Dispel magic question

[TyGuy]

How do you rule/interpret dispel magic when a targeted spell affects multiple creatures.

Examples: bless, bane, slow.

Can the "generality" of the effect be targeted and it gets dropped on all creatures, or can only one instance on one creature get scrubbed at a time? Something else?

[DMThac0]

I remember this being a huge debate at one point in time, I don't recall if there was a generally accepted result.

Personally, I resolve a Dispel Magic on the object/creature it was cast on.

Tony casts Bless on 3 of his party members, but not himself. The opponent casts Dispel Magic on Tony, nothing happens.

The opponent casts Dispel Magic on any one of the 3 party members, that one party member loses Bless.

[Unoriginal]

Pretty sure Dispel Magic's text says it works on all the magical effects on one creature. Nothing about dispelling the same effect on several (at least not at the normal level).

[DMThac0]

Pretty sure Dispel Magic's text says it works on all the magical effects on one creature. Nothing about dispelling the same effect on several (at least not at the normal level).

"Choose one creature, object, or magical effect within range. Any spell of 3rd level [...]. For each spell of 4th level or higher [...]."

So, yea, one target and all the magical effects on that target.

[Man_Over_Game]

Pretty sure Dispel Magic's text says it works on all the magical effects on one creature. Nothing about dispelling the same effect on several (at least not at the normal level).

Yup, this is exactly how Dispel Magic works.

Pick a creature/object/single spell effect. Remove all magic from that one thing. If you were to Dispel Magic on someone who has Bless, you Dispel Bless and any other spells on that one target, but the Bless spell still works for any of its other recipients, and casting Dispel Magic on the caster doesn't automatically cancel the spell either.

Basically, if you want to stop multiple-target spells, you gotta stop it when it's cast with Counterspell. Past that point, it's a lot uglier to get rid of, requiring multiple Dispel Magic castings.

The same thing holds true for magically conjured creatures. One Dispel Magic casting removes one creature.

[TyGuy]

"Choose one creature, object, or magical effect within range.
I bolded the part that I think has wiggle room for interpretation.

Sage advice ruled that one target gets all magic wiped (when the goal is one creature/item) that's resolved as far as I'm concerned.

The part I'm curious about is if one non-aoe spell can get targeted, and thus wipe all instances of that single spell.

Personally, I think a prominent DM's ruling was a major factor in a PC death when one dispel foiled an entire slow on multiple enemies.

[DMThac0]

I bolded the part that I think has wiggle room for interpretation.

Sage advice ruled that one target gets all magic wiped (when the goal is one creature/item) that's resolved as far as I'm concerned.

The part I'm curious about is if one non-aoe spell can get targeted, and thus wipe all instances of that single spell.

Personally, I think a prominent DM's ruling was a major factor in a PC death when one dispel foiled an entire slow on multiple enemies.

This ruling was improper, there are multiple individual creatures being affected by the spell, Dispel Magic can only target one at a time.

[Man_Over_Game]

I think a good rule of thumb is:

If the spell ends for individuals, then Dispel Magic must also be cast per individual creature. Otherwise, Dispel Magic can be cast on the effect itself.

For example, Fear has each individual creature flee from you, and the spell ends for them individually. However, Evard's Black Tentacles does not end when a creature makes their saves against it (despite having a lasting effect with Restrain), so Dispel Magic can remove the entire mass of tentacles with a single cast.

[TyGuy]

I think a good rule of thumb is:

If the spell ends for individuals, then Dispel Magic must also be cast per individual creature. Otherwise, Dispel Magic can be cast on the effect itself.

For example, Fear has each individual creature flee from you, and the spell ends for them individually. However, Evard's Black Tentacles does not end when a creature makes their saves against it (despite having a lasting effect with Restrain), so Dispel Magic can remove the entire mass of tentacles with a single cast.

Sound logic. Thank you.

[Chronos]

If you cast Dispel Magic on a creature, then it ends Bless (and other spells, if applicable) for that creature. If you cast Dispel Magic on the Bless spell effect, then it ends the entire Bless spell (for however many creatures it's affecting).

[DMThac0]

If you cast Dispel Magic on the Bless spell effect, then it ends the entire Bless spell (for however many creatures it's affecting).

That is not true, it either A) is an effect on an individual creature/object or B) is an effect that covers an area. It cannot be both.

Bless targets an individual not an area thus only one creature is affected by Dispell Magic.

Fog covers an area, thus Dispel Magic would affect Fog. The fact that Fog may cover multiple creatures does not mean you can dispel Fog from an individual creature.

Invisibility can be up cast to affect multiple creatures. You can only dispel one creature of one instance of invisibility.

A Sorcerer could Twin the spell Suggestion affecting two creatures. Dispel Magic would only work on one creature, not both.