Counterspelling -- Does It Work?

[The_Gneech]

It occurred to me over the weekend that even though there are very clearly spelled-out rules for counterspelling, I have never seen it done -- nor in fact would I think to do it myself because there seem to be so many hurdles involved.

So I'm curious -- has anybody out there used it, and is it effective? Relate your experiences here!

-The Gneech

 

[DethStryke]

I've only used it as a DM, and only when the NPC in question had a chance to interrogate survivors of those involved in combats with the PCs or had been attacked themselves and survived. That way, they have a realistic chance of being able to predict what spells they may be casting.

I've thought of using the anti-caster that memorizes almost nothing but dispel magic and counterspells anything they can... but that just seems a bit over the top for believe-ability. :\

The only time I've "counter-spelled" has a player was when I held my action to cast magic missle on casters when they went into spell gestures. It worked about 75% of the time when I was 9th level because of multiple missles per target (two targets) and missed concentration checks.

 

[arwink]

I've seen it done a couple of times, primarily by sorcerers who have dispel magic slots to burn. It's particularly popular during mexican-standoff scenes against enemy spellcasters, when the players want to stop the bad-guy from casting a teleport or similar magic.

 

[Grymar]

I had built a counterspeller (magewright/expert with a wand of Dispel Magic) to use against my PCs, but the moment the players saw an opposing party they targeted anyone not wearing armor first. My counterspeller didn't survive the surprise round.

So I can't say yet. I'm planning on trying again soon.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

IMO, it doesn't happen nearly often enough. The requirement to ready an action is onerous in the D&D world, where losing an action is about the worst thing that can happen in a combat.

Moving it to an immediate action would help, although that might make it too attractive (especially to sorcerers) at high levels.

 

[el-remmen]

I had a thread on just this topic not too long ago, but searching it musta been lost in the crash.

Regardless, I have never seen it done either - not in home games and not at cons. . . :\

 

[Agent Oracle]

As a GM, yes. I once stopped a 10th level wizard cold with a 6th level kobold sorcerer. The Wizard didn't want to waste his big spells on the kobolds, so he chose to chuck a fireball, the sorcerer (who was hidden) saw the wizard prepping and counterspelled. Wizard is confused, tries Lightning bolt (also counterspelled). Wizard freaks out and runs, thinking he's in an anti-magic field. I never had the heart to tell him otherwise.

as a player... I've never had the initiative to even attempt it, and lately i've been playing a lot of melee classes with few or no offensive spells. (cough, knight, cough)

 

[Huw]

I've used it. The tanks could deal with the enemy spellcasters within a couple of rounds - if they could get to them. I had no spells worth casting, but I did have dispel magic. So I kept at the back buying time for the tanks.

 

[Delta]

Opportunity cost is too high, re: (1) action spent, (2) spell slot required, (3) targetting one enemy only, (4) range requirement, (5) Spellcraft or level check.

 

[schporto]

I've never done it as using a PC, but... A cohort or a summoned creature? Perfect. Generally this things are weaker then your normal PC and have less of a chance to do stuff. So let them try to counterspell. Worked well for us against a spellcasting dragon. He never did get the chance to heal himself.
-cpd