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BillyJimBoBob
2010-07-31, 08:37 AM
In Treantmonk's guide to Abjuration, this is his entry on Dispel Magic:

Dispel Magic (PHB): (Debuff)::evillaugh To those regular to CO, this is obviously THE staple of abjuration. Uses include debuffing the DMM Cleric, or casting it over an area to remove a hoard of summoned creatures or remove buffs from multiple opponents. You can also use Dispel Magic to counterspell – of course – you should never counterspell – so that’s kind of useless (If you must counterspell – ready a good hard blast spell instead). There are many ways to improve your dispel roll – so this can become quite the focus for your character – don’t forget that this spell is reactive though. (Being proactive tends to be better in most situations)
Can anyone reference the "many ways to improve your dispel roll?" My group is pure Core, so I may not have access to those ways, but if any are Core I'd like to learn about them. A search in the D20srd does not show me any.

Prodan
2010-07-31, 08:39 AM
Ioun Stone. Spell Power.

jseah
2010-07-31, 09:35 AM
Arcane Mastery allows you to take 10 on CL checks (including dispel and SR)

I recall something about a dispelling cord item and a feat elven spell lore.

Douglas
2010-07-31, 10:09 AM
Anything that increases caster level will help, though only up to the cap at CL 10.

The Inquisition domain from Spell Compendium and Complete Divine gives a +4 bonus on top of that.

Master Specialist (Abjuration) from Complete Mage gives a bonus equal to half your class level on dispel checks.

Elven Spell Lore feat from PHB2 gives +2

A Dispelling Cord from Magic Item Compendium gives +2 5 times per day.

The Spellcaster's Bane spell from Complete Mage gives +2 for 1 round/level.

There might be a few more in other books.

Curmudgeon
2010-07-31, 11:13 AM
There are spells with a higher limit for caster level. Greater Dispel Magic caps at CL 20, as does Reaving Dispel (Spell Compendium). Chain Dispel (Players Handbook II) caps at CL 25.

Claudius Maximus
2010-07-31, 11:28 AM
This (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19871214/Dispelling_38;_Counterspelling_Compilation) is a decent resource for dispelling optimization.

Before you hit the cap, increasing caster level (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19872350/Raising_Caster_Level) will improve your rolls.

ericgrau
2010-07-31, 01:19 PM
Ioun Stone. Spell Power.

Both prohibitively expensive in core. The best to get more successes way with dispel magic is to hit multiple spells at once, so you're bound to dispel some of them. If an enemy is buffed through the roof, you do a targeted dispel and get half the buffs. If a group are all buffed with some spell, you do an area dispel.

Prodan
2010-07-31, 01:31 PM
Both prohibitively expensive in core.

At least it was a pertinent answer to the question.

Tyndmyr
2010-07-31, 03:07 PM
Both prohibitively expensive in core. The best to get more successes way with dispel magic is to hit multiple spells at once, so you're bound to dispel some of them. If an enemy is buffed through the roof, you do a targeted dispel and get half the buffs. If a group are all buffed with some spell, you do an area dispel.

What else are you buying in a core only game?

Stat boosters are great. Perhaps a ring of counterspells. Those are relatively cheap. A few wands and scrolls perhaps, but cmon, boosting caster level for all spells is like crack for casters. Why wouldn't you pick up an orange ioun stone?

ericgrau
2010-07-31, 08:08 PM
What else are you buying in a core only game?
Items that aren't so expensive.

I pointed out a more effective way to dispel and that is to target multiple spells. When you can't do that, you do something else and buy other items. 30,000 gp for just 1 caster level is ridiculous on any level before 17. I don't even remember playing a campaign that went that high, except for the epic campaign I was in. You could technically blow all your money on it sooner, but that is absolutely meaningless b/c such a large % of your money on so little is foolish.

And I'd rather boost save DC or get items that give me more spells or boosts to spells like metamagic than to spend so much and only get +1 caster level instead of all that put together.

Gralamin
2010-07-31, 08:50 PM
Items that aren't so expensive.

I pointed out a more effective way to dispel and that is to target multiple spells. When you can't do that, you do something else and buy other items. 30,000 gp for just 1 caster level is ridiculous on any level before 17. I don't even remember playing a campaign that went that high, except for the epic campaign I was in. You could technically blow all your money on it sooner, but that is absolutely meaningless b/c such a large % of your money on so little is foolish.

And I'd rather boost save DC or get items that give me more spells or boosts to spells like metamagic than to spend so much and only get +1 caster level instead of all that put together.

That is hardly "A more effective way to dispel", since whether you have the higher bonus with dispel magic or not, you should face the same situations. And since facing enemies with multiple spells on them is independent of your actions, there is no reason to claim that waiting for the right enemies is more effective then getting a higher bonus.

ericgrau
2010-07-31, 10:12 PM
Hitting multiple targets dramatically increases the usefulness. Dispelling a guy b/c he has one annoying buff on him is not so great; you pick another spell instead. If there was better core advice I'd post it, but dispel tactics are an order of magnitude better than wasting a huge chunk of cash or trading away other class features on a +1. And there's not much else available in core.