Does a Ring of Counterspells work on area spells?

[Chaldfont]

SRD:

[Ring of] Counterspells

This ring might seem to be a ring of spell storing upon first examination. However, while it allows a single spell of 1st through 6th level to be cast into it, that spell cannot be cast out of it again. Instead, should that spell ever be cast upon the wearer, the spell is immediately countered, as a counterspell action, requiring no action (or even knowledge) on the wearer's part. Once so used, the spell cast within the ring is gone. A new spell (or the same one as before) may be placed in it again.

Caster Level: 11th; Prerequisites: Forge Ring, spell turning; Market Price: 4,000 gp.

The rules lawyer in me wants to say they don't. What do you folks think?

 

[Artoomis]

Instead, should that spell ever be cast upon the wearer, the spell is immediately countered, as a counterspell action, requiring no action (or even knowledge) on the wearer's part.

So, no. Unless you are the target - for example, a fireball where the little bead strikes you to set it off.

 

[gfunk]

The way we have been playing it IMC is with a liberal definition of "upon." We take it to mean whenever a spell is cast directly at you or includes you in its area of effect. We assume that the ring uses normal counterspelling rules for these types of spells.

 

[0-hr]

The person wearing the ring has to be the target.

So, for example, you could counter a targeted Dispel Magic but not an area Dispel. It would not work against a fireball unless the caster very specifically aimed it directly at you.

 

[kreynolds]

So, no. Unless you are the target - for example, a fireball where the little bead strikes you to set it off.

Fireball doesn't specifically target anyone, and it doesn't even have a Target line in it's statistics. Are you sure the ring would work?

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

"Cast upon the wearer" is not the same thing as "targetted upon the wearer".

Dispel Magic, Confusion, Web, Fireball are all spells that get cast upon people in the common sense use of the word.

I say the ring works against Fireballs.

 

[kreynolds]

"Cast upon the wearer" is not the same thing as "targetted upon the wearer".

Dispel Magic, Confusion, Web, Fireball are all spells that get cast upon people in the common sense use of the word.

I say the ring works against Fireballs.

So, let me get this straight. I'm standing there with this ring, there are three of my pals with me, a wizard casts Web, not on me, cause that's impossible, as the Web spell doesn't do that, but he casts it on the area that I'm in, and because I'm standing in that area, myself and my three pals are ok because my ring just shot back a 40-foot wide circle of webbing right at the offending wizard? Nah.

 

[hong]

So, let me get this straight. I'm standing there with this ring, there are three of my pals with me, a wizard casts Web, not on me, cause that's impossible, as the Web spell doesn't do that, but he casts it on the area that I'm in, and because I'm standing in that area, myself and my three pals are ok because my ring just shot back a 40-foot wide circle of webbing right at the offending wizard? Nah.

Kreynolds! Bad troll! No biscuit for you.

The ring functions like it always does -- it counterspells a spell that's cast, given that certain conditions are met. The ambiguity is in over what those conditions are. RC's interpretation sounds quite reasonable to me, since "cast upon the wearer" isn't 3E jargon the way "targeted spell" is.

 

[Chaldfont]

I think I am going to allow it to work in my campaign. The ring only holds one spell and you have to cast the spell into the ring. This limits the ring's use to only spells the PCs have access to. I don't really see the ring being used multiple times in a single encounter very frequently as one would have to give up a round to "recharge" the ring.

I think these limitations keep it balanced. We will see, the sorcerer in my campaign just got one and put fireball in it.

 

[Gromm]

The ring of counterspells wouldn't work on area effect spells since area spells are never cast on a person, just an area. If you want to rule 0 it feel free, but be aware that it makes the ring much more useful and powerful. As it is, its only good against a few select spells (dominate person, charm person, hold person, etc), but you will be making it good against any 1st-6th level spell. You should probably adjust the cost up a bit from the very cheap 4000gp.