• NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.

Can you counter a Silent + Still Spell?

Now I am a little beefuggled on this, too.

Could someone come up with something, please. My head is really starting to hurt.


<--Pops top on asprin bottle...swallows all the pills remaining... one pill... DARN!-->
 

log in or register to remove this ad

dkilgo said:
Now I am a little beefuggled on this, too.

Could someone come up with something, please. My head is really starting to hurt.


<--Pops top on asprin bottle...swallows all the pills remaining... one pill... DARN!-->

I'll try. :)

Can asilent still spell be identified? No.
Can it be counterspelled? Yes (dispel magic and WAG (Wild Ass Guess).

Simple enough? :)
 

lupo said:
Page 19 of Tome and Blood:

When a foe casts a still and silent spell, the DC of the spellcraft check increases by +4.

T&B (same page) goes on to say that you "can use Spellcraft to identify a spell even if the spell has no verbal, somatic, or material component - there's no mistaking the concentration magic requires. However, you still must be able to see or hear the spellcaster." This section on Spellcraft is very specific about the fact that inability to note components adds +2 each time to the spellcraft DC to identify it, but it is still possible. I haven't got S&S, so I can't compare, but this is what I'm going to use.
 

I would probably rule it un-checkable. Since the ruling is unclear i'd rule the way that makes these suck-ass feats a little better. Thats almost 1/3 of all the feats most classes ever get.
 


So how would this work with the reactive counterspell feat. The one that lets you use a spell of a similar school but one level higher?
 


There are three possible versions.

1) following the Tome and Blood rules. Each missing element would increase the spell by +2dc. No movement. +2. no sound +2. No materials +2. Which makes it a dc 15+6+spell level. a dc of 21+ whatever spell level. Not too bad but the realism seems flawed doesn't it.

2) Following what the song and silence stated for disguise spell. A still silent spell cannot be identified. I would argue that if all three were unseen (as example above) you cannot identify the spell until it is already in effect/in place. Other wise, for each missing component it is +2 dc.

3) You are the DM, as such you choose what is right for the feelof your campaign. Is it known in your world's history that spell casters have turned the tide of battle by counterspelling an opponent's spell without any telltale signs. It is afterall your choice.


on a side note, if detect magic were in play, I might allow a spell craft check to identify the school to use a spell from the same school but one level higher to counter it. IE spell being cast is fireball and you use cone of cold to counter. both are evocation spells.
 


lupo said:
Ok, so it is improved counterspell,

the question remains, how does that feat interact with silet/still spells

The only thing that improved counterspell changes is the spell you use to counterspell. Nothing else. Here's the feat description...

Benefit: When counterspelling, instead of using the exact spell you are trying to counter, you may use a spell of the same school that is one or more levels higher than the target spell.
 

Into the Woods

Remove ads

Top