Does a mage's Disjunction spell dispel/dismiss/suppress supernatural abilities that are in effect on a creature within the spell's area?
For example, if a mage's disjunction was cast upon a balor demon would it lose its flaming body, death throes, and vorpal strike supernatural abilities? For how long would these abilities be suppressed?
I know that it would lose all its active spell-like abilities and that it's sword and whip would lose their magical properties (on a failed save for each), except possibly the vorpal property which is a supernatural function of the balor.
Any thoughts, advice, or clarifications would be much appreciated.
My understanding is that the balor could reactivate a constant spell-like ability as a swift action on each turn that followed but what about those supernaturals? Do they restart for free? Are they immune in the first place?
Mage's disjunction does not end those spell effects as it calls out spells and spell-like abilities. However, supernatural abilities don't function in areas where magic is suppressed. So, I would say they "go away" for the duration of the spell (1 min/level) but automatically "come back" once it goes away, it leaves the area if the spell, etc.
You said a few things there that have me thinking, such as leaves the area of the spell.
I've assumed that mage's disjunction is essentially an instantaneous spell with regards to its effects (which it equates to dismissal by dispel magic) and that its duration only applies to how long a magic item is suppressed for.
That is that there is no lingering effect on the area in which it is cast, otherwise it seems like it is creating an anti-magic field and that doesn't seem to be what the spell describes.
MAGE'S DISJUNCTION
School abjuration; Level sorcerer/wizard 9
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area all magical effects and magic items within a 40-ft.-radius burst, or one magic item (see text)
Duration 1 minute/level
Saving Throw Will negates (object); Spell Resistance no
All magical effects and magic items within the radius of the spell, except for those that you carry or touch, are disjoined. That is, spells and spell-like effects are unraveled and destroyed completely (ending the effect as a dispel magic spell does), and each permanent magic item must make a successful Will save or be turned into a normal item for the duration of this spell. An item in a creature's possession uses its own Will save bonus or its possessor's Will save bonus, whichever is higher. If an item's saving throw results in a natural 1 on the die, the item is destroyed instead of being suppressed.You also have a 1% chance per caster level of destroying an antimagic field. If the antimagic field survives the disjunction, no items within it are disjoined.
You can also use this spell to target a single item. The item gets a Will save at a –5 penalty to avoid being permanently destroyed. Even artifacts are subject to mage's disjunction, though there is only a 1% chance per caster level of actually affecting such powerful items. If successful, the artifact's power unravels, and it is destroyed (with no save). If an artifact is destroyed, you must make a DC 25 Will save or permanently lose all spellcasting abilities. These abilities cannot be recovered by mortal magic, not even miracle or wish. Destroying artifacts is a dangerous business, and it is 95% likely to attract the attention of some powerful being who has an interest in or connection with the device.
Duration: 1 min/level. It's not an emanation so it sits in one place. Think of it like a garbage disposal for spells, spell-like abilities and magic items. You have an area that can potentially even undo antimagic field and it just shreds through effects as it mentioned that it destroys them completely except for magic items unless it rolls a 1.
It does not affect supernatural abilities. Antimagic field does, but this is not antimagic field.
On to the secondary discussion taking place, this is how I see it working (the area version, anyway):
When cast, end all magical effects in the area, and have each magic item in the area save. Magic items that fail their save, but not on a natural 1, are affected by mage's disjunction for the duration of the spell. The area is no longer of concern after the instant the spell is cast. Even though the spell has a listed duration, it does not apply to the area.
In general, this is a problem with the "standard" spell fields. Some spells don't quite fit the mold, but which are shoehorned into them anyway out of necessity. I don't feel like looking for examples, but mage's disjunction can actually serve as its own example in a different way. Look at the "area" line -- it lists a target. Why is there a target in the area line? Well, you can't have both lines, but the spell has to be written somehow. I don't like it, but I understand.
In any case, I don't believe the area itself is meant to be an ongoing effect, though I don't really have rules text to support this, except the fact that the text doesn't mention anything about items entering the area (though admittedly, it's a fairly weak semantics point). I apologize for my half-hearted argument, but I'm not really feeling motivated today.
Sure it does according to its own description. Antimagic field is just an example, not a definitive list.