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Dispel Magic
Realm Icon ArcaneArcane
Spell Type Combat Instant
Combat Cost Icon Mana 10 + up to Icon Mana 40
Research Cost Icon Research 100
Effects
Attempts to dispel all rival spells from a target unit.
Dispel Magic True
Realm Icon SorcerySorcery
Spell Rarity Common
Spell Type Combat Instant
Combat Cost Icon Mana 10 + up to Icon Mana 40
Research Cost Icon Research 40
Effects

Attempts to dispel all rival spells from a target unit.

Dispel Magic True has 3 times the Dispel Strength of Dispel Magic.
Advisor Sorcery Buggy Feature
As of Master of Magic v1.31, Dispel Magic is known to be malfunctioning in at least one way. Please read the Known Bugs section below.
Dispel Magic True redirects here, as it is a stronger version of Dispel Magic. The only difference between the two are their Dispel Strength and availability, as noted below.

Dispel Magic and Dispel Magic True are a pair of similar spells that perform the same function. Both may only be cast during combat, for a base Casting Cost of Icon Mana 10. They are intended to allow removing ("dispelling") enemy spells currently affecting a specific unit in battle. If the target is friendly, this means any Unit Curses, but if it's an enemy unit, its Unit Enchantments will be targeted instead.

Both Dispels make separate dispel attempts against each enemy spell on the target, so they can remove none, some, or all of their effects. The degree of success is partly random, but it is also partly based on the Casting Cost of the Dispels. Fortunately, their success rate can be increased by channeling more Icon Mana Mana into them during casting. As a result, they cost more, but also have better chances of success. Up to an extra Icon Mana 40 may be invested into either spell for this purpose.

Dispel Magic

Dispel Magic is a Common Combat Instant of the Icon ArcaneArcane Realm.

Dispel Magic True

Dispel Magic True, while also a Common Combat Instant, belongs to the Icon SorcerySorcery Realm instead. Besides its availability however, it differs from Dispel Magic only in the fact that every point of Icon Mana Mana spent on its casting counts as Icon Mana 3 for the purpose of determining its Dispel Strength. This includes both its base Casting Cost of Icon Mana 10, and any additional Icon Mana Mana invested to enhance its effect.

Effects[]

Dispel Magic attempts to remove some, or all of the persistent rival spells currently affecting a single target unit. It has a certain chance of success dispelling each spell it finds, which is based on several factors, as described below. Dispel Magic only targets spells cast by other Wizards; it doesn't affect the caster's own spells.

Targeted Spells[]

The spells that will be targeted by Dispel Magic depend on whether is cast on a friendly or an enemy unit. From the former, it will attempt to remove the harmful effects of Unit Curses, whereas the latter it will try to strip any active Unit Enchantments from.

Dispel Chance[]

Dispel Magic and Dispel Magic True have a different chance of success against each targeted spell. This is calculated through a simple formula, which combines two important factors:

Dispel Chance (%) = (Dispel Strength ÷ (Dispel Strength + Spell Cost)) × 100

For Dispel Magic, Dispel Strength equals the total amount of Icon Mana Mana spent on casting it. As explained earlier, this can be anywhere between Icon Mana 10 and Icon Mana 50, and is subject to the discretion of the casting Wizard. For Dispel Magic True, the Dispel Strengh is 3 times this amount. "Spell Cost" represents the Casting Cost of the target spell that the dispelling attempt is made against, and will vary with each individual spell - hence the different success rates for the same Dispel cast against multiple rival spells.

The result of the formula is the exact chance, in percentage, that the Dispel has of successfully removing the targeted enemy spell.

