Archmage: Mastery of Counterspelling

[Cyraneth]

I was wondering if an archmage can choose not to use his mastery of counterspelling. Otherwise there wouldn't really be a point in trying to counter an enemy mage's fox's cunning, as it would simply turn back on the enemy mage, affecting him anyway. Or would it bounce over onto the archmage?

Let's get a discussion started.

- Cyraneth

 

[Tabarnak Smokeblower]

If the spell cannot be affected by spell turning, then it is merely counterspelled

Spells and spell-like effects targeted on you are turned back upon the original caster.

Since Fox's Cunning does not affect your archmage, it cannot be affected by Spell Turning. If it is not affected by Spell Turning, the spell is returned towards the original caster by Mastery of Counterspelling.

TS

 

[Cyraneth]

But does that mean, then, that an archmage cannot spell turn (by counterspelling) a spell targeted against a friend of his? Isn't the Mastery of Counterspelling ability intended to affect all spells countered by the archmage? Or, well, almost all spells...

- Cyraneth

 

[Tabarnak Smokeblower]

It would appear so, since Spell Turning (the spell) seems only to affect spells directed at you. IMO, Master of Counterspelling would become waaaay more powerful if you could redirect each damaging spell unto its caster.

TS

 

[Cyraneth]

Well, considering it's only effective when counterspelling (not an overly used option IMC) and it costs a 7th-level spell slot (making it one of the more expensive high arcana abilities), it should be somewhat powerful, in any case...

- Cyraneth

 

[Tabarnak Smokeblower]

But with Reactive Counterspell (MoF), you pretty much get to counterspell every round, even if its not your turn.

TS

 

[ThirdWizard]

It says that if it can't be affected by Spell Turning then it is merely counterspelled. It doesn't say as if you are affected by Spell Turning.

 

[Tabarnak Smokeblower]

It says that if it can't be affected by Spell Turning then it is merely counterspelled. It doesn't say as if you are affected by Spell Turning.

Yes that's quite important to remember.

TS

 

[Cyraneth]

It says that if it can't be affected by Spell Turning then it is merely counterspelled. It doesn't say as if you are affected by Spell Turning.

So, which is it then? Can an archmage counterspell-turn a spell not cast at himself?

- Cyraneth

 

[ThirdWizard]

I would say, yes, he can. If spell can be affected by Spell Turning, which is defined in the spell description, not by who it is cast upon.

Example: Tim the Wizard casts charm person on Todd the Fighter. Bill the Archmage has readied a counterspell and uses his own charm person to counter it, and Mastery of Counterspelling kicks in because that spell can be affected by Spell Turning.