If your intent is to remove the Desecrate spell, then you can make a targeted dispel (see bold text in the quote below).
If you're targeting the desecrate spell, you make a dispel check as normal, which is 1d20+your CL vs. 11+ the actual Spell's Caster level. In this case Desecrate is a lvl 2 spell and I'll assume it's cast by a lvl 8 Cleric for this example (but the Desecrate spell's actual caster level would still be 4), so it would be 1d20 + the Dispeller's Caster Level vs. a 15DC (11+ 4).
You don't have to target the undead inside the desecrate spell, you can just target the desecrate spell itself.
Dispel Magic
School abjuration; Level antipaladin 3, bard 3, cleric/oracle 3, druid 4, inquisitor 3, magus 3, medium 3, mesmerist 3, occultist 3, paladin 3, psychic 3, shaman 3, sorcerer/wizard 3, spiritualist 3, summoner/unchained summoner 3, witch 3; Domain magic 3; Subdomain entropy 3; Bloodline arcane 3; Elemental School void 3
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, SEFFECT
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target or Area one spellcaster, creature, or object
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance noDESCRIPTION
You can use dispel magic to end one ongoing spell that has been cast on a creature or object, to temporarily suppress the magical abilities of a magic item, or to counter another spellcaster’s spell. A dispelled spell ends as if its duration had expired. Some spells, as detailed in their descriptions, can’t be defeated by dispel magic. Dispel magic can dispel (but not counter) spell-like effects just as it does spells. The effect of a spell with an instantaneous duration can’t be dispelled, because the magical effect is already over before the dispel magic can take effect.
You choose to use dispel magic in one of two ways: a targeted dispel or a counterspell.
Targeted Dispel: One object, creature, or spell is the target of the dispel magic spell. You make one dispel check (1d20 + your caster level) and compare that to the spell with highest caster level (DC = 11 + the spell’s caster level). If successful, that spell ends. If not, compare the same result to the spell with the next highest caster level. Repeat this process until you have dispelled one spell affecting the target, or you have failed to dispel every spell.
For example, a 7th-level caster casts dispel magic, targeting a creature affected by stoneskin (caster level 12th) and fly (caster level 6th). The caster level check results in a 19. This check is not high enough to end the stoneskin (which would have required a 23 or higher), but it is high enough to end the fly (which only required a 17). Had the dispel check resulted in a 23 or higher, the stoneskin would have been dispelled, leaving the fly intact. Had the dispel check been a 16 or less, no spells would have been affected.
You can also use a targeted dispel to specifically end one spell affecting the target or one spell affecting an area (such as a wall of fire). You must name the specific spell effect to be targeted in this way. If your caster level check is equal to or higher than the DC of that spell, it ends. No other spells or effects on the target are dispelled if your check is not high enough to end the targeted effect.
If you target an object or creature that is the effect of an ongoing spell (such as a monster summoned by summon monster), you make a dispel check to end the spell that conjured the object or creature.
If the object that you target is a magic item, you make a dispel check against the item’s caster level (DC = 11 + the item’s caster level). If you succeed, all the item’s magical properties are suppressed for 1d4 rounds, after which the item recovers its magical properties. A suppressed item becomes nonmagical for the duration of the effect. An interdimensional opening (such as a bag of holding) is temporarily closed. A magic item’s physical properties are unchanged: A suppressed magic sword is still a sword (a masterwork sword, in fact). Artifacts and deities are unaffected by mortal magic such as this.
You automatically succeed on your dispel check against any spell that you cast yourself.
Counterspell: When dispel magic is used in this way, the spell targets a spellcaster and is cast as a counterspell. Unlike a true counterspell, however, dispel magic may not work; you must make a dispel check to counter the other spellcaster’s spell.
If you target the actual Undead itself, you would remove the Desecrate spell from him, but if he walks out and walks back in, he would regain Desecrate. So dispelling the Undead would be a waste.
No, it's the SPELL'S caster level, not the spellCASTER's caster level. That is an important distinction to make.