Modifiers[]

There are five Wizard abilities that indirectly alter the success rate of dispelling attempts in general, which also affect both Dispel Magic and Dispel Magic True. The first one, Runemaster, aims to enhance its possessor's ability to remove rival spells. It accomplishes this by doubling the Dispel Strength in the above formula. The game's documentation suggests that that the Retort doubles the effectiveness of these spells, but this is not the case in practice; although the alteration can still be significant, and works with both the Icon ArcaneArcane and Icon SorcerySorcery Dispels - so long as they are cast by the Wizard, as opposed to one of their units.
The other four abilities are designed to help a Wizard's spells resist being dispelled or countered. They lower the success chance by doubling the Casting Cost used in the formula. The first Retort, Archmage, applies this bonus to all of a Wizard's spells. The rest, Chaos Mastery, Nature Mastery, and Sorcery Mastery, work only for spells that belong to the Icon ChaosChaos, Icon NatureNature, or Icon SorcerySorcery Realms, respectively. However, all three are cumulative with Archmage, yielding a tripled Casting Cost in the formula instead. In addition, unlike Runemaster, these effects also protect any spells cast by the Wizard's units.

Examples[]

Below are some examples of Dispel Magic and Dispel Magic True at work.

Example #1[]

A unit has two Unit Enchantments affecting it, one with a Casting Cost of Icon Mana 20, and another with Icon Mana 50.

Dispel Magic Dispel Magic True
Dispel Magic is cast on this unit, with no additional Icon Mana Mana. Dispel Magic True is cast on this unit, with no additional Icon Mana Mana.
Total Casting Cost: Icon Mana 10 Total Casting Cost: Icon Mana 10
Dispel Strength: Icon Mana 10 Dispel Strength: Icon Mana 10 × 3 = Icon Mana 30
Dispel chance against the first spell:
(10 ÷ (10 + 20)) × 100
= (10 ÷ 30) × 100
= 0.33 × 100
= 33%
Dispel chance against the first spell:
(30 ÷ (30 + 20)) × 100
= (30 ÷ 50) × 100
= 0.6 × 100
= 60%
Chance of success: 33%. Chance of success: 60%.
Dispel chance against the second spell:
(10 ÷ (10 + 50)) × 100
= (10 ÷ 60) × 100
= 0.16 × 100
= 16%
Dispel chance against the second spell:
(30 ÷ (30 + 50)) × 100
= (30 ÷ 80) × 100
= 0.37 × 100
= 37%
Chance of success: 16%. Chance of success: 37%.

Example #2[]

Same conditions, one Unit Enchantment with a Casting Cost of Icon Mana 20, and another with Icon Mana 50 - except this time, the Dispels are fully empowered.

Dispel Magic Dispel Magic True
Dispel Magic is cast on this unit, with the full amount of extra Icon Mana Mana allowed (Icon Mana 40). Dispel Magic True is cast on this unit, with the full amount of extra Icon Mana Mana allowed (Icon Mana 40).
Total Casting Cost: Icon Mana 50 Total Casting Cost: Icon Mana 50
Dispel Strength: Icon Mana 50 Dispel Strength: Icon Mana 50 × 3 = Icon Mana 150
Dispel chance against the first spell:
(50 ÷ (50 + 20)) × 100
= (50 ÷ 70) × 100
= 0.71 × 100
= 71%
Dispel chance against the first spell:
(150 ÷ (150 + 20)) × 100
= (150 ÷ 170) × 100
= 0.88 × 100
= 88%
Chance of success: 71%. Chance of success: 88%.
Dispel chance against the second spell:
(50 ÷ (50 + 50)) × 100
= (50 ÷ 100) × 100
= 0.5 × 100
= 50%
Dispel chance against the second spell:
(150 ÷ (150 + 50)) × 100
= (150 ÷ 200) × 100
= 0.75 × 100
= 75%
Chance of success: 50%. Chance of success: 75%.

Usage[]

Dispel Magic and Dispel Magic True may only be cast during combat. They must be targeted at a unit, whether friendly or enemy, and have a base Casting Cost of Icon Mana 10. The caster may infuse either spell with up to an additional Icon Mana 40, although this is also subject to their Icon Mana Mana pool and remaining Spell Casting Skill. Each point of added Icon Mana Mana increases the Dispel Strength, as explained above.

