Question about Dispel Magic

[Nail]

After Fear is cast, isn't it gone (from the area)?

Nope. Fear has a duration. It is present during its duration.

BTW, Bad Paper, that's one heck of a textbook. Math or Literature?

 

[Bad Paper]

Nope. Fear has a duration. It is present during its duration.

But it is a burst effect, meaning it disappears, else it would require a save if you entered the area a few rounds after it was cast. I don't see how it could be possible to target the spell with a Dispel Magic without targetting one of its victims, hence, forcing you to debuff your ally.

BTW, Bad Paper, that's one heck of a textbook. Math or Literature?

The +5 holy orcbane algebra textbook appears on page 28 of the latest FAQ, along with its complement, the +1 frost corncob pipe.

 

[Infiniti2000]

But it is a burst effect, meaning it disappears, else it would require a save if you entered the area a few rounds after it was cast. I don't see how it could be possible to target the spell with a Dispel Magic without targetting one of its victims, hence, forcing you to debuff your ally.

The spell effect still exists on your ally. You can target a spell effect (within certain limits) without affecting any other spell effect.

 

[Nail]

What Infiniti2000 said.

Moreover, a burst effect doesn't hang around.....you can't enter "the area a few rounds after it was cast" and be affected by the spell.

 

[Bad Paper]

Aha, OK, so I hadn't followed the thread too closely, sorry 'bout that. If you're targetting a spell with Dispel Magic, does that mean you can clear everyone who had been affected by that spell? You're not pointing your dispelling cannon at a creature or at an area, so presumably you could get everyone, even if they had started to run away in different directions? The target/area entry for DM says "One spellcaster, creature, or object; or 20-ft.-radius burst." "One spell" does not appear in there. Even so, do you get everyone affected by, say, Fear, as long as they are within a 20' radius burst?

 

[Infiniti2000]

The target/area entry for DM says "One spellcaster, creature, or object; or 20-ft.-radius burst." "One spell" does not appear in there.

Ah, I see the confusion. That looks like a typo in the SRD (and I checked three different SRD's, including WotC). Can anyone confirm the same typo in the PH? Note that the spell description itself allows you to target a spell, meaning that the stat line likely intended to say "One spell, creature, or object;". The text takes precedence over the stat line.

Even so, do you get everyone affected by, say, Fear, as long as they are within a 20' radius burst?

No. You dispel the effects separately unless you are doing an area dispel (which I assume is not intended). If you dispel the fear effect on one person, you'd need to target the fear effect on another person as a separate action.

 

[Camarath]

Ah, I see the confusion. That looks like a typo in the SRD (and I checked three different SRD's, including WotC). Can anyone confirm the same typo in the PH? Note that the spell description itself allows you to target a spell, meaning that the stat line likely intended to say "One spell, creature, or object;". The text takes precedence over the stat line.

From the 3.5 PHB page 223 under Dispel Mage:
"Target: One spellcaster, creature, or object; or 20-ft.-burst"

But the text of the Targeted Dispel option does clear say you can target a spell.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

From the 3.5 PHB page 223 under Dispel Mage:
"Target: One spellcaster, creature, or object; or 20-ft.-burst"

I have got to get our party wizard to learn this spell. I think the main BBEG may be a mage of some kind.