I don't think so. Dispel magic says:
You can use dispel magic to end one ongoing spell that has been cast on a creature or object
Emphasis mine. A held charge is not a spell that has been cast on a creature or object.
Interesting. I've never thought about this one.
By the RAW, it seems that you cannot counter a held charge of a touch spell.
But that seems odd to me. You could use Dispel Magic to the spell while it is being cast, and you could use Dispel Magic to counter the effect after the touch has been delivered (when applicable), but there is this limbo area in the middle where the spell is clearly active and everyone knows it (you count as "armed" and are capable of making AoOs and also able to make an unarmed attack without provoking - all of which says your enemies know your hand is "charged" and treat it with the same respect that they would give a lethal weapon).
So everyone knows you have a held spell, and that spell could be countered before now and (when applicable) after now, but, right now, it is invulnerable.
Seems silly to me.
I'd treat it as still being "cast" until it is delivered, and therefore subject to all the rules about dispelling the spell until it is delivered. However, this is RAI, not RAW - at least as far as I can tell.
I agree with your general interpretatin of the rules DM-Blake, but I don't like the consequences that has specifically with regard to Arcane Theft. Arcane Theft is intended (IMO) to steal someone else's buffs (or debuffs accidentally) of spells with a duration, not spells that are normally instant but can be held. I'm fine with being able to dispel the held charge, but not okay with allowing the charge to be stolen.
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You cannot dispel rules. Rules by default have far too high a caster level for even epic level characters to even have a chance. A GM may suspend rules for a short while at great peril as the opposing forces known only as "players" reinforce the suspended rules. :p
A held charge spell has been cast, just not cast on an object or creature. You can counterspell it at the moment it is cast.
See DM_Blake's post above and note that he left out the word "counter" in his senstence.
You could use Dispel Magic to counter the spell while it is being cast
Edit: Per Holding the Charge
Holding the Charge: If you don't discharge the spell in the round when you cast the spell, you can hold the charge indefinitely. You can continue to make touch attacks round after round. If you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges. If you cast another spell, the touch spell dissipates. You can touch one friend as a standard action or up to six friends as a full-round action. Alternatively, you may make a normal unarmed attack (or an attack with a natural weapon) while holding a charge. In this case, you aren't considered armed and you provoke attacks of opportunity as normal for the attack. If your unarmed attack or natural weapon attack normally doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity, neither does this attack. If the attack hits, you deal normal damage for your unarmed attack or natural weapon and the spell discharges. If the attack misses, you are still holding the charge.
The spell has been cast, but does not meet the secondary criteria of dispelling (not counter spelling) of having been cast on a creature or object. By RAW you cannot dispel a held charge, nor is it a legal target for Arcane Theft. It doesn't make much logical sense, but those are the RAW.
Locus does not exist in game terms. The spell has not been cast on a person, it is being held by the caster. Cast on a person has a specific meaning, I do not think holding a charge qualifies. A spell being cast on a person means that the spell has an effect on the recipient. If the caster holds the spell and the spell qualifies as being cast on a creature then the caster should always be affected by whatever the held spell is, taking damage as if they had attacked themself. I don't believe this to be the case. I didn't say the RAW made sense, but I believe that is the literal of the RAW.
My character KNOWS what he cast, he knows the charge is being held. Basically by RAW, he that held 'charge' is untouchable after the moment it is cast. I dont see why I cant attempt to prevent such offensive spells by dispelling the charge of held magic.
Because that is the consequence of the rules as written. Discuss with your DM about altering this.
In any event he now has to get close to you (or your ally and make a touch attack) to use the spell. Withdraw, or make him touch something with his hand. If he touches something the spell discharges. If he casts another spell it discharges.
My character KNOWS what he cast, he knows the charge is being held. Basically by RAW, he that held 'charge' is untouchable after the moment it is cast. I dont see why I cant attempt to prevent such offensive spells by dispelling the charge of held magic.
Its like you KNOW a sorcerer has spells they know how to cast. But you can't dispel the spell slot out of their head. You could ready an action to cast dispel magic to counterspell when they finish casting and touch someone, and that would work. Alternately, make them touch something that isn't a valid target for the spell/doesn't matter if it gets the spell cast on it.
Just a quick note because someone confused the two above, countering and dispelling are not the same. That said I see no reason you couldn't dispel a held spell (but you couldn't counter it as it's already been cast).
Just a quick note because someone confused the two above, countering and dispelling are not the same. That said I see no reason you couldn't dispel a held spell (but you couldn't counter it as it's already been cast).
I disagree. As long as the charge of the spell has not yet been discharged, the spell is still in the process of being cast. Once someone is touched, you should be able to use a readied action to dispel as counterspell the spell being discharged.