If the casting is successful, a blue blaze will shoot up from the ground underneath the target unit. The animation is followed by a separate notification for each successfully dispelled effect, if any. It may be worth noting that the game will not complain if the player targets a unit with no persistent spells to dispel. Doing this will simply waste the invested Icon Mana Mana.

Acquisition[]

Dispel Magic and Dispel Magic True belong to different magical Realms. For this reason, the acquisition of the two spells is very different. While Dispel Magic is potentially available to every Wizard, Dispel Magic True can only be learned by those that wield Icon SorcerySorcery magic.

Acquiring Dispel Magic[]

As an Icon ArcaneArcane spell, Dispel Magic may be acquired by any Wizard regardless of Spellbooks possessed. However, it can never be selected as a starting spell, and thus must always be either researched, traded for, found in Treasure, or received as a reward for conquering the Fortress of a rival Wizard who already knows it. Due to a bug though, to find this spell in Treasure in the latest official game version (v1.31), a Wizard must possess at least one of the - completely unrelated - Alchemy or Warlord Retorts.

Dispel Magic has a Research Cost of Icon Research 100, although it can be researched quicker by Wizards who possess the Sage Master and/or Runemaster Retorts.

Acquiring Dispel Magic True[]

As a Common Spell of the Icon SorcerySorcery Realm, Dispel Magic True may become available to any Wizard who acquires at least Icon Sorcery1 Spellbook. With none, the spell can naturally not be learned during the campaign. This is the minimum requirement for it to be traded for, appear in Treasure, or be found in the spoils of victory when conquering the Fortress of a rival Wizard who already knows it.

The base chance for Dispel Magic True to be researchable (at some point) in the campaign is roughly 30% (with Icon Sorcery1 book), which gradually increases with the amount of Icon SorcerySorcery Spellbooks possessed or found during gameplay. With Icon Sorcery7 or more, the spell is certain to show up sooner or later, unless acquired from another source. It has a Research Cost of Icon Research 40, although its research is quicker for Wizards possessing the Sage Master, and/or Sorcery Mastery Retorts; or a bookshelf containing Icon Sorcery8 or more.

Dispel Magic True may also be selected as a starting spell by any Wizard with at least Icon Sorcery2 books. In this case, it will be available for casting as soon as the game begins.

In addition, Dispel Magic True is available as a Hero spell. It is known by Zaldron the Sage, although it's worth noting that he can't actually cast it at his initial level. He either needs to become at least a Icon ExpLevel 1 Myrmidon (level 2), or otherwise equip Magical Items to gain enough Icon Mana Mana to use Dispel Magic True.

Strategy[]

Dispel Magic has two primary purposes: to try and strip Unit Enchantments from enemy units, and to remove Unit Curses from friendly ones. However, there are multiple spells that can perform this same basic function, of which Dispel Magic is the weakest. This is mainly due to its low Casting Cost - while it's cheap to cast, its Dispel Strength won't be very high as a result either. Naturally, this is less of a problem with Dispel Magic True, which is superior to the Icon ArcaneArcane version in every respect, and is even faster to research.

The biggest issue with both spells though is that they can only target a single unit at a time, which consequently also limits the types of spell they can remove. For these reasons, many players will switch to using the more powerful Icon ArcaneDisenchant Area or Icon SorceryDisenchant True spells when they become available, as they can affect multiple units simultaneously, work against many more Spell Types, and have a much higher maximum Dispel Strength. At the same time though, they also cost more Icon Mana Mana to cast, and may not be very cost efficient when trying to remove one or two spells from a single unit. This is especially true if the caster has access to Dispel Magic True, but not Icon SorceryDisenchant True.