Even if you're a level 20 cleric and you cast a level 2 spell, the spell's actual caster level is still 4, not 20.
So a 3rd level spell's caster level would be CL6, a 4th lvl spell's caster level would be CL8, so on and so forth.
If you're going to try to make a lower level spell harder to dispel, you can use Heighten to bump it up to say... an 8th level spell slot. Now the spell's caster level would be CL16.
Edit: I edited my above post to bold the example you're asking about. It gives an example of a 7th lvl caster attempting to dispel a stone skin and fly spell.
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If it's the "spell's caster level", then the book example wouldn't make sense.
Stoneskin is a 4th level spell, with the minimum caster level 7th (Wizard) and 8th (Sorcerer). The example above states this spell has a "caster level 12th". This suggests to me that this spell was casted by a 12th level spellcaster, thus having the DC 23. Otherwise, it wouldn't make any sense that a higher level spellcaster would cast that particular spell at "caster level 12th".
I've always understood the spell's caster level is the level of the spellcaster casting the spell or the caster level of the item producing the spell. If this is incorrect, please indicate where in rules/FAQ/errata.
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??? I am completely unfamiliar with the idea that a spell has a different caster level than the actual caster level of the spell's caster. Can someone point out a citation explaining this for me?
Edit: on doing more searching and sanity checking on this subject I will revise my above comments. The previous statements concerning a spell having its own caster level independant of the actual caster level.of the spell's caster are incorrect.
The DC for dispel magic 11+CL of the target spells caster.
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So a 1st level spell cast by an 8th level cleric has the same caster level as a 4th level spell cast by the same cleric. The DC to remove either of those effect is 19 (11+ CL 8). So an 8th level caster trying to dispel either of those spells needs to roll an 11 on the dice. If they don't specify which spell is being dispelled, the one that is dispelled is random.
The distinction is made when you use Dispel Magic on an item or spell cast from a scroll or wand. A CL1 wand of heightened awareness only has a DC 12 dispel check. So say an 8th level cleric uses a CL1 wand of heightened awareness and has shield of faith cast using her normal spellcasting ability. If a dispel magic targets the cleric and the result was an 18 or higher, the shield of faith is dispelled. If the result is anywhere from 12 to 17, the heightened awareness is dispelled. If the result was lower than 12, nothing is dispelled.
If the dispeller knows that both shield of faith and Prayer have been cast by the cleric, the caster can choose to target either of those spells. Success dispelled that specific spell, failure does nothing.
If the dispel magic is targeting an active magic item, e.g. activated winged boots, you use the item's listed CL (in this case, 8) to determine the DC (19). Keep in mind the dispel magic has to target the item, so said lv8 cleric can have shield of faith and activate winged boots, and if she is targeted, the boots are unaffected, and if the boots are targeted, her shield of faith is unaffected.
No, it's the SPELL'S caster level, not the spellCASTER's caster level. That is an important distinction to make.
Even if you're a level 20 cleric and you cast a level 2 spell, the spell's actual caster level is still 4, not 20.
Not true, if you are a 20-th lvl caster of a spell, then the spell's caster level is 20, no matter whether the spell's level is 1 or 9.
Spell's level is the level of the spell and is usually fixed no mather who is casting that spell. It ranges from 0 to 9. It can be modified by Heighten metamagic.
Caster Level is usually the class level of the character that is casting a spell. It usually ranges from 1 to 20. It can be modified by leveling up, as well as various feats and traits, for example Magical Kanck. Every spell has a caster, so you can speak about the spell's caster level, that is the caster level of the caster of the spell.
The DC to dispel as spell is 11+the caster level of the caster of the spell that you want to dispel. Spells cast by 20th level wizard are more difficult (DC 31) to dispel than spells cast by 3rd level wizard (DC 14).
The spell's level has no effect on dispelling. Heightened spell is just as easy to dispel as the non-heightened one, if cast by a caster of the same level.