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From: holt@parsec.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: d and d dispel magic - (nf)
Message-ID: <3459@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 27-Oct-83 02:45:20 EDT
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.3459
Posted: Thu Oct 27 02:45:20 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 28-Oct-83 10:50:37 EDT
Lines: 27

#R:kpno:-25300:parsec:35400001:000:1469
parsec!holt    Oct 26 16:08:00 1983

    We have always played that dispel magic works on the effects of one
previously cast spell.  An excellent companion spell which should precede
the dispell magic spell is detect magic.  Especially if the magic user
is of relatively high level.  At "high level", a magic user can learn
much about the types of magic that exist in an area, and will be much more
likely to succeed in dispelling the one particular effect which he 
desires as a result of the knowlege gained from the detect magic.  The
detect magic should also give the magic user some type of idea as to the
power of the magic which he is going to attempt to dispell.  (ie, some
approximation of the level of the spell caster who cast the target spell,
and thus the relative chance of success of the dispell magic).  If the
magic user is of "low level", the detect magic spell should at least enable
him to isolate the target of his dispell magic spell.  (even though he may
gain no other large amount of useful information)

    By the way, I have always enjoyed D&D much more when the GM had a very
well thought out magic system which was applied in a consistent manner.
As has been said before in this forum, hacking and slashing monsters to death
grows tiresome.  A well thought out magic system allows for a type of character
(MU,ILL,C,etc) who can be creative in his pursuit of experience and that ever
elusive next experience level.........

				Dave Holt
				{allegra,ihnp4,uiucdcs}!parsec!holt