How to conduct an interesting mage duel?

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Best mage duel in print or film has got to be the Merlin duel in "The Once and Future King", also seen in Disney's "Sword in the Stone".

You could adapt that to a polymorph/shapechange-based duel.

 

[RangerWickett]

One thing this discussion has made me think of is shortening the casting time of summon spells to a full-round action (instead of one full round), but giving the summoned creature 'summoning sickness.' In effect, the summoned creature can't attack until its controller takes another turn. If you summon a creature of one level lower than your maximum, maybe it can have 'haste,' which would let it attack and use its abilities the turn it comes into play.

So we want to create some simplistic duel-cantrips that only useful in duels.

Abjuration - Choose a school of magic and you get a +2 bonus to saves against it.

Conjuration - A quick cast weenie that lasts for only one round as a chump blocker.

Divination - You gain a +2 bonus to Sense Motive checks to beat your opponent's bluffs.

Enchantment - A mild persistent daze that grants a -2 penalty to your opponent's concentration checks.

Evocation - Um . . . just deal 1d3 damage.

Illusion - You get a +2 bonus to your Bluff checks.

Necromancy - Your opponent loses a spell?

Transmutation - Deflection. You don't counter the spell, you just change its area of effect by a few feet, but this requires an opposed spellcraft check? Or is this too powerful?

 

[argo]

I think the best suggestion so far is DanMcS' opposed rolls. Simple and quick but open to "creative descriptions."

[hijack]
However, on the subject of counterspelling I agree that there are not enough ways to counterspell in dnd, so if you don't mind I'll post this house rule I worked up a while back in case anyone's interested.

New Rules for Counterspells:
This section introduces a new way to counterspell an enemy spellcaster’s spell. This method works in addition to the two methods of counterspelling presented in Core Rulebook I (counterspelling with the same spell being cast and with the Dispel Magic spell.) As with other counterspells this method works even if one spell is arcane and the other divine.

How Counterspells Work: To use a counterspell, you must select an opponent as the target of the counterspell. You do this by choosing the ready action (see Core Rulebook I.) In doing so, you elect to wait to complete your action until your opponent tries to cast a spell.

If the target of your counterspell tries to cast a spell, make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + the spell’s level.) This check is a free action. If the check succeeds, you correctly identify the opponent’s spell and can attempt to counter it. (If the check fails, you can’t do either of these things.)

To complete the action, you may cast any spell whose level is equal to or greater than the spell level of the spell to be counterspelled. A spell of a lower level than the spell to be counterspelled cannot be used. You cast the spell, altering it slightly so that its energies set up a magical interference or static that counterspells the opposed spell. This requires a counterspell check: 1d20 + caster level (no maximum) against a DC of 15 + the spell’s caster level. In addition if you use a higher level spell to counterspell a lower level spell you gain a bonus of +2 to your counterspell check for every level that your spell exceeds the level of the opposed spell.

If you succeed at the counterspell check and the target is within range of the spell you are using to counterspell then both spells automatically negate each other with no other results.

Counterspelling Metamagic Spells: Metamagic feats count when determining the spell level of a spell counterspelled in this manner.

[/hijack]

 

[RangerWickett]

Good idea. I like the counterspell rules.

 

[Rahkan]

The first person to summon a poisonous cobra into the other person's spare robes wins the duel.

Other than that, I'm all in favor of the line them up (no movement or actual attacks allowed) and let them cast as many spells as they want until someone dies method. If you want to change the duel then let them buff themselves first, or play it to first blood (or incapacitation in the case of things like feeblemind). Mage duels would tend to be a little short though.

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

Maybe a stipulation to start with a level 1 spell in the first round and go up one each round thereafter, until one gives up or is taken out of the fight?

I like this idea. I also agree with the suggestion of no spells active before the start of combat.

Another way to restrict Mega Death Spells is limit the area of the combat. A wizard is less likely to cast a fireball if the "arena" puts him in the "area of affect" of the spell.

P.S. They do have "Counterspell" rules

From System Reference Document

"Counterspells

It is possible to cast any spell as a counterspell. By doing so, the character is using the spell's energy to disrupt the casting of the same spell by another character. Counterspelling works even if one spell is divine and the other arcane.

How Counterspells Work: To use a counterspell, the character must select an opponent as the target of the counterspell. the character does this by choosing the ready action. In doing so, the character elects to wait to complete his or her action until the character's opponent tries to cast a spell. (The character may still move at normal speed, since ready is a standard action.)

If the target of the character's counterspell tries to cast a spell, make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + the spell's level). This check is a free action. If the check succeeds, the character correctly identifies the opponent's spell and can attempt to counter it. (If the check fails, the character can't do either of these things.)

To complete the action, the character must cast the correct spell. As a general rule, a spell can only counter itself. If the character is able to cast the same spell and has it prepared (if the character prepares spells), the character casts it, altering it slightly to create a counterspell effect. If the target is within range, both spells automatically negate each other with no other results.

Counterspelling Metamagic Spells: Metamagic feats are not taken into account when determining whether a spell can be countered.

Specific Exceptions: Some spells specifically counter each other, especially when they have diametrically opposed effects.

Dispel Magic as a Counterspell: The character can use dispel magic to counterspell another spellcaster, and the character doesn't need to identify the spell he or she is casting. However, dispel magic doesn't always work as a counterspell."

So

Slow counters Haste
Fireball is countered by Fireball (cast as a "counter-fireball")
Dispel Magic counters most things, but not everything

Not to mention Abjuration spells such as Protection From Elements - Fire

 

[smetzger]

Are you playtesting for 3.5?

Last time I posted to a Mage Duel thread my suggestions ended up in 3.0 as the counterspelling rules.

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=...&selm=7mdopq%24li%241%40nnrp1.deja.com&rnum=2

 

[Lucius Foxhound]

We ran a pretty fun Mage Duel using MoF rules ... it was at a Mage Fair and pretty fun. We ran it on the boards, which was challenging, but overall it worked wel. The free counterspell action each round worked well. My 9th level Wizard was up against a 13th level Wizard (his former mentor). I knew the only way to win by the rules would be to get him to leave the boundries of the Mage Duel (which disqualifies him)... which is just what I did using a Suggestion spell.

There's a transcript of our battle here.