I feel Dispel Magic could be explained in greater detail. Just to be clear, only if a spell is cast on an object it is dispelled? What about a scroll with a spell written on it? What about something that was created by a spell, like Goodberry? I expect a bag of holding is not affected...but I admit I am not sure. I know I might be over-thinking this a bit but a little enlightenment is always welcomed by those of you who have much more knowledge than me. Thank you as always!
The description clearly states a "creature, object, or magical effect" can be dispelled, so it's not just objects. A scroll with a spell written on it isn't necessarily a magical object since the spell has to be read to activate it. If someone read the spell to cast it you could dispel its casting, but it has no effect on the scroll itself. A goodberry is a magically conjured object, so if one were to dispel magic, I would think that goodberry would either become a normal berry or disappear altogether. Bags of holding are stronger magic and would probably require a high DC check, but I would think it could be done.
Dispel Magic is designed specifically to go after other spells, not magic effects from other sources. It would have no effect on a bag of holding
Can you use dispel magic to dispel a magical effect like a vampire’s Charm ability? Dispel magic has a particular purpose: to break other spells. It has no effect on a vampire’s Charm ability or any other magical effect that isn’t a spell. It also does nothing to the properties of a magic item. It can, however, end a spell cast from a magic item or from another source. Spells—they’re what dispel magic is about. For example, if you cast dispel magic on a staff of power, the spell fails to disrupt the staff’s magical properties, but if the staff’s wielder casts hold monster from the staff, dispel magic can end that spell if cast on the target of hold monster. There are abilities and other spells that can end or suspend magical effects that aren’t spells. For example, the greater restoration spell can end a charm effect of any sort on a target (such as a vampire’s Charm or a dryad’s Fey Charm), and a paladin’s Aura of Devotion can prevent or suspend such an effect. Three of the most versatile spells for ending certain magical effects are lesser restoration, greater restoration, and remove curse.
and it would seem that it would have no effect on goodberry either.
Can you use dispel magic on the creations of a spell like animate dead or affect those creations with antimagic field? Whenever you wonder whether a spell’s effects can be dispelled or suspended, you need to answer one question: is the spell’s duration instantaneous? If the answer is yes, there is nothing to dispel or suspend. Here’s why: the effects of an instantaneous spell are brought into being by magic, but the effects aren’t sustained by magic (see PH, 203). The magic flares for a split second and then vanishes. For example, the instantaneous spell animate dead harnesses magical energy to turn a corpse or a pile of bones into an undead creature. That necromantic magic is present for an instant and is then gone. The resulting undead now exists without the magic’s help. Casting dispel magic on the creature can’t end its mockery of life, and the undead can wander into an antimagic field with no adverse effect.
Dispel Magic specifically ends the effects of spells with non-instantaneous effects. So magic items like bag of holding and spell scroll are not effected. Goodberry creates the berries, then the spell ends, so there is nothing to dispel there either.
Another quote from that document that I really liked is below. It doesn't directly answer the question of "what does dispel magic dispel", but it helps me understand WHY dispel magic doesn't make skeletons fall apart or goodberries fail or stuff like that.
Is the breath weapon of a dragon magical?
If you cast antimagic field, don armor of invulnerability, or use another feature of the game that protects against magical or non-magical effects, you might ask yourself, “Will this protect me against a dragon’s breath?” The breath weapon of a typical dragon isn’t considered magical, so antimagic field won’t help you but armor of invulnerability will. You might be thinking, “Dragons seem pretty magical to me.” And yes, they are extraordinary! Their description even says they’re magical. But our game makes a distinction between two types of magic:
• the background magic that is part of the D&D multiverse’s physics and the physiology of many D&D creatures
• the concentrated magical energy that is contained in a magic item or channeled to create a spell or other focused magical effect
In D&D, the first type of magic is part of nature. It is no more dispellable than the wind. A monster like a dragon exists because of that magic-enhanced nature. The second type of magic is what the rules are concerned about. When a rule refers to something being magical, it’s referring to that second type. Determining whether a game feature is magical is straightforward. Ask yourself these questions about the feature:
• Is it a magic item?
• Is it a spell? Or does it let you create the effects of a spell that’s mentioned in its description?
• Is it a spell attack?
• Is it fueled by the use of spell slots?
• Does its description say it’s magical?
If your answer to any of those questions is yes, the feature is magical. Let’s look at a white dragon’s Cold Breath and ask ourselves those questions. First, Cold Breath isn’t a magic item. Second, its description mentions no spell. Third, it’s not a spell attack. Fourth, the word “magical” appears no-where in its description. Our conclusion: Cold Breath is not considered a magical game effect, even though we know that dragons are amazing, supernatural beings.
Dispel Magic is designed specifically to go after other spells, not magic effects from other sources. It would have no effect on a bag of holding
Can you use dispel magic to dispel a magical effect like a vampire’s Charm ability? Dispel magic has a particular purpose: to break other spells. It has no effect on a vampire’s Charm ability or any other magical effect that isn’t a spell. It also does nothing to the properties of a magic item. It can, however, end a spell cast from a magic item or from another source. Spells—they’re what dispel magic is about. For example, if you cast dispel magic on a staff of power, the spell fails to disrupt the staff’s magical properties, but if the staff’s wielder casts hold monster from the staff, dispel magic can end that spell if cast on the target of hold monster. There are abilities and other spells that can end or suspend magical effects that aren’t spells. For example, the greater restoration spell can end a charm effect of any sort on a target (such as a vampire’s Charm or a dryad’s Fey Charm), and a paladin’s Aura of Devotion can prevent or suspend such an effect. Three of the most versatile spells for ending certain magical effects are lesser restoration, greater restoration, and remove curse.
and it would seem that it would have no effect on goodberry either.
Can you use dispel magic on the creations of a spell like animate dead or affect those creations with antimagic field? Whenever you wonder whether a spell’s effects can be dispelled or suspended, you need to answer one question: is the spell’s duration instantaneous? If the answer is yes, there is nothing to dispel or suspend. Here’s why: the effects of an instantaneous spell are brought into being by magic, but the effects aren’t sustained by magic (see PH, 203). The magic flares for a split second and then vanishes. For example, the instantaneous spell animate dead harnesses magical energy to turn a corpse or a pile of bones into an undead creature. That necromantic magic is present for an instant and is then gone. The resulting undead now exists without the magic’s help. Casting dispel magic on the creature can’t end its mockery of life, and the undead can wander into an antimagic field with no adverse effect.
Another poster shared a link to Sage Advice and I read every question and answer but missed this one...my Investigation check was a natural 1, I guess, thank you for the help.
I feel Dispel Magic could be explained in greater detail. Just to be clear, only if a spell is cast on an object it is dispelled? What about a scroll with a spell written on it? What about something that was created by a spell, like Goodberry? I expect a bag of holding is not affected...but I admit I am not sure. I know I might be over-thinking this a bit but a little enlightenment is always welcomed by those of you who have much more knowledge than me. Thank you as always!
The description clearly states a "creature, object, or magical effect" can be dispelled, so it's not just objects. A scroll with a spell written on it isn't necessarily a magical object since the spell has to be read to activate it. If someone read the spell to cast it you could dispel its casting, but it has no effect on the scroll itself. A goodberry is a magically conjured object, so if one were to dispel magic, I would think that goodberry would either become a normal berry or disappear altogether. Bags of holding are stronger magic and would probably require a high DC check, but I would think it could be done.
Dispel Magic is designed specifically to go after other spells, not magic effects from other sources. It would have no effect on a bag of holding
and it would seem that it would have no effect on goodberry either.
EDIT: My source.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Dispel Magic specifically ends the effects of spells with non-instantaneous effects. So magic items like bag of holding and spell scroll are not effected. Goodberry creates the berries, then the spell ends, so there is nothing to dispel there either.
Another quote from that document that I really liked is below. It doesn't directly answer the question of "what does dispel magic dispel", but it helps me understand WHY dispel magic doesn't make skeletons fall apart or goodberries fail or stuff like that.
Another poster shared a link to Sage Advice and I read every question and answer but missed this one...my Investigation check was a natural 1, I guess, thank you for the help.
I have never had a question go unanswered. Thank you all!