RangerWickett
Legend
I have a lot of counterspelling in my campaign, and indeed I've made it an integral campaign component. Opposing mages usually struggle to counter each other's spells, while their melee allies do the dirty work.
The PC wizard has taken Reactive Counterspell, and he's thinking of taking a specialty feat I made, Counterspell Focus, that gives a +3 bonus to counterspell checks with Dispel Magic. There's even a large organization of Inquisitors, skilled in antimagic and counterspelling, so we've had some interesting spell duels that left both mages nearly exhausted with spells.
Another thing we do, to make counterspelling more of a battle of wits, is to allow feinting and bluffing with spellcasting. I have a Spellduelist feat that makes Bluff and Sense Motive class skills for spellcasters, and the PC wizard has taken that too.
Concealing Spellcasting: If you spend your move action, you can try to conceal the spell you're casting. Make a Bluff check, and opposing spellcasters must beat either the normal Spellcraft DC or your Bluff check result to identify the spell you cast. Spellcasters with 5 or more ranks of Sense Motive make their Spellcraft check as if you had rolled 2 less than your actual result.
Feinting Spellcasting: As a standard action (a move action if you have Improved Spellfeint feat), you can make a Bluff check (DC 15 + spell level you're trying to fake). If you succeed, any enemy watching your spellcasting must make a Sense Motive check opposing your Bluff check, or else think that you are actually casting a spell. If a spellcaster falls for the Bluff and tries to make a Spellcraft check to identify the spell you cast, if he succeeds he'll think you're casting whatever spell you faked.
The PC wizard has taken Reactive Counterspell, and he's thinking of taking a specialty feat I made, Counterspell Focus, that gives a +3 bonus to counterspell checks with Dispel Magic. There's even a large organization of Inquisitors, skilled in antimagic and counterspelling, so we've had some interesting spell duels that left both mages nearly exhausted with spells.
Another thing we do, to make counterspelling more of a battle of wits, is to allow feinting and bluffing with spellcasting. I have a Spellduelist feat that makes Bluff and Sense Motive class skills for spellcasters, and the PC wizard has taken that too.
Concealing Spellcasting: If you spend your move action, you can try to conceal the spell you're casting. Make a Bluff check, and opposing spellcasters must beat either the normal Spellcraft DC or your Bluff check result to identify the spell you cast. Spellcasters with 5 or more ranks of Sense Motive make their Spellcraft check as if you had rolled 2 less than your actual result.
Feinting Spellcasting: As a standard action (a move action if you have Improved Spellfeint feat), you can make a Bluff check (DC 15 + spell level you're trying to fake). If you succeed, any enemy watching your spellcasting must make a Sense Motive check opposing your Bluff check, or else think that you are actually casting a spell. If a spellcaster falls for the Bluff and tries to make a Spellcraft check to identify the spell you cast, if he succeeds he'll think you're casting whatever spell you faked.