[3.5e] Effulgent Epuration

[Elurindel]

Not sure if anybody's heard of this spell, but it's one of the cheesier ones in the spell compendium. I need some advice from anybody who's encountered it.

The spell description mentions that the spell absorbs one spell per level, against spells that directly affect the caster. What happens when an area spell, such as Cone of Cold, is brought into it?

Also, how is this spell affected when subject to:
*Mordenkaimen's Disjunction
*Antimagic Field

In addition, if a spell fires multiple shots, such as Magic Missile or Scorching Ray, do each of these count as a single spell, for the purposes of absorption, or are they all one spell?

Answers would be very much appreciated to avoid any further arguing in my group. Thanks :)

[Douglas]

The spell description mentions that the spell absorbs one spell per level, against spells that directly affect the caster. What happens when an area spell, such as Cone of Cold, is brought into it?
Straight from the spell's text:
"...that directly targets the subject"
"Area spells and spells that do not actually have a target cannot be absorbed."


Also, how is this spell affected when subject to:
*Mordenkaimen's Disjunction
It is dispelled.

*Antimagic Field
It is temporarily suppressed.


In addition, if a spell fires multiple shots, such as Magic Missile or Scorching Ray, do each of these count as a single spell, for the purposes of absorption, or are they all one spell?
Each sphere negates one spell. One entire spell. Magic Missile directed at the target is negated by a single sphere. Magic Missile with one missile directed at the target and the other four at other creatures gets negated for all five targets by a single sphere. Twinned Magic Missile is negated by two spheres, as Twin Spell makes it be treated as two simultaneous castings of the spell.

Scorching Ray is not blocked at all, nor is any other ray spell, because they all have an "Effect: Ray" line instead of "Target:".

The spell provides protection only against spells that have a "Target:" line and target the protected character. Each sphere blocks one spell in its entirety for every target. The spell protects the targeted character, not itself, and has no special resistance or immunity to dispelling. The line about only spells of deific power overcoming the protection means that only deific spells can ignore the spell to target the protected character anyway, not that only deific spells can affect the spell itself.

[Elurindel]

Ok, that all makes sense so far. Looking at the spell description though, it claims that only spells of deific power can remove the spheres. Am I right in thinking that, once again, this only applies to spells that specfically target the caster?

[Belial_the_Leveler]

That line means that, of targeted spells, only something like Epic Dispel would work without being negated. So even if you targeted Effulgent Epuration specifically with a Greater Dispel, it would still negate it.

Non-targeted spells (such as Disjunction) would work normally.

[Elurindel]

Excellent. The guy using it claimed it could stop Mordenkaimen's Disjunction, but was unable to explain what happened when an Antimagic Field hit it. He clearly did not do the research.