[PrC] Countercaster

[Fax Celestis]

Countercasters are arcane agents who attempt to both control and subsume their foe's magics for their own.

Alignment: Countercasters may be of any alignment.

Hit Die: d4

Requirements
The following are required to take levels in the Countercaster prestige class:

Feats: Improved Counterspell, Reactive Counterspell

Skills: Spellcraft 8 ranks

Magic: Ability to cast 3rd level spells

Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A countercaster gains no proficiencies with weapons or armor.

Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level): Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

Spells: At each level but fourth, seventh, and tenth a countercaster gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in whatever arcane spellcasting class in which he could cast 3rd-level spells before he added the prestige class level. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting class in which he could cast 3rd-level spells before he became a countercaster, he must decide to which class he adds each level of countercaster for the purpose of determining spells per day.

Innate Counterspell: At 1st level, you can attempt to counter a spell without using a readied action. Once per day, you can counter a spell as an immediate action, by expending a spell slot or spell use as long as the spell expended is of the same level or higher of the splell to be countered. You gain extra uses of this ability at third, fifth, seventh, and ninth levels.

Absorptive Counterspell: At fourth level and beyond, you gain the ability to absorb some of the energy of a spell you counter. After contering a spell, you may regain the use of aspell or recover an expended spell slot of no more than one-half the level of the countered spell.

Reflective Counterspell: At sixth level and beyond, any time you counter a spell, you may reflect that spel lback at the orginal caster. When the countercaster counterspells a spell, it is turned back upon the caster as if it were fully affected by a spell turning spell. If the spell cannot be affected by spell turning, then it is merely counterspelled. Reflective Counterspell cannot be used in conjunction with Absorptive Counterspell.

Dispel Magic: At eighth level, the countercaster gains the ability to cast dispel magic as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to their primary casting statisic modifier. In addition, when casting any form of dispel magic (including spells like greater dispel magic), the Countercaster's Caster Level is equal to their Hit Dice.

Countercast: At tenth level, any time you counter a spell, you may cast a spell of your own as part of the counterspelling process. This spell does not take an action, and cannot be of a level higher than the countered spell's spell level -1. Furthermore, the spell you cast must have a casting time of 1 standard action or shorter. You may not use this ability in conjunction with Absorptive Counterspell or Reflective Counterspell.

Playing A Countercaster
Countercasters find that the best offense is a good defense, and do their best to shut down opposing spellcasters while slinging spells of their own. Most find good use of the Quicken Spell metamagic, and almost all have brash, assertive personalities.

Countercaster Progression

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Spells

1st|+0|+0|+0|+2|Innate Counterspelling 1/day|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class

2nd|+1|+0|+0|+3|-|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class

3rd|+1|+1|+1|+3|Innate Counterspelling 2/day|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class

4th|+2|+1|+1|+4|Absorptive Counterspell|-

5th|+2|+1|+1|+4|Innate Counterspelling 3/day|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class

6th|+3|+2|+2|+5|Reflective Counterspell|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class

7th|+3|+2|+2|+5|Innate Counterspelling 4/day|-

8th|+4|+2|+2|+6|Dispel Magic|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class

9th|+4|+3|+3|+6|Innate Counterspelling 5/day|+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class

10th|+5|+3|+3|+7|Countercast|-
[/table]

[Fax Celestis]

Added Dispel Magic ability.

[TheOOB]

Hmm, the idea is interesting, but two problums come to mind.

The first is that the class doesn't gain full spellcasting progression, and in my experiance I've found that it is never worth losing a caster level unless the ability you get in return is truely epic.

The second problum I see with the class is that it's a 10 level PrC devoted to counterspelling. Counterspelling doesn't usually come up much, it seems to be a pretty obscure thing to base an entire character concept around. Sure it makes you really good at counterspelling, but do you really need to spend half your 1-20 career to improved a rarely used ability when you allready have the two feats that make you better then you'll ever need to be at it?

I'd suggest one of two things, either a)make the class a 5 level deal, so while you still focus on counterspelling, you don't invest half your career on it, or b) expand the focus of the class to perhaps being an anti-caster spellcaster. Give it more abilities that makes the class a sort of mage hunter, magic jamming fields, spell resistance, spell level draining, stuff like that. The class can still be awesome at counterspelling, but that won't be all it can do.

Anyways, thats just my 2c

[NullAshton]

The reason why it's rarely used is that it uses one of your actions. This class mitigates that, and lets you CAST SPELLS OF YOUR OWN if you do use an action to counter spell(at the last level).A Countercaster/Arch Mage with Mastery of Counterspelling ability and the Improved Counterspell feat... that would be nasty against enemy casters.

Aside from the simple fact that you don't get as high of level of spells as straight casters. And your caster level is nerfed. Perhaps give a caster level increase to using dispel magic to counterspell?

[Goff]

Alignment: Cartogramancers may be of any alignment.

This is all good an well, but wouldn't the countercaster's alignment be a little more useful.

[Fax Celestis]

Aside from the simple fact that you don't get as high of level of spells as straight casters. And your caster level is nerfed. Perhaps give a caster level increase to using dispel magic to counterspell?

Added in. Good call.

This is all good an well, but wouldn't the countercaster's alignment be a little more useful.

Fixededed.

[NullAshton]

Maybe give a bit of a bonus to using dispel magic to counterspell stuff anyway? Against casters of equal level, dispel magic only works half the time I believe... increasing that would be nice. Since of course, they won't have as high level of spells as dedicated wizards.

[Fax Celestis]

Maaaaaaaaaybe.

[XtheYeti]

I like it, looks like it can be good for someone who doesnt like to play blasters

[Thray]

Suggestions:

Skills: Counterspelling is frequently a viable option for sorcerers, so I'd reccomend giving them the sorcerer list of skills.

Reflective Counterspell is awkwardly worded. Use the Mastery of Counterspelling ability from the Archmage instead, it does the same thing, and is just worded differently.

Countercast is ridiculous, as it lets you cast a spell of any casting time the way it's worded. I'd suggest limiting it to a spell that has casting time no more than 1 standard action. Additionally, I'd reccomend adding another lost caster level at 10th level caster level at 10th level, since the prerequisites for the class are so loose.

I like the concept, counterspelling as it is kinda sucks, and I always thought it should be improved.

And personally, I think it doesn't need a caster level boost for dispel magic, beyond the CL = