Canonfire!

Sat Oct 27, 2012 10:04 am Dismissing Spells at Will

According to page 129 of PHB, certain spells can be ended prematurely, at will, at the discretion of the caster.

My question is as follows:

Which spells can be prematurely dismissed??? Does it have to specifically state it in the spell description (ex: 3rd lvl mage spell Hold Person )...or not??? Is it implied that the original caster can do so voluntarily, any time.

What about clerics and priests with their spells?

-Lanthorn

Sat Oct 27, 2012 11:03 am

I do not know where to find it, but I remember a rule saying that a spellcaster can automatically dispel his or her own spell. That may be from the Dispel Magic description.

I have always gone by the rule of thumb that any spellcaster may automatically dispel any spell they have cast whenever they wish to do so as long as the spell doesn't have a duration of 'permanent'. That would require the initial spellcaster to use a Dispel Magic spell against it, but it is then automatically successful.

SirXaris

Sat Oct 27, 2012 11:37 am

SX, you are correct about the Dispel Magic statement. What I am discussing is about 'dismissing' a spell, without the necessity of casting Dispel Magic. Under the Magic section of the PHB, before the lists of spells, under the Duration section, it notes that casters can 'dismiss' certain effects, at will, without the need to cast the aforementioned 3rd lvl spell. I am wondering what spells can be thusly 'dismissed.'

-Lanthorn

Sat Oct 27, 2012 1:45 pm

Sat Oct 27, 2012 1:58 pm

Confusion countered (dismissed/dispelled). Happy

I should stop looking into the eyes of the umber hulk... Embarassed

Lanthorn the Lucid

Sat Oct 27, 2012 7:20 pm

The spell must state in its description that it can be dismissed/ended at will. Most spells do not state this, meaning that a dispel magic must be used to prematurely end most spells. A perfect example of a spell description for a spell that can be dismissed/ended at will just so happens to be the very first Wizard spell in the PHB 2E, that being affect normal fires:

"The spell lasts until the caster cancels it, all fuel is burned, or the duration expires. The caster can also extinguish all flames in the area, which expends the spell immediately."

Another that I recalled immediately is levitate:

"The spellcaster can cancel the spell as desired."

[Note the uses of that spell. What is falling damage for terminal velocity again? 20d6? And no saving throw for half damage? Now, which one of the PC classes has the worst saving throw versus spells? Ah yes, the big tank Fighter (and that includes most creatures which save as Fighters of a level equal to their HD too). "The evil Wizard casts a spell, and Glork the Humongous rises into the air. The evil wizard seems to not be paying attention to Glork any longer, and begins to eye the rest of you..." Glork the Humongous, obviously a close combat brute (he probably uses a two-handed sword even! Razz

), is now out of play, and on his way to getting up to 200+ feet into the air. Gotta love a 2nd level spell capable of doing 20d6 damage, not that I have ever done that or anything. Evil Grin

]

The bit on p. 129 is not specific, as if it were there would need to be a list of every spell which can be dismissed/ended at will. This is not needed at all because every single spell that can be dismissed/ended at will tells us in its own description that this can be done. Those that don't mention it cannot be dismissed/ended at will. Pretty straight forward.
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Sat Oct 27, 2012 7:32 pm

I pretty much was leaning that way, Cebrion, but your response helps confirm my suspicions.

thanks

Lanthorn

Sun Oct 28, 2012 5:07 pm

glork. i bet he does use the two hander. that bastard.

Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:29 pm

Hehe. Yeah, that one was just for you. Laughing

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Fri Nov 02, 2012 4:01 pm

I allow casters to always dismiss their own spells as a free action, unless, of course, they are permanent.