Counter Spell mage

[Blackadam]

I just finished watching Bastard and have an idea for a mage i would like to play. i want to make a mage where their bread and butter is by countering you. what id like to do is find a way where if you cast a spell on me and its on my prepared list for the day that i can counter your spell by redirecting it back to you and adding the spell off my list onto your spell to increase the damage you will be taking.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

You need the feat Divine Defiance from FC2, which allows you to spend a turn/rebuke attempt to counterspell as an immediate action as though you'd readied an action. Requires turn/rebuke undead and divine caster level 3rd, so divine casters (Clerics) are automatically better at being dedicated counterspellers than arcane casters.

[limejuicepowder]

The only effective way to counter unknown spells is dispel magic, as far as I know - and it's not automatic. However, there are several bonuses to be had from countering spell.....not sure where they are though.

Yeah not very helpful, sorry

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

The only effective way to counter unknown spells is dispel magic, as far as I know - and it's not automatic. However, there are several bonuses to be had from countering spell.....not sure where they are though.

Yeah not very helpful, sorry

Inquisition domain, +4 to dispel check, including using Dispel Magic to counterspell. Something like Cloistered Cleric 3/ Church Inquisitor 6/ Paragnostic Apostle 1/ Contemplative 10 would be fairly ideal.

Improved Counterspell + Heighten Spell + Rapid Metamagic + the ability to spontaneously cast spells of several different schools is pretty strong, and can be combined with the above build. Find a domain that has 1st-4th or so level spells all from different schools, and get the spontaneous domain casting ACF for it from PH2 with those feats.

[Mirakk]

A great counterspelling feat line:

Improved Initiative (Required for Reactive Counterspell)
Improved Counterspell (Also required, as well as handy)
Reactive Counterspell (Your bread and butter)

Other feats for counterspelling are:
Magic Disruption (reserve feat)
Dampen Spell

Reactive Counterspell allows you to counterspell as an immediate action even when it's not your turn, in exchange for losing your action next turn. This allows you to counter infinitely to counter a singular spellcaster (unless they start using swift/quickened spells also).

Magic Disruption allows you to cause a concentration check against an enemy spellcaster they'll have to make in order to successfully cast their spell. This effects their caster level and DCs of the spell. This feat is rather underwhelming to be honest.

Dampen Spell lets you weaken spells instead of fully countering them. As an immediate action, expend a slot to lower the DC of their spell by the level of the spell slot you expended. I feel Reactive Counterspell is much better TBH.

Class-wise-


Archmage has a way to reflect a spell you counter back at the caster, but you're looking at a higher level character to qualify for that.

In the meantime, I suppose you could make an Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil. The wards and counter-spelling bonuses are quite nice for the character concept.



Hope this helps somewhat

[Chess435]

I'm pretty sure Master Specialist (Abjuration) also gets some counter-related benefits. For bonus points, after capping out in that class, you just hit the CL requirement for Archmage, netting you Mastery of Counterspelling.

[Jeff the Green]

All this is great, but I don't think it's what Blackadam was after.


redirecting it back to you and adding the spell off my list onto your spell to increase the damage you will be taking.

As far as I know, there isn't a way to do this. You could homebrew a feat chain or PrC, though.

Edit: Not quite what you want, but you could get a bunch of Spellblade (PGtF) arrows or shurikens tied to different spells (160 GP per spell).

[tyckspoon]

There are several ways to turn a spell back at its caster (or a different target) - the Spell Turning spell/magic items with said effect, the Archmage's Mastery of Counterspelling ability, a Ring of Spell Battle, and Spellblades are the ones I know of- but to the best of my knowledge there is nothing that allows you to return a spell with interest in the fashion described.

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

Of those, Ring of Spell-battle is easiest and most straightforward. You could literally put it on anyone with enough ranks in spellcraft, and it would work. That said, it's not a dedicated part of the concept, and the range and target limitation is very problematic.

A thematic dispel/counterspell build might be something like...

(Cloistered?) Cleric 1/Wizard 3/Master Specialist 8/IotSV 7/Archmage 1, taking Archmage as early as possible within that progression. You may need flaws to make this work, as it requires lots of feats for prereqs and other nice things.

Downside: You lose a level of arcane progression, you have to wait a while to turn spells back on people, and for a full caster you're quite specialized (into dispelling/counterspelling).

Upside: Despite the lost CL, you dispel and counterspell LIKE A BOSS. IotSV grants its wondrous defensive goodies along with its dispel bonuses. Archmage grants you the reflective spell you desire. And of course, you counterspell as an immediate action.

[Gavinfoxx]

There's actually a handbook on how to make a counterspeller!

http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19871214/Dispelling_38;_Counterspelling_Compilation

[Tvtyrant]

Noctumancers (Nocturnamancers?) from Tome of Magic have good counter spelling if I recall.

[Blackadam]

would it also be viable to add levels of Arcane Trickster? i do like the impromptu sneak attack feature they get. It doesn't have to be automatic just i really liked the idea i have about being able to counter you with the same spell and adding my damage on top of it and sending it back to you

[Vaz]

Innate Spell; Dispel Magic. Use Psychic Reformation/retraining to improve it to Greater Dispel Magic as and when.

Try it with Dispel Magic, Greater Dispel Magic, Spelltheft, Reaving Dispel.

I've not played a Warlock, but I think there is an invocation that gives a Lesser Invocation for it. Might be worth dipping to get that?

Shadowmage gets a 4th Level Mystery, which is a hefty investment of time and classes, but Warp Spell is an Immediate Action counterspell. The use of Mysteries can be convoluted if new to it, and the rest of the class isn't outstanding.

[nedz]

Straight Sorcerer spamming Mordenkainen's Disjunction.

Your players will hate you though.

[Blackadam]

O_O if you do that id ALWAYS PLAY a range character