D&D 5E (2014) What can be dispelled?

[Eric V]

Could a person suffering under a vampire's charm have said charm dispelled?

Or that of a succubus?

Trying to get a handle on what can or can't be dispelled.

Thanks.

 

[iserith]

Could a person suffering under a vampire's charm have said charm dispelled?

Or that of a succubus?

Yes and yes. Both are magical effects as I read it and can thus be dispelled.

Though other DMs may rule differently.

 

[Eric V]

Yes and yes. Both are magical effects as I read it and can thus be dispelled.

Though other DMs may rule differently.

I was thinking that too, but then I read the Dispel Magic description and it specifically mentions "spells" not "magical effects." :/

 

[iserith]

I was thinking that too, but then I read the Dispel Magic description and it specifically mentions "spells" not "magical effects." :/

The first line of the spell reads: "Choose one creature, object, or magical effect within range."

 

[Eric V]

The first line of the spell reads: "Choose one creature, object, or magical effect within range."

For sure. The next two sentences though "Any spell of 3rd level or lower on the target ends.
For each spell of 4th level or higher on the target, make
an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The
DC equals 10 + the spell’s level. On a successful check,
the spell ends."

...which is why there's confusion about it in my group.

 

[Paraxis]

DISPEL MAGIC

Choose one creature, object, or magical effect within range. Any spell of 3rd level or lower on the target ends.

For each spell of 4th level or higher on the target. make an ability check using your spellcasting ability.

The DC equals 10 + the spell's level. On a successful check, the spell ends.



RAW it only works on spells, so unless the magic effect is something like a wall of force, symbol, or other spell you can't dispel it.

You need a spell level to set the DC of the spellcasting ability check, so obviously again it needs to be a spell.

Now saying all of that I don't know many DM's who wouldn't allow dispel magic to work on non-spell things and just set a DC.

 

[iserith]

For sure. The next two sentences though "Any spell of 3rd level or lower on the target ends.
For each spell of 4th level or higher on the target, make
an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The
DC equals 10 + the spell’s level. On a successful check,
the spell ends."

...which is why there's confusion about it in my group.

The charm ability of the succubus or vampire a magical effect. Dispel magic targets magical effects. If the DM feels that the use of dispel magic will have an uncertain outcome, he or she can assign a DC and call for an ability check.

 

[MonkeezOnFire]

I agree that the charm effects should be dispellable based on the magical effect wording and that my gut tells me that this is the kind of stuff dispel magic is supposed to get rid of. On the player side of things they don't know (or at least shouldn't know) the monster's stat block so they don't know whether the effect comes from a spell or a magical ability of the monster.

Assigning a DC is easy enough. You can just assign it as if it were a comparable spell (like dominate person for major charm effects), assign it an easy, moderate or hard DC based on the DMG guidelines, or assign it a number that feels right to you. Often times I won't even assign a specific DC to a task, I'll just wait for the player to roll then make a decision based on it.

In a similar vein however I'm unsure if dispel magic should be capable of dispelling summoned creatures.

 

[KarinsDad]

The charm ability of the succubus or vampire a magical effect. Dispel magic targets magical effects. If the DM feels that the use of dispel magic will have an uncertain outcome, he or she can assign a DC and call for an ability check.

No. Dispel Magic targets any spell on a magical effect.

Choose one creature, object, or magical effect within range. Any spell of 3rd level or lower on the target ends. For each spell of 4th level or higher on the target. make an ability check using your spellcasting ability.

It does not dispel magical effects, just like it does not dispel creatures or objects. For all intents and purposes, a Wall of Fire is a magical effect with a spell on it (or a spell driving it, i.e. the Wall of Fire spell).

 

[iserith]

No. Dispel Magic targets any spell on a magical effect.

As DM, dispel magic does whatever I say it does and I say it does dispel the charm effects of a succubus or vampire.

The rules serve the DM, not the other way around.