Counterspell

Counterspell is a foundational spell for the adventuring mage. Used to eliminate enemy buff spells, ongoing hostile effects, and blocking spells. It’s a favorite utility spell of mine for the low level mage.

Counterspell

Arcane 1, Divine 1
Type: protection

Range: 180’
Duration: instantaneous

This spell enables the caster to extinguish a single ongoing spell or spell-like effect that has been cast on a target creature or object. If counterspell is used on a willing creature, or on an object held by a willing creature, the caster can choose which spell or effect to target. If counterspell is used on an unwilling creature, or on an object held by an unwilling creature, the creature must make a Spells saving throw. If the save succeeds, the counterspell has no effect. If the save fails, one random spell or effect on the creature becomes the target of the spell.

Once the target spell is determined, the caster must make an attack throw versus the spell or spell-like effect, treating it as a creature with an armor class equal to the difference in caster level between the creator of the spell or effect and the caster. If this attack throw succeeds, the spell or effect is extinguished. If this attack throw fails, the counterspell has no effect.

Some spells and effects cannot be ended by counterspell. These include spells or effects that are not cast on creatures or objects, curse spells or effects, petrification spells or effects, and quest spells or effects, as well as magic items with effects of permanent duration and diseases caused by spells or effects. Counterspell can be used to extinguish spells or effects on a creature or object made permanent by ritual magic only if the caster is of higher level than whoever made the effect permanent.

Breaking down the spell into the creation formula we get …

Counterspell (1): Protection, Dispel spells and spell-like effects (25), range 180' (x1.6), duration: instant (0.5x), targeting: 1 creature (x1), saving throw avoids spell effect (.x5), arcane (x1), total cost 10

… otherwise known as no extra room to work with there. So I’m going to have to make adjustments to make some variants. Let’s start with the range first. Going from 180’ to 90’ takes me down to a 1.3x

Counterspell (1): Protection, Dispel spells and spell-like effects (25), range 90' (x1.3), duration: instant (0.5x), targeting: 1 creature (x1), saving throw avoids spell effect (.x5), arcane (x1), total cost 8.12

Messing with the saving throw is too expensive at a x4 multiplier but I’ve got an idea. Let’s make it a concentration based spell and offset that with the stationary requirement. That’s an even trade between the duration and the duration modifier requirements and I might as well raise the range again with little else to spend the points on.

Counterspell (1): Protection, Dispel spells and spell-like effects (25), range 180' (x1.6), duration: concentration (x1), duration modifier: caster must remain stationary for duration (x.5), targeting: 1 creature (x1), saving throw avoids spell effect (.x5), arcane (x1), total cost 10

Now the idea of the Concentration based Counterspell is interesting but I don’t think it’s in keeping with what the spirit of the spell is. My thought is that Counterspell is a just a lesser form of the 3rd level Dispel Magic. Concentration as a duration would really just make it a different spell entirely. I’m going to try and adjust it to make it more like a Lesser Dispel Magic.

Counterspell (1): Protection, Dispel spells and spell-like effects (25), range 90' (x1.3), duration: instant (x0.5), area of effect: 10x10x10 cube (x1.25), saving throw avoids spell effect (.x5), arcane (x1), total cost 10.16

I had to reduce the range back down to 90’ but that gets a 10’x10’x10’ cube that, if you treat it as a lesser Dispel Magic, you can make those attack rolls against all the spells and spell-like effects that can be effected. If you go with a slightly smaller AoE of 10’ diameter you can get the range back up to 150’ …

Counterspell (1): Protection, Dispel spells and spell-like effects (25), range 150' (x1.5), duration: instant (x0.5), area of effect: 10’ diameter sphere (x1.1), saving throw avoids spell effect (.x5), arcane (x1), total cost 10.31

… or for almost melee range work …

Counterspell (1): Protection, Dispel spells and spell-like effects (25), range 30' (x1.1), duration: instant (x0.5), area of effect: 20’ diameter sphere (x1.5), saving throw avoids spell effect (.x5), arcane (x1), total cost 10.31

… but at this point you’re just trading range for radius and somewhere decent needs to be settled on. I think the 10’x10’x10’ cube AoE is a good place to settle. It covers a decent area, is easy to handle in a dungeon environment and since Dispel Magic is a 20’x20’x20’ cube well that works out pretty well at half.

Counterspell (1): Protection, Dispel spells and spell-like effects (25), range 90' (x1.3), duration: instant (x0.5), area of effect: 10x10x10 cube (x1.25), saving throw avoids spell effect (.x5), arcane (x1), total cost 10.16

Now unlike my other articles I decided to not build higher level versions of the spell. As I mentioned above if you look at Dispel Magic it is really just Counterspell that can effect multiple targets with a 20x20x20 cube and Anti-Magic Shell is just the 6th level version of Counterspell. That’s one of the great things about ACKS and the way that spells are created. With the spell construction rules as a foundation to build on and tinker with you can learn how the spells relate to one another and how they’re built upon each other.

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