[RPG] counter an Antimagic field with Dispel Magic

antimagic-fielddnd-3.5espells

Counterspell section of SRD states: "If the target is within range, both spells automatically negate each other with no other results."

Antimagic field description of SRD states: "Dispel magic does not remove the field, though Mage's Disjunction might."

I made this question because I'm unsure that a Dispel Magic could negate Antimagic field thanks to a Counterspell. If both spell come into existence and then negate each other, can a Dispel magic negate a no magic area?
Or perhaps the spells negate each other before they even come into existence?

I think it's a problem of timing. Spells come into existance before they counter or not?

Best Answer

Once it has come into effect, an antimagic field can't be dispelled using dispel magic, per its own rules. Those rules don't apply to counterspelling though, as counterspells aren't targetting an existing field, they're preventing the spell from ever coming into effect.

So, when used as a counterspell, dispel magic can counter antimagic field. The field doesn't come into existence (if the countering is successful), so its removal rules aren't relevant — the field spell itself is not ever complete.

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