Bugbeartrap
2013-09-26, 08:13 PM
Background: I am a big fan of playing spellcasters in tabletop and of Magic: the Gathering. One aspect of magic that I've never seen used in 3.5 or Pathfinder is the option to counterspell. It's too situational or useless because in 3.P, Offense is the only defense. I'm currently playing a magus styled after the Izzet and wish to add some mechanics to back up the flavor. Counterspelling is an iconic part of the card game, and synergistic to the magus because of their anti-spellcaster sub-theme.
Problem: I'm having trouble deciding what spell level this would fall into. It is based off of dispel magic, so 3rd level is a starting point. However, the spell is stripped of all its utility of removing buffs, suppressing magic items, or dismissing summoned monsters (on top of being useless against spell-like abilities). This would seem to lower the spell a level, but how much does making it an immediate action raise it? I feel like a 3rd level slot is right, but a 4th level slot is too much.
Counterspell
School Abjuration
Level: Magus ?, Sorceror/Wizard ?
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 Immediate Action
Range: Medium (100ft + 10ft/level)
Target: One Spellcaster
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: none
Spell Resistance: no
Counterspell targets a spellcaster and is cast as a counterspell. Unlike a true counterspell, however, Counterspell may not work; you must make a dispel check to counter the other spellcaster's spell. You make one dispel check (1d20 + your caster level) and compare that to the targetted spellcaster's caster level (DC = 11 + the spell's caster level). If you succeed the target's spell is negated with no results.
Edit: This is my first homebrew post, so let me know if I'm missing anything obvious.
Problem: I'm having trouble deciding what spell level this would fall into. It is based off of dispel magic, so 3rd level is a starting point. However, the spell is stripped of all its utility of removing buffs, suppressing magic items, or dismissing summoned monsters (on top of being useless against spell-like abilities). This would seem to lower the spell a level, but how much does making it an immediate action raise it? I feel like a 3rd level slot is right, but a 4th level slot is too much.
Counterspell
School Abjuration
Level: Magus ?, Sorceror/Wizard ?
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 Immediate Action
Range: Medium (100ft + 10ft/level)
Target: One Spellcaster
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: none
Spell Resistance: no
Counterspell targets a spellcaster and is cast as a counterspell. Unlike a true counterspell, however, Counterspell may not work; you must make a dispel check to counter the other spellcaster's spell. You make one dispel check (1d20 + your caster level) and compare that to the targetted spellcaster's caster level (DC = 11 + the spell's caster level). If you succeed the target's spell is negated with no results.
Edit: This is my first homebrew post, so let me know if I'm missing anything obvious.