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View Full Version : Wall of Dispel Magic. So much confusion with this spell.



Ixahinon
2008-11-23, 10:33 PM
Does this spell have a chance to stop anything magical that goes through it? I get the gist of the spell, but this is why I hate D&D books the majority of the time, 90% of the spells, rules, any text in it either is completely an totaly vague, leaving nothing but a 10 minute debate at the table as to what this spell actually does. Or says one thing in one book, then completely blows what you just read out of the water in another book.

If this spell stops anything going through the wall, this could be a mage killer to one that's not prepared with a teleport. Even then, some clever workings could stop that. Or heck, a wall of greater dispel magic, for that matter.

Trap the mage behind the wall. No Fireballs, lightning bolts, orbs, magic missiles, save-or-die ray spells, etc, etc. Brutal.

MeklorIlavator
2008-11-23, 10:35 PM
Where is this spell from? I don't think its an official dnd source.

Fan
2008-11-23, 10:38 PM
Spell compendium.
Its a VERY nice spell.
trargeted dispel magic on anything that goes through it.
I like the greater version personally.

MeklorIlavator
2008-11-23, 10:44 PM
I can't really say anything more, as I can't see the spell's actual stats, but depending on the level that could either be extremely good or just okay.

BRC
2008-11-23, 10:45 PM
Does this spell have a chance to stop anything magical that goes through it? I get the gist of the spell, but this is why I hate D&D books the majority of the time, 90% of the spells, rules, any text in it either is completely an totaly vague, leaving nothing but a 10 minute debate at the table as to what this spell actually does. Or says one thing in one book, then completely blows what you just read out of the water in another book.

If this spell stops anything going through the wall, this could be a mage killer to one that's not prepared with a teleport. Even then, some clever workings could stop that. Or heck, a wall of greater dispel magic, for that matter.

Trap the mage behind the wall. No Fireballs, lightning bolts, orbs, magic missiles, save-or-die ray spells, etc, etc. Brutal.
Yup.

of course, all the mage has to do is throw up a Wall of Force between himself and your wall of dispel magic, and blast his way through whatever is pinning him in. Or just have a high enough caster level to resist the targeted dispels. Or summon some allies, or just go around, or run away, or step through the wall and cast spells at you, or plane shift/teleport out of there.

And remember, it works both ways, you can't cast at him any more than he can cast at you. It's a useful spell certianly, but it's far from a mage-killer.

Ixahinon
2008-11-23, 10:54 PM
Yup.

of course, all the mage has to do is throw up a Wall of Force between himself and your wall of dispel magic, and blast his way through whatever is pinning him in. Or just have a high enough caster level to resist the targeted dispels. Or summon some allies, or just go around, or run away, or step through the wall and cast spells at you, or plane shift/teleport out of there.

And remember, it works both ways, you can't cast at him any more than he can cast at you. It's a useful spell certianly, but it's far from a mage-killer.

I disagree, it very much has the potential to be a mage killer, espeically if you have more than one on hand. Granted, the position the mage is in is very crutial, since you can't wrap this wall around the mage, but if that is done, then you're good to go.

Put one wall down right in front of him, that connects to nearby walls, pinning him into a cage, of sorts put another wall down 10 feet away from that wall (Or further) So any summoned allies conjured will likely run through that wall. If not, a cleric can use Greater Command to have them continue to walk through it until it works, or anyone else can just lead them through it over and over again. Sure, a risk his stuff is dispelled..but it's your stuff dispelled for a few seconds, a summoned creature gone forever.

Use mundane ranged weapons, (Possibly from allies, or spells that fire off mundane weapons) to pelt him down.

This is just a crappy off the wall plan, too. I am quite sure some D&D guru that sat down with a Wall of Greater Dispel Magic could do a lot more

BRC
2008-11-23, 10:56 PM
I disagree, it very much has the potential to be a mage killer, espeically if you have more than one on hand. Granted, the position the mage is in is very crutial, since you can't wrap this wall around the mage, but if that is done, then you're good to go.

Put one wall down right in front of him, that connects to nearby walls, pinning him into a cage, of sorts put another wall down 10 feet away from that wall (Or further) So any summoned allies conjured will likely run through that wall. If not, a cleric can use Greater Command to have them continue to walk through it until it works, or anyone else can just lead them through it over and over again. Sure, a risk his stuff is dispelled..but it's your stuff dispelled for a few seconds, a summoned creature gone forever.

Use mundane ranged weapons, (Possibly from allies, or spells that fire off mundane weapons) to pelt him down.

This is just a crappy off the wall plan, too. I am quite sure some D&D guru that sat down with a Wall of Greater Dispel Magic could do a lot more
You use ranged weapons, he casts Protection from Arrows, or Wind Wall, or any number of things, and he can still just step through the walls.

MeklorIlavator
2008-11-23, 11:00 PM
Also, just dispell the wall.

Fan
2008-11-23, 11:02 PM
Or summoun a Solar on the otherside of the wall. It sure doesn't block LOE.

Fax Celestis
2008-11-23, 11:04 PM
Yeah. Walk through the wall. His gear will be suppressed for 1d4 rounds, but who cares? Wizards don't need stuff.

Ixahinon
2008-11-23, 11:05 PM
And risk losing a great deal of stuff you have for a small amount of time. Items that increase spell DCs, perhaps even items that allow you to learn additional spells. Seeing as how those are often prized items for spellcasters, I suppose I'd take the chance that they wouldn't step through.

You could possibly even put the wall up in front of yourself, giving you time to prepare, just in case he confident enough to walk through.

I mean, sure, everything has a way of getting through it, but fortunately, the wizard can't be prepared for everything. A teleport, dimention door, or any other travel spell will get you past the wall, too. But *shrug* you can always bank on the fact that they aren't gonna have teleportation. An experienced player? perhaps not, but eh.

Layered with the proper spells, this could pose a serious challange to the mage.

Fax Celestis
2008-11-23, 11:12 PM
Not really. The mage has ways of dealing with the wall (such as dispelling it, but the level of meta-dispelling there is worrisome). People like the very gear-dependent fighter who have no means of getting around the wall, though, are pretty much boned. It's a more hampering effect for a fighter-type than a wizard-type, frankly.

MeklorIlavator
2008-11-23, 11:15 PM
What spell level is the spell, anyway?

Jasdoif
2008-11-23, 11:18 PM
But *shrug* you can always bank on the fact that they aren't gonna have teleportation. An experienced player? perhaps not, but eh.

Layered with the proper spells, this could pose a serious challange to the mage.A setup that's utterly reliant on a mage not having something as generally vital as a teleportation effect available, either through spell preparation or magic item, is not "a serious challenge to the mage."

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2008-11-23, 11:21 PM
Wall of Dispel Magic was reprinted in SC as Dispelling Screen (4th) and Greater Dispelling Screen (7th, 6th for the Drow domain). It targeted dispels creatures and unattended objects that pass through it. "Spell effects not operating on objects or creatures cannot pass through the screen." Therefore, it completely blocks LoE for purposes of spells and spell-like abilities. Disintegrate and Dispel Magic can destroy a Dispelling Screen, and an AMF suppresses it.

Attended objects are completely unaffected by a (Greater) Dispelling Screen. That means your GMW and Magic Vestment spells on your equipment are untouched, but all your buffs get owned. In 3.0 it could be affected by Permanency, and I like to grandfather that into this version of the spell. It's just amazing for putting in the entrance to a BBEG fight.

The_Snark
2008-11-23, 11:54 PM
Actually, Wall of Dispel Magic and Dispelling Screen are two different spells, both found within the Spell Compendium; the main differences between them is that Wall of Dispel Magic does affect attended items, whereas Dispelling Screen does not, and Dispelling Screen blocks spell effects that aren't affecting objects or creatures.

I'm afraid I don't really see how Wall of Dispel Magic is a great mage-killer spell. Certainly, you could cast Wall of Dispel Magic in such a manner as to force the mage through, but with the same action, you could just cast a targeted Dispel Magic on them, and achieve the same effect.

Dispelling Screen, now—that might have been the one you're looking for. As I mentioned, it does block spell effects, and better yet, it can be shaped or cast as a sphere/hemisphere. Nifty little thing to spring on a mage—you essentially force them to either teleport, use the round buffing, or take the targeted dispel.

Fizban
2008-11-24, 06:14 PM
Wall of Dispel Magic does affect attended items, whereas Dispelling Screen does not,

No, it affects a creature as a targeted Dispel, which attacks every spell on the creature, but since it targets the creature, does nothing about their items (the dispelling screen description is wrong, targeted dispells on a creature don't affect their items, only "each ongoing spell currently in effect on the creature"). The Wall specifies anyone, person, which means that it won't affect unattended items either.

The only thing the wall has over the screen is being invisible, and the screen can be a sphere or hemisphere, and is dismissable, so I'd say the screen is generally superior.

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2008-11-24, 10:51 PM
I'm not even sure why they included Wall of Dispel Magic in SC at all, this is the first I've seen it. Dispelling Screen is a lower level spell, is capable of exactly the same thing, and Wall of Dispel Magic appears to only target creatures, not spells or even unattended items passing through it. Dispelling Screen is superior in every way except for being visible, which can easily be disguised by placing it in a doorway curtained with streamers or beads, or with Spell Thematics.