It's also worth noting that due to a bug in the latest official version of the game, any dispelling attempt made against a Unit Curse of any kind in combat will always and automatically succeed. As a result, these effects can be removed even by the cheapest Dispel Magic cast at the minimum required Icon Mana Mana.

Known Bugs[]

Unfortunately, there are multiple bugs related to Dispel Magic and Dispel Magic True in the official game. If a Hero uses either of these spells at a target on the battlefield, they will actually attempt to dispel the wrong player's spells on that unit. That is, they will try to remove Unit Enchantments from friendly units, and Unit Curses from enemy ones - the spells cast by their own side. This bug is fixed in the unofficial Insecticide patch.

In addition, there are many spells against which Dispel Magic and Dispel Magic True do not work as expected. These can be generalized into several groups in which they trigger similar bugs, as listed in the table below:

Targeted Spell(s) Problem
Icon SorceryMind Storm
Icon SorceryVertigo
Icon NatureWeb
Icon ChaosShatter
Icon ChaosWarp Creature
Icon DeathWeakness
Icon DeathBlack Sleep
Dispelling these Unit Curses always has a 100% success rate (this bug is fixed in the Unofficial Patch 1.50).
Icon SorceryConfusion
Icon SorceryCreature Binding
Icon DeathPossession
These spells can only be dispelled by the current controller of the unit, and do not cause the unit's controller to revert to its original owner when dispelled. This is particularly relevant to Confusion, since it tends to change control of the unit at random each turn.
Icon SorceryGuardian Wind
Icon SorceryMagic Immunity
Icon ChaosEldritch Weapon
Icon ChaosImmolation
Icon DeathWraith Form
Icon LifeTrue Sight
Even if these enchantments are successfully dispelled, their corresponding effects will remain active on the unit until the end of the battle (this bug is fixed in the Unofficial Patch 1.50).
Icon LifeInvulnerability This enchantment cannot be dispelled, whether in combat or overland. There is no way to remove this spell from an enemy unit (this bug is fixed in the Unofficial Patch 1.50).
Icon ChaosFlame Blade
Icon ChaosEldritch Weapon
Icon LifeHoly Weapon
These enchantments will still negate the effect of Ability WeaponImmunity Weapon Immunity after they are dispelled. (Holy Weapon actually doesn't work at all if cast during combat, so in this case this does not matter anyway.)
Icon SorceryWind Walking (Spell)
Icon NatureWater Walking
Icon NaturePath Finding
Icon DeathBlack Channels
Icon LifeEndurance
Icon LifePlanar Travel
Because they can't be cast in combat, these spells are harder to dispel than they should be. They behave as if they were 5 times as expensive in the calculation of dispel chances.
Icon SorceryGuardian Wind
Icon ChaosImmolation (Spell)
Icon DeathCloak of Fear
Icon DeathBerserk
There seems to be a bug regarding dispelling unit enchantments that belong to the first 4 digits of the corresponding variable. When reentering a certain combat (save & load), there's been a 100% chance to dispel these enchantments, but only if another unit enchantment was present on the same unit with an offset of a multiple of 4 bits (Black Channels, Water Walking, Iron Skin, Wind Walking, Flame Blade, Heroism and Planar Travel in case of Immolation). If this bug happens or not depends on other factors as well.
Icon NatureWeb Heroes wearing a piece of Jewelry granting Flight, as well as units naturally possessing Icon Movement AirFlight, will stay bound to the ground for the rest of the combat after becoming Webbed, even if the effect is removed. Only units enchanted with the Icon SorceryFlight spell will get back their ability to fly when Web is dispelled (this bug is fixed in the Unofficial Patch 1.50).
Icon SorcerySpell Lock A Spell Lock that's cast during combat doesn't protect other enchantments from being dispelled. If the Spell Lock was cast overland, it works as intended in combat, but the game forgets to display a message when the Spell Lock is dispelled (both issues are fixed in the Unofficial Patch 1.50).
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