemy sorcerer. Thus, the sorcerer gets to make caster lvl checks against the ongoing spell effects on the Fighter until he either dispells one or fails on every attempt. According to the Dispell Magic description, he would start with the spell effects with the highest "caster level." Thus, the dispell would attempt to dispell the Haste or Enlarge Person first, because thy are at 10th caster level, whereas the Bull's Strenght is at 9th caster level. Let's say the sorcere makes his first caster level check to dispell one of the 10th caster level spells. Which spell gets dispelled? Haster or Enlarge Person? The description of the spell doesn't seem to say. Do you roll randomly? Does it affect the highest spell first? The lowest spell? Does the target get to choose? Does the caster get to choose?
roll8dn 06-07-04, 01:57 PM	You're right, it doesn't really expalin. However, from reading the spell description of targeted dispel, it attempts to dispel the highest caster level spell first. Since both Haste and Enlarge Person are the highest caster level, I'd simply roll a d% and make one of them low and one high. This would represent the fact that the dispel goes up against the highest caster level spell because it has the highest magical "energy" level, and area dispel has no concious (sp?) choice in the matter. Since both spells have the same magic "energy" level, imbued by their casters, it would simply go up against one at random.
Father Dale 06-07-04, 02:01 PM	Thats kind of what I figured would be best. The only problem I could see would be if there were 13 or more spell effects on at one time, which is unlikely but still possible with certain spellcasters, particularly in a large party with multiple casters and a bard or something. Anything less than that would be easy enough. Say you had 8 spells effecting you, then roll a d8 to figure out which one. If 9 spells are affecting you, roll a d10 and reroll on 0's. But after 13, theres no die except for a d20 or a percent roll that would help. I guess divide 13 into 100 and roll a percent. Sure seems like a lot of math, but I guess it won't come up that often. Well, maybe roll a d20 and reroll on 14 and up. Anyways, thanks for the quick reply!
Seeker95 06-07-04, 02:31 PM	If you want a non-random method for determining the order of dispel for same-caster-level spells, use "last in - first out". The one most recently cast is "on the surface" and gets affected first.
tarkin 06-07-04, 02:50 PM	You are supposed to go highest level first, then highest caster level, then randomly. So 3rd level haste, then 2nd level Bull Strength then first level Enlarge.
Faragdar the Wise 06-07-04, 03:04 PM	Originally posted by tarkin You are supposed to go highest level first, then highest caster level, then randomly. No, it's based on caster level, not spell level, at all. If two spells have the same caster level, you should determine randomly which gets checked first. I personally like Seeker's non-random method as an alternative to a random check, though, or you could start with the highest level spell if two or more spells have the same caster level. As long as the DM sticks to the same method every time, it shouldn't be a big issue.
Seeker95 06-07-04, 03:46 PM	I sure do wish the area dispel sequence were reversed. Take out all the piddly protections first! Of course, in my campaign, when I DM, this is do-able. So my lament is really that I wish it weren't my house rule. But they don't need to go and change the core rules on account of my whining!