Is dismissing a spell a magical effect?

[unseenmage]

I intend to have my players meet and interact with a Minor Servitor (SS), basically an Animated Object with a mind, who is trying to escape its master/creator who is trying to dismiss the Minor Servitor spell powering the creature. (And yes the spell Minor Servitor is 3.0 and has the dismissible tag.)

Is the "(D)"/dismissible property of an Animated Object creature a Su quality, a racial trait, or an Ex quality?

To answer that question I ask this one; Can a spellcaster dismiss their spell from within an Antimagic Field?
And summarily these questions; Or through a Dispelling Screen? Or through an Antimagic Field? Through a Wall of Force?


In a previous discussion it was discovered that when a Minor Servitor or Permanancy-ed Animated Object is affected by a template nothing explicitly removes the Dismissable quality even when the template would seemingly remove the creature's susceptibility to Antimagic Fields; eg. The Incarnate Construct (SS) template and/or the Sacred Guardian (DL:BoK) template.

[holywhippet]

Well, in 3.5 the rules state


(D) Dismissible

If the Duration line ends with "(D)," you can dismiss the spell at will. You must be within range of the spell’s effect and must speak words of dismissal, which are usually a modified form of the spell’s verbal component. If the spell has no verbal component, you can dismiss the effect with a gesture. Dismissing a spell is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

A spell that depends on concentration is dismissible by its very nature, and dismissing it does not take an action, since all you have to do to end the spell is to stop concentrating on your turn.

Since you are speaking a few words or making a gesture I'd say that it wouldn't work if you are inside of an anti-magic field as you are trying to do magic in order to dismiss the spell. I'd say the property type of this is just a class feature as I don't think regular spells have a type or quality.

I would say casting through a dispelling screen, antimagic field or wall of force would still work as what you are doing isn't a directed thing like a scorching ray but rather manipulating magic you have cast like moving around a flaming sphere.

[NoACWarrior]

Dismissal requires line of effect and for you to be within original casting range limits for the spell to be dismissed. AM however might stop all effects relating to spells unless they are EX in nature.

The crux is the statement "suppresses any magical effect" which can be interpreted many ways. By RAW that statement wouldn't technically effect dismissal - since spells active are already either suppressed or the animation is still active.

But by any common sense, anything which would effect the suppressed spell within the AMF shouldn't work.

[jedipotter]

A spellcaster with no access to magic, can't dismiss a spell. It would seem obvious that dismissing a spell is a magical effect.

[eggynack]

Dismissal requires line of effect.
An AMF doesn't block line of effect. This likely works as a result.

[unseenmage]

Dismissal requires line of effect and for you to be within original casting range limits for the spell to be dismissed. AM however might stop all effects relating to spells unless they are EX in nature.

The crux is the statement "suppresses any magical effect" which can be interpreted many ways. By RAW that statement wouldn't technically effect dismissal - since spells active are already either suppressed or the animation is still active.

But by any common sense, anything which would effect the suppressed spell within the AMF shouldn't work.

Okay, out of curiosity though, if you had to for whatever reason; Where would you list an Animated Object's dismissibility? As Su or Ex Special Quality on it's statblock? Or perhaps would this trait be better described as a Racial Trait, which often don't have Su or Ex qualifiers?

I realize the above is more conjecture than RAW but I am curious as to your informed opinion.

[NoACWarrior]

A spellcaster with no access to magic, can't dismiss a spell. It would seem obvious that dismissing a spell is a magical effect.

The issue is that if you use a magic item, you could dismiss said spell as if you were the spell caster (within reasonable bounds). But what you bring up makes total sense. But dismissal of a magic spell isnt init of itself an actual magical effect, just the consequence of wanting to let the spell dissipate. If its not a spell, Sp, or Supernatural ability its not a magic type of effect.

One could argue that the ability to dismiss the magic effect is built into the spell and that you would have to "manipulate the spell as normal" requiring the spell to actually be in effect. The only issue is that the spell is in effect, it is just suppressed and not active, and the countdown timer for it still ticks by.