Can someone confirm how Dispel Magic works? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Can someone confirm how Dispel Magic works? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
MSW
11-23-05, 04:07 PM I thought the DC for dispelling was spell level + 11, but someone said it is the spell caster's level + 11 regardless of the spell level?

So for example, a 10th level caster has mage armor (1st level spell), Bull's Strength (2nd level spell) and Arcane Sight (3rd level spell) all cast on his person (he cast them himself so 10th level caster.)

I thought it would be DC12 to dispell mage armor, DC13 for Bull's Strength, and DC14 to dispell Arcane Sight. (the spell's caster level + 11)

But my friend said no, all of the spells would have a DC21 (10th level caster + 11) regardless of spell level.

To me that sounds wrong. Logic would tell you that it should be harder to dispel a higher level spell then a lower level one cast by the same person. It also seems to nix the Highten Spell feat a great deal. (I thought Highten Spell would make a 1st level spell behave like a 6th level spell for instance, making the dispel check 6+11; DC17 instead of the standard DC12...)

Can anyone clarify this for me? It's pretty important since I like to use dispel magic a lot to counter the bbeg mages/clerics.

Thanks.
cwslyclgh
11-23-05, 04:15 PM it is caster level +11... no need for us to confirm it when it says it plain as day in the spells text.

The DC for this dispel check is 11 + the spell’s caster level. If you succeed on a particular check, that spell is dispelled; if you fail, that spell remains in effect.
Redneck4Hire
11-23-05, 04:36 PM The Spell's Caster level is always the Caster Level of the caster that cast it. The Spell Level is the level of the spell.

Example:

The DC for the dispel magic in your example would be 21 (11+spell's caster level)

The DC for the will save of Hold Person cast by the same caster would be 14+ (11+spell level+ability mod; the ability would have to be atleast 13)

You have to watch out for that word "Caster". It can change everything.
MSW
11-23-05, 04:52 PM So then my friend was correct, it's just as hard/easy to dispell a 1st level spell as a 9th level spell cast by the same person. (same caster level).

Well that is good to know. All this time I was saying the dispell DC for my own spells was lower then they should of been. No wonder the bad guys were so much better at dispelling then I was!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
MSW 11-23-05, 04:07 PM	I thought the DC for dispelling was spell level + 11, but someone said it is the spell caster's level + 11 regardless of the spell level? So for example, a 10th level caster has mage armor (1st level spell), Bull's Strength (2nd level spell) and Arcane Sight (3rd level spell) all cast on his person (he cast them himself so 10th level caster.) I thought it would be DC12 to dispell mage armor, DC13 for Bull's Strength, and DC14 to dispell Arcane Sight. (the spell's caster level + 11) But my friend said no, all of the spells would have a DC21 (10th level caster + 11) regardless of spell level. To me that sounds wrong. Logic would tell you that it should be harder to dispel a higher level spell then a lower level one cast by the same person. It also seems to nix the Highten Spell feat a great deal. (I thought Highten Spell would make a 1st level spell behave like a 6th level spell for instance, making the dispel check 6+11; DC17 instead of the standard DC12...) Can anyone clarify this for me? It's pretty important since I like to use dispel magic a lot to counter the bbeg mages/clerics. Thanks.
cwslyclgh 11-23-05, 04:15 PM	it is caster level +11... no need for us to confirm it when it says it plain as day in the spells text. The DC for this dispel check is 11 + the spell’s caster level. If you succeed on a particular check, that spell is dispelled; if you fail, that spell remains in effect.
Redneck4Hire 11-23-05, 04:36 PM	The Spell's Caster level is always the Caster Level of the caster that cast it. The Spell Level is the level of the spell. Example: The DC for the dispel magic in your example would be 21 (11+spell's caster level) The DC for the will save of Hold Person cast by the same caster would be 14+ (11+spell level+ability mod; the ability would have to be atleast 13) You have to watch out for that word "Caster". It can change everything.
MSW 11-23-05, 04:52 PM	So then my friend was correct, it's just as hard/easy to dispell a 1st level spell as a 9th level spell cast by the same person. (same caster level). Well that is good to know. All this time I was saying the dispell DC for my own spells was lower then they should of been. No wonder the bad guys were so much better at dispelling then I was!