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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MrMyth" data-source="post: 5219532" data-attributes="member: 61155">The Dragonborn Sorcerer in our group has Countering Breath, which I believe is a utility from a Paragon Path. It is an encounter, Immediate Interrupt, when an enemy uses an area or close attack that deals damage of the same type as his breath weapon - he gets to respond with a blast 3 that negates the power in that area (as well as where he is standing). It is rather frustratingly strong, largely because his Epic Destiny let's his breath deal damage of different types (acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder), so he can counter pretty much any elemental attack once a fight.  In any case, however, this does sound like an example of the kind of 'complete counter' that gnfnrf is looking for.  The Nullifying Ring (level 30 item) has a daily power that boosts defenses vs an attack or, if you have hit a milestone, simply makes it automatically miss.  The Godhunter Epic Destiny at level 30 let's you, once per day, treat an attack that hits you as a miss. (Provided it comes from a higher level creature.) I think such effects certainly can exist in 4E. I've looked at designing a 4E version of a Sarkrith (anti-magic lizard dudes), and having it absorb or negate attacks with the arcane keyword.  The thing is, such effects are somewhat against the 4E philosophy - you don't want anyone completely shut out of a fight. I'd probably only use such dudes in an encounter where there is other stuff for the arcane casters to do. But the ability itself can be designed - you just need to be careful not to make it too strong.  That is one reason why standard countering magic doesn't really show up - why you only see auto-miss stuff at level 30. Such things are really powerful. It can be tactically interesting, to hand out counters like this and let your players try and plan ahead to use them at the right time - but it can also turn into a 'bidding war' where you have to keep raising the stakes to overcome a party that has the right counter for every condition and attack. Which isn't to say it can't be done - one just needs to be careful how they go about it.</blockquote>

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