Counterspelling: What is the correct procedure?

[Hypersmurf]

In any case, you have to wonder about a DM who has an NPC cast the same spell five times in a row just to be countered....

Heh.

"I know what you're thinking. Did he cast six Rays of Frost, or only five? Well to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I've kinda lost track myself. You've got to ask yourself one question...
'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do you, punk?"

-Hyp.

 

[EarthsShadow]

thanks

I just want to thank you for the information and the rules. I am going to have my friend read this and let him come to his conclusions also.

 

[Droogie]

Just used a counterspell last night. It was during the big bad fight at the end of the Sunless Citidel. The player is kinda new to 3e and he thought it was pretty neat to see his ray of frost intercepted like a scud missile. Fight didn't go well, tho.


Anyway I have a question and this seems like the place- what happens if a 1st level mage is trying to counter the magic missile of a 3rd level mage? Since the 1st level mage shoots one missile per casting and the 3rd level mage shoots 2 missiles per casting, will the counterspell take out only one missile? Makes sense, right?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Anyway I have a question and this seems like the place- what happens if a 1st level mage is trying to counter the magic missile of a 3rd level mage? Since the 1st level mage shoots one missile per casting and the 3rd level mage shoots 2 missiles per casting, will the counterspell take out only one missile? Makes sense, right?

No - counterspell doesn't work like an interceptor missile, it sabotages the casting before it takes effect.

It's like how Slow might affect five people, and Haste only affects one... but you can counter a Slow with a Haste, and nobody gets slowed...

-Hyp.

 

[Pax]

Heh.

"I know what you're thinking. Did he cast six Rays of Frost, or only five? Well to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I've kinda lost track myself. You've got to ask yourself one question...
'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do you, punk?"

-Hyp.

That is almost EXACTLY the line I said (IC) to the Troglodyte shaman. He guessed six, it was five, and he had his last RoF countered ... then I hit him with one of my OWN (powered with a 1st level slot JUST BECAUSE I COULD) ... just to add insult to injury (or is it injury to insult?). Lol.

Stupid trog. heh.

 

[Droogie]

No - counterspell doesn't work like an interceptor missile, it sabotages the casting before it takes effect.

It's like how Slow might affect five people, and Haste only affects one... but you can counter a Slow with a Haste, and nobody gets slowed...

-Hyp.

Awwww. How boring.

I guess there is a certain danger to how you describe the action. In last nights game i described it as exactly that- the rays of frost impacted on each other in the middle of the room, disintegrating into a puff of snowflakes.

 

[Pax]

Just used a counterspell last night. It was during the big bad fight at the end of the Sunless Citidel. The player is kinda new to 3e and he thought it was pretty neat to see his ray of frost intercepted like a scud missile. Fight didn't go well, tho.

Speaking of that VERY encounter, another semi-amusing anecdote to relate:

Different campaign, different character, same class (sorceror). That character had "Ice Dagger" from MoF as his first-level attack spell, and cast it once at the evil blighter (pun intended). So, he naturally casts Endure Elements (cold) on himself, and figures he's safe form my wee little cold spell.

Shame for him I was a -human- sorceror (2), with Empower Spell, and ... Elemental Substitution (Electrical). So I meta'd the next Dagger, and ... well let's say he had one heck of a "shock". Heh.

I added Elemental Substitution (Fire) for his third-level Feat, after that very encounter. Whee!

Anyway I have a question and this seems like the place- what happens if a 1st level mage is trying to counter the magic missile of a 3rd level mage? Since the 1st level mage shoots one missile per casting and the 3rd level mage shoots 2 missiles per casting, will the counterspell take out only one missile? Makes sense, right?

Counterspelling is all-or-none. You get the whole spell or none of it.

 

[Samhain California]

Counterspelling notes

one significant thing to note, if you are counter a spell the spell you use to provide a counterspell (if you are using the same spell or an opposite spell) the caster of the spell to be counter must be within the range of the spell you are using to counter.

for example the evil priest has decided to cast Posion (a touch attack spell) on your fellow mage, you have a readied action to counter spell the next spell that that priest casts. in this case you woudl have poison memorized and be standign within touch range of the priest (not your wizard friend) in order to counter the Posion spell.

Also for note Magic of Faerun provides a useful feat named "Reactive Counterspell" which provides a pc with a free counter spell action once per round, but sacrifices their next action.

Oh, by the way i happen to play a HL Cleric (mutt with prestige classes) that is very good at counterspelling.

--Josh Elliott

 

[Droogie]

Speaking of that VERY encounter, another semi-amusing anecdote to relate:

Different campaign, different character, same class (sorceror). That character had "Ice Dagger" from MoF as his first-level attack spell, and cast it once at the evil blighter (pun intended). So, he naturally casts Endure Elements (cold) on himself, and figures he's safe form my wee little cold spell.

Shame for him I was a -human- sorceror (2), with Empower Spell, and ... Elemental Substitution (Electrical). So I meta'd the next Dagger, and ... well let's say he had one heck of a "shock". Heh.

I added Elemental Substitution (Fire) for his third-level Feat, after that very encounter. Whee!



Counterspelling is all-or-none. You get the whole spell or none of it.

elemental sub is a nice one. Just read Tome and Blood all the way through for the first time recently.

 

[Li Shenron]

No - counterspell doesn't work like an interceptor missile, it sabotages the casting before it takes effect.

It's like how Slow might affect five people, and Haste only affects one... but you can counter a Slow with a Haste, and nobody gets slowed...

-Hyp.

I agree. After all, to counter a Mass spell you only need to target the caster, not the spell's targets themselves.

BTW, is anybody aware of a specific rule about touch spells? To counter a touch spell with itself, do you need to succeed a touch attack yourself against the caster?

I think that normal RANGE of the spell still applies (you can't counter a spell cast too far, can you?).