Michael's MtG Spell thread (last update: Blockbuster 3/7/7)

[GimbleRaulnor]

Ahhh, I loved those cards back then.

I guess these spells work exactly like Counterspell, adding the healing/damage effects? Like, there's still a need for dispel checks?

 

[Cheiromancer]

What's the range on these things? I.e. how far away is the target spell.

And with regard to Undermine; does the caster also have to be within a certain range? I'm thinking that if a permanent spell is being undermined, the caster may have cast it years ago and currently be on another plane.

But yeah. I think that variant dispels are cool. A red/blue dispel that causes the target spell to explode- that would be cool. Nothing nicer than making someone's protection from fire blow up and do fire damage!

 

[Jdvn1]

Spell resistance cannot be rolled since the damaging energies come from the spell the enemy caster conjured.

I thought spell resistance had to be rolled even when you cast on yourself.

 

[Michael Morris]

I thought spell resistance had to be rolled even when you cast on yourself.

Do you roll spell resistance everytime you cast a spell? No. Undermine reverses the energies on you as you cast the spell - leaving you vulnerable to a hit.

Absorb and Undermine have medium ranges. Countering a spell is not the same as dispelling it - a spell can only be countered while it is being cast. Once it's up, it's too late. Counterspells do not require dispel checks - they simply work.

 

[Michael Morris]

What's the range on these things? I.e. how far away is the target spell.

Medium. Forgot that line.

And with regard to Undermine; does the caster also have to be within a certain range?

To target a spell its caster must be in range.

I'm thinking that if a permanent spell is being undermined, the caster may have cast it years ago and currently be on another plane.

Counterspells don't work on spells already cast. That's what dispel magic is for.

But yeah. I think that variant dispels are cool. A red/blue dispel that causes the target spell to explode- that would be cool. Nothing nicer than making someone's protection from fire blow up and do fire damage!

These aren't dispels. Dispel is white's gig - counter is blue's

 

[Corlon]

Isn't the ability to counter a 9th level spell and dealing it's caster damage automatically with a fifth level spell just a tad powerful?

 

[Michael Morris]

Isn't the ability to counter a 9th level spell and dealing it's caster damage automatically with a fifth level spell just a tad powerful?

Unless you rewrite it, there already exists a 2nd level spell that will counter all but 2 9th level spells and have a bonus effect to boot. That spell is silence. To make room for true counterspells I changed how emanations work so that they can't be used as counterspells.

The baseline dedicated counterspell is 3rd level - it's effect is to "counter target spell" and that's it. Countermagic isn't easy to do anyway - you have to win initiative and while readying an action you can't move (readying a counterspell is a full round action unless you take a feat).

I've tested this - it's not broken (IMO). 9th level counterspells do some REALLY mean things btw - far more than just countering the spell. Indeed, the countering effect is often just gravy for those spells.

 

[Michael Morris]

Now this week I'll kick off with a five color spell.

Prismatic Blast
Evocation [White, Blue, Black, Red, Green, Fire]
Level: 9
Acquisition: WWUUBBRRGG
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Close
Area: Burst to the extent of the range excluding up to 1 creature / 3 levels and yourself.
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See Text
Spell Resistance: Yes

A burst of prismatic energy strikes for 10d6 fire damage (red, reflex 1/2), then deals 10d6 more damage to undead and constructs (green, fortitude 1/2), then deals an area dispel as per greater dispel magic (white, no save - caster level check required), then slows all creatures in the area as per slow (blue, will neg.) and finally deals 1d6 constitution ability damage to all creatures in the area (black, fort 1/2). Each effect is saved for seperately. Spell resistance can negate the whole spell. Although you are at the center point you, your familiar, and up to 1 creature you designate / 3 levels is unaffected.

Material Component: Colored sand

 

[Cheiromancer]

The baseline dedicated counterspell is 3rd level - it's effect is to "counter target spell" and that's it. Countermagic isn't easy to do anyway - you have to win initiative and while readying an action you can't move (readying a counterspell is a full round action unless you take a feat).

I was starting to wonder if the basic counterspell was UU. I thought that would be a little too easy, though.

 

[Technik4]

Unless you rewrite it, there already exists a 2nd level spell that will counter all but 2 9th level spells ...

Although Silence could conceivably stop 9th level spells, I think its a stretch to make it sound as powerful as you do. The biggest weakness is it only prohibits Verbal spellcasting, so if you have any silent spells memorized or the appropriate feat, you can get around that. Second, only Bards and Clerics have access to it, which limits how often it will be used as a counterspell. Finally:

An unwilling creature can attempt a Will save to negate the spell and can use spell resistance, if any.

I'm not saying I don't like the concept of Dusk counterspells, but I think most counterspells should only counter their level or lower in spell level (especially if there is no save or SR allowed). With 2 casters dedicated to stopping a heavy magical threat (say, a single Wiz15) the other 2 party members are free to wail on him.

And, while it may be a full-round action (without the feat), it seems like anyone who is going to learn these spells will probably have the feat (like anyone who feints on a regular basis gets Improved Feint).

Technik

PS- A last thought, spells like Scraganoth were always fun. Do you plan on making any spells that are un-counterable?