I've played Morrowind to death and I'm level 21 in Oblivion, but I have never used the Dispel feature, and I must admit I don't even know what it's for. What is it for?

Thanks.

It removes any magical effects that are on your character, up to the level of the dispel spell

It removes spell effects cast on its target. I used it in MW with my vampiric high elf mage because he was rather fragile to magic so I whenever I got hit by fire storm or something similiar, I would cast dispell on myself; quite usefull if rather expensive to cast. In MW magnitude was the percentage chance of the spell each effect, however in oblivion the magnitude must exceed the spells "resistance" which is based on its casting cost, or so it says in the manuel; haven't tried it personally.

Thanks, but I still don't quite understand...

- If you get hit by a fireball, you take some health damage. So if we then use dispel on ourselves, the health will go back to normal, and we don't have to use restore health spells/potions?

- If we get paralysed by a spell, can we then use dispel potion instead of cure paralysation potion?

- And if we get hit by a drain attribute/burden, the dispel potion will restore the attribute, so we don't have to use a restore attribute spell/potion?

In short: Will dispel remove all spell effects/restore everything to what it was before we got hit by a spell?

Sorry if I'm being a bit thick...

Yes, dispel removes ALL magic effects. With a fireball, you'll stop taking damage. If it was damage 10 points for 5 sec, hit dispel quickly and your health stops dropping.

I use dispel to cancel silence more than anything (silence prevents you from using magic - dispel allows you to use magic).

Ah thanks. So it will not restore the damages caused by a spell, but it will stop any effects if you've been hit by a spell that lasts for a while. Does that include paralysation?

Another thing while I'm asking silly questions: If you've been paralysed, you can't cast a cure paralysation spell on yourself, right? Since you're paralysed? You have to use potions (although that shouldn't be possible either. Harder to find and drink a bottle of something than to cast a spell)?

Just wondering, since it's possible to create 'cure paralysation' on self at the Archane Uni.

Lol, what we need is a robe that has 100% dispel and cure paralyse constant effect. And reflect + spell absorb, just for luck

Sounds like a good robe, Duncan ... seems like it would deserve a retexture look of its own if they ever allow for that.

Dispell CE won't cure any effects until you remove and put the item back on. Sorta like CE invisiblity turns off once you attack and you gotta re-equip the itme to turn it back on.

I like to think of it in a more simplified way, it makes all the bad stuff in the top right corner of the interface go away.

ha ha ha yes, well put

Dispel saves me from liches many times. But only because they have a knack for reflecting. And with the weakness/spell combinations I use it can most things in a few seconds. I am one of those most things.

It can also be useful if you don't want your summoned characters around anymore.

Dispell, *poof*!

It was great fun in Morrowind to see all of the summoned creatures go poof in yellow sparks

If silence prevents you from casting magic, how can you cast dispel to get rid of it?

Potions. Since starting this thread I always carry around some home brewed dispel potions, but I haven't used any yet.

Olav is correct. It's easy if you're a decent alchemist to make a few dispel potions.
The only times I've used it is to get rid of silence.
Oh, and once when someone hit me with a huuuge absorb health spell. I stopped that quick, because the beastie was gaining health from me as quickly as I was whacking him! I think that was in (spoiler not listed) towards the end of the Mages Guild quests.

I'm starting to use dispel more and more now that I've learned the benefits. Quite handy. Also great for disabling your own night-eye or light or other long term spells.