I am looking for some help with a player in one of my campaigns who insists on trying to use Dispel Magic to dispel EVERYTHING. The spell description in the PHB reads:
"Choose any creature, object, or magical effect within range. Any spell of 3rd level or lower on the target ends. For each spell of or higher on the target, make an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The DC equals 10 + the spell's level. On a successful check, the spell ends."
The player in question thinks the "or magical effect" part of the description means he can walk into, say, a cavern in The Dungeon of the Mad Mage and dispel the magic that makes one of the dungeon levels appear to be a forest. When I mention that the magic creating the forest isn't a spell, he points to the "or magical effect" part of the spell description and wants to know the level of the spell that created this effect so he can try to dispel it.
Basically, he assumes that he can just walk into a dungeon and start dispelling everything, basically ruining magic that is central to the plot. When I don't allow him to do that because the magic in question isn't the effect of a specific spell, he says I am not following the rules. He says that because the highest spell level is 9th, he should be able to have a shot at dispelling pretty much any magical effect using the following part of the Dispel Magic spell description: "When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you automatically end the effects of a spell on the target if the spell's level is equal to or less than the level of the spell slot you used."
So, my question is, how do I disallow his magic-dispelling efforts on things that aren't spells listed in the PHB or other WoTC books? Is there a specific rule I can point to that will shut down this question? He wants to do the same thing with, say, a treasure chest that has a magic effect on it that's just part of the story and not a specific spell. Often, I have no idea how a particular magic effect was created (e.g., what spell created it and what level that spell was cast at), so arguing with him gets exhausting.
So, my question is, how do I disallow his magic-dispelling efforts on things that aren't spells listed in the PHB or other WoTC books? Is there a specific rule I can point to that will shut down this question? He wants to do the same thing with, say, a treasure chest that has a magic effect on it that's just part of the story and not a specific spell. Often, I have no idea how a particular magic effect was created (e.g., what spell created it and what level that spell was cast at), so arguing with him gets exhausting.
Thanks for your help!
If the effect doesn't come from a spell then Dispel Magic won't affect it. And if the effect isn't listed as being an effect from a spell then it isn't. There is a lot of magic in D&D that doesn't come from spells, have a look at how the spelldescription of Antimagic Field talks about magic effects or this answer from the SAC on spells, magic items and "background magic".
Also remember that the 2024 version of Dispel Magic specifically only targets "ongoing" spell effects. The same concept applies to the 2014 version but it isn't explicitly spelled out in the description but rather comes from how spells/spelldurations work (iirc there is a SAC entry that clears it up too).
An effect is magical if it is created by a spell, a magic item, or a phenomenon that a rule labels as magical.
So, by rule, only some magical effects are created by a spell. Or in other words, a spell is only one way that a magical effect is created.
The "or magical effect" in the spell description is just one of the things that can be targeted by the Dispel Magic spell -- it's not the thing that's being dispelled. If there is no ongoing spell that is causing the magical effect that you are targeting, then your Dispel Magic will have no effect since there is no spell available to dispel that exists on that target.
In 2024, the concept of the Dispel Magic spell is basically like a "counterspell" to any ongoing spell that has already been cast. So, it won't work against "instantaneous" spells, for example. On the other hand, the Counterspell spell is a "counterspell" to any spell that is in the process of being cast but has not yet been cast. The name "Dispel Magic" is now a little bit misleading in the 2024 rules and perhaps should have been changed but it's sort of a long tradition that the game has a spell called "Dispel Magic". It doesn't really dispel magic anymore -- it dispels spells.
I agree with the answers given: RAW, Dispel Magic only ends spells, and that's how players should use it.
But it's also true that we had this in the 2014 DMG about dispelling magic traps:
In addition, dispel magic has a chance of disabling most magic traps. A magic trap's description provides the DC for the ability check made when you use dispel magic.
The wording is a little bit different in the 2024 DMG:
Duration. Some traps have durations expressed in rounds, minutes, or hours. Others specify that their effects last until the trap is destroyed or dispelled. If a trap’s duration is instantaneous, its effect is resolved instantly.
I am looking for some help with a player in one of my campaigns who insists on trying to use Dispel Magic to dispel EVERYTHING. The spell description in the PHB reads:
"Choose any creature, object, or magical effect within range. Any spell of 3rd level or lower on the target ends. For each spell of or higher on the target, make an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The DC equals 10 + the spell's level. On a successful check, the spell ends."
The player in question thinks the "or magical effect" part of the description means he can walk into, say, a cavern in The Dungeon of the Mad Mage and dispel the magic that makes one of the dungeon levels appear to be a forest. When I mention that the magic creating the forest isn't a spell, he points to the "or magical effect" part of the spell description and wants to know the level of the spell that created this effect so he can try to dispel it.
Basically, he assumes that he can just walk into a dungeon and start dispelling everything, basically ruining magic that is central to the plot. When I don't allow him to do that because the magic in question isn't the effect of a specific spell, he says I am not following the rules. He says that because the highest spell level is 9th, he should be able to have a shot at dispelling pretty much any magical effect using the following part of the Dispel Magic spell description: "When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you automatically end the effects of a spell on the target if the spell's level is equal to or less than the level of the spell slot you used."
So, my question is, how do I disallow his magic-dispelling efforts on things that aren't spells listed in the PHB or other WoTC books? Is there a specific rule I can point to that will shut down this question? He wants to do the same thing with, say, a treasure chest that has a magic effect on it that's just part of the story and not a specific spell. Often, I have no idea how a particular magic effect was created (e.g., what spell created it and what level that spell was cast at), so arguing with him gets exhausting.
Thanks for your help!
I let them burn slots and make the DC a 30, then regardless of whether they succeed or not, tell them it it failed and the effect can not be dispelled as it was permanently fixed in place and no amount of trying to dispel it will ever work.
If the player does not like it, either they will stop or walk. Players do not run the game, you do. If a player doesn’t like that, then sitting down and having that conversation is a must.
To summarize some of the earlier posts: the only thing Dispel Magic is guaranteed to work on are spell effects, however at theDM's discretion, it can also be used to disable environmental conditions like traps.
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I am looking for some help with a player in one of my campaigns who insists on trying to use Dispel Magic to dispel EVERYTHING. The spell description in the PHB reads:
"Choose any creature, object, or magical effect within range. Any spell of 3rd level or lower on the target ends. For each spell of or higher on the target, make an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The DC equals 10 + the spell's level. On a successful check, the spell ends."
The player in question thinks the "or magical effect" part of the description means he can walk into, say, a cavern in The Dungeon of the Mad Mage and dispel the magic that makes one of the dungeon levels appear to be a forest. When I mention that the magic creating the forest isn't a spell, he points to the "or magical effect" part of the spell description and wants to know the level of the spell that created this effect so he can try to dispel it.
Basically, he assumes that he can just walk into a dungeon and start dispelling everything, basically ruining magic that is central to the plot. When I don't allow him to do that because the magic in question isn't the effect of a specific spell, he says I am not following the rules. He says that because the highest spell level is 9th, he should be able to have a shot at dispelling pretty much any magical effect using the following part of the Dispel Magic spell description: "When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you automatically end the effects of a spell on the target if the spell's level is equal to or less than the level of the spell slot you used."
So, my question is, how do I disallow his magic-dispelling efforts on things that aren't spells listed in the PHB or other WoTC books? Is there a specific rule I can point to that will shut down this question? He wants to do the same thing with, say, a treasure chest that has a magic effect on it that's just part of the story and not a specific spell. Often, I have no idea how a particular magic effect was created (e.g., what spell created it and what level that spell was cast at), so arguing with him gets exhausting.
Thanks for your help!
If the effect doesn't come from a spell then Dispel Magic won't affect it. And if the effect isn't listed as being an effect from a spell then it isn't. There is a lot of magic in D&D that doesn't come from spells, have a look at how the spelldescription of Antimagic Field talks about magic effects or this answer from the SAC on spells, magic items and "background magic".
Also remember that the 2024 version of Dispel Magic specifically only targets "ongoing" spell effects. The same concept applies to the 2014 version but it isn't explicitly spelled out in the description but rather comes from how spells/spelldurations work (iirc there is a SAC entry that clears it up too).
From the Rules Glossary:
So, by rule, only some magical effects are created by a spell. Or in other words, a spell is only one way that a magical effect is created.
The "or magical effect" in the spell description is just one of the things that can be targeted by the Dispel Magic spell -- it's not the thing that's being dispelled. If there is no ongoing spell that is causing the magical effect that you are targeting, then your Dispel Magic will have no effect since there is no spell available to dispel that exists on that target.
In 2024, the concept of the Dispel Magic spell is basically like a "counterspell" to any ongoing spell that has already been cast. So, it won't work against "instantaneous" spells, for example. On the other hand, the Counterspell spell is a "counterspell" to any spell that is in the process of being cast but has not yet been cast. The name "Dispel Magic" is now a little bit misleading in the 2024 rules and perhaps should have been changed but it's sort of a long tradition that the game has a spell called "Dispel Magic". It doesn't really dispel magic anymore -- it dispels spells.
I agree with the answers given: RAW, Dispel Magic only ends spells, and that's how players should use it.
But it's also true that we had this in the 2014 DMG about dispelling magic traps:
The wording is a little bit different in the 2024 DMG:
The 2024 DMG also mentions Dispel Magic under Potion Miscibility.
The spell is also used in many official D&D adventures in different ways, like the ones @TexasDevin and I shared in the thread Using Detect/Dispel Magic against Wild Shape Druids - Rules & Game Mechanics.
I'm just adding all this because a DM might decide to use Dispel Magic to dispel more than just ongoing spells.
I let them burn slots and make the DC a 30, then regardless of whether they succeed or not, tell them it it failed and the effect can not be dispelled as it was permanently fixed in place and no amount of trying to dispel it will ever work.
If the player does not like it, either they will stop or walk. Players do not run the game, you do. If a player doesn’t like that, then sitting down and having that conversation is a must.
Thank you, everyone! I really appreciate the help!
To summarize some of the earlier posts: the only thing Dispel Magic is guaranteed to work on are spell effects, however at the DM's discretion, it can also be used to disable environmental conditions like traps.