Dispelling Permanent Effects - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Dispelling Permanent Effects

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
blinkkite
May 02, 2009 6:24:34 Hello everyone.
A question came up today (where all like kinda new to D & D). We were fighting a Yuan-Ti and it cast Baleful Polymorph (This is 3.5) on the fighter, who failed and was turned into a snake.

After the battle, the Favored Soul attempted to Dispel Magic it. I believed it wouldnt work, but was shocked when my DM said it did. Being, at least I think, a fair player, I expressed that I thought it didn't as, according to Dispel Magic, "the spell as treated as if it's duration has expired.

So two questions arose:
1.Can permanent duration expire?
2.Can you dispel permanent effects?
#2
oxybe
May 02, 2009 8:06:43 few effects are truly "permanent"

if you look at page 176 of the PHB
DURATION
Permanent: The energy remains as long as the effect does. this means the spell is vulnerable to dispel magic.
#3
malek2991
May 02, 2009 10:58:44 Dispel Magic can remove permanant effects, but not instantaneous effects. If he was turned to stone, then dispel magic wouldn't work. "the spell as treated as if it's duration has expired" means that any effect that would happen if the duration expires happens when dispelled, such as Fly which allows you to fall slowly for a few rounds after the duration expires.
#4
koradzi
May 02, 2009 11:53:48 Malek's got it. You can Dispel effects where the duration is "Permanent," but not "Instantaneous."

IIRC, the only way to fix someone who's been hit by Baleful Polymorph (shy of Wish or Miracle) is to Polymorph them back to normal.

...Not that I'd recommend pointing that out to the DM.
#5
Zherog
May 02, 2009 13:08:11 You can dispel baleful polymorph. The duration is "Permanent."

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 blinkkite May 02, 2009 6:24:34	Hello everyone. A question came up today (where all like kinda new to D & D). We were fighting a Yuan-Ti and it cast Baleful Polymorph (This is 3.5) on the fighter, who failed and was turned into a snake. After the battle, the Favored Soul attempted to Dispel Magic it. I believed it wouldnt work, but was shocked when my DM said it did. Being, at least I think, a fair player, I expressed that I thought it didn't as, according to Dispel Magic, "the spell as treated as if it's duration has expired. So two questions arose: 1.Can permanent duration expire? 2.Can you dispel permanent effects?
#2 oxybe May 02, 2009 8:06:43	few effects are truly "permanent" if you look at page 176 of the PHB DURATION Permanent: The energy remains as long as the effect does. this means the spell is vulnerable to dispel magic.
#3 malek2991 May 02, 2009 10:58:44	Dispel Magic can remove permanant effects, but not instantaneous effects. If he was turned to stone, then dispel magic wouldn't work. "the spell as treated as if it's duration has expired" means that any effect that would happen if the duration expires happens when dispelled, such as Fly which allows you to fall slowly for a few rounds after the duration expires.
#4 koradzi May 02, 2009 11:53:48	Malek's got it. You can Dispel effects where the duration is "Permanent," but not "Instantaneous." IIRC, the only way to fix someone who's been hit by Baleful Polymorph (shy of Wish or Miracle) is to Polymorph them back to normal. ...Not that I'd recommend pointing that out to the DM.
#5 Zherog May 02, 2009 13:08:11	You can dispel baleful polymorph. The duration is "Permanent."