2 questions about Magic Circle Against Evil

[Oryan77]

Questions #1

If a person is already under the effects of Dominate, and a person with Magic Circle Against Evil comes near the mind controlled person, is the Dominate effect suppressed?

The line "the barrier keeps out a possessing life force but does not expel one if it is in place before the spell is cast." confuses me. Is it referring to charm & compulsion effects that were already in place, and a person already under the effects stays under the effects when he enters the circle? Or is the person who's already under those effects acting normal once he's within the MCAE area?

Question #2

I ran a scenario where 2 innocent good aligned human NPCs were under the effects of a magic potion that makes other people want to 'own' them. The potion is meant to be used on items (like jewelry or flowers) so other people that see the item will want to own it, but these 2 NPC accidently consumed the potions and now other NPCs are fighting over who gets to 'keep' the 2 humans. Nothing happens to the 2 innocent NPCs that drank the potion, only people that look at them might fall under the potions effects.

A PC used Magic Circle Against Evil on himself. The spell description just says, "the barrier blocks any attempt to posses the warded creature". Does that mean any creature within the circle that is under a mind control effect regardless of alignment, ally, or enemy; has the mind control effect suppressed?

We weren't sure if the NPCs under the effects of the magic potion would no longer be wanting to own the 2 NPCs that drank the potion if the PC brought his circle within range of the mind controlled NPCs. Will they be normal while within the circle?

 

[Oryan77]

Did I just stump 52 viewers?

 

[calypso15]

1) There are two separate protections going on here. The first prevents control from being exercised by someone who has dominated someone else. If someone comes under the protection of a Magic Circle Against Evil, they can no longer be compelled but the effect that would allow them to be compelled does not end.

The second is that it prevents someone from being possessed, as by magic jar or other ghosty things. The spell prevents someone from being possessed, but it does not expel a possessing entity. So if someone who is possessed comes under the protection of a Magic Circle, the possessing entity can no longer exercise control, but is not expelled.

There's an important distinction here. It prevents someone from being possessed, but it does NOT prevent someone from being dominated. So, you can cast Dominate Person on someone who is in a Magic Circle. You just can't exercise control as long as they are.

2) Magic Circle only prevents control from an ongoing source. It doesn't help against something like, say, Geas.

 

[moritheil]

Questions #1

The line "the barrier keeps out a possessing life force but does not expel one if it is in place before the spell is cast." confuses me. Is it referring to charm & compulsion effects that were already in place, and a person already under the effects stays under the effects when he enters the circle? Or is the person who's already under those effects acting normal once he's within the MCAE area?

Possession refers to possession. A person already under charm/compulsion/dominate/possession effects starts acting normal in the area of MCvE, but the effects themselves persist, meaning that if he leaves he's in the thrall of his enemy again.

Question #2

We weren't sure if the NPCs under the effects of the magic potion would no longer be wanting to own the 2 NPCs that drank the potion if the PC brought his circle within range of the mind controlled NPCs. Will they be normal while within the circle?

Here's your answer:

All creatures within the area gain the effects of a protection from evil spell . . .

2) Magic Circle only prevents control from an ongoing source. It doesn't help against something like, say, Geas.

Why not? It's ongoing.

One day/level or until discharged (D)

 

[calypso15]

Why not? It's ongoing.

Because...

...or to exercise mental control over the creature (including enchantment (charm) effects and enchantment (compulsion) effects that grant the caster ongoing control over the subject, such as dominate person)

Geas doesn't grant ongoing control. Nor does Suggestion. They're fire and forget.

Calypso

 

[irdeggman]

Just a technical point but potions don't work on items (they must be imbibed), oils do and people can't drink oils they apply them.

 

[Oryan77]

So the 'Protection From' spells will all stop the effects of those spells while inside the radius no matter what alignment of 'Protection From' spell is being used?

So if a PC casts Magic Circle Against Evil on himself, and another PC casts charm on the BBEG; if the PC with MCAE stands next to the BBEG, the charm stops working as long as the BBEG is in the spells area?

 

[calypso15]

So the 'Protection From' spells will all stop the effects of those spells while inside the radius no matter what alignment of 'Protection From' spell is being used?

So if a PC casts Magic Circle Against Evil on himself, and another PC casts charm on the BBEG; if the PC with MCAE stands next to the BBEG, the charm stops working as long as the BBEG is in the spells area?

Yes.