How does dispel magic works

[Melcar]

Hi...

After a gaming session last night, we ran into a problem. Now we had a spell caster casting Greater Dispel Magic, that caster is above level 20, and has a feat that gives him +4 to dispel and spell penetration. When he did cast the dispel magic he say that he got 1d20 +24 on his dispel attempt against my caster level + 11. I said that one could only ever gain a +20 effect by that spell and no matter what bonus that spell could never bring the bonus above 20. It says in the spell description, that one can max gain a +20 caster level bonus on greater dispel but does not talk about bonus from feats.

Could this community perhaps explain how things are working?

Thanks!

[SolioFebalas]

He is right, he can gain +20 maximum from this spell, and any additional numbers from feats/Su/Ex etc.

[Vaz]

Dispel checks have a Maximum Caster level variable (so 1d20+Caster Level, Max 10, means that a CL20 Character still has a Maximum of 30, but a Minimum of 11).

There are some other modifiers to Dispel checks, which do not actually affect your caster level; such as the Inquisition Domain granting +4 to Dispel Checks, and the Dispelling Cord doing the same.

A Character with both of them will get a 1d20+Caster Level (Max 10) + 8 to Dispel Checks.

Greater Dispel Magic is Max 20, which increases this even further.

[Melcar]

Ok...

That was new info for me. But thanks. It was quite a heated debate! :smallsmile:

[Psyren]

Dispel checks have a Maximum Caster level variable (so 1d20+Caster Level, Max 10, means that a CL20 Character still has a Maximum of 30, but a Minimum of 11).

There are some other modifiers to Dispel checks, which do not actually affect your caster level; such as the Inquisition Domain granting +4 to Dispel Checks, and the Dispelling Cord doing the same.

A Character with both of them will get a 1d20+Caster Level (Max 10) + 8 to Dispel Checks.

Greater Dispel Magic is Max 20, which increases this even further.

This is correct - your contribution from CL is capped, but other (specific) boosts to your dispel check are not.

[Der_DWSage]

Indeed. The key word there is that the bonus from the caster level can't go higher than 20. Any other bonuses stack.

And hey, at least he didn't go for a flat-out Disjunction, and make you roll for every item he was equipped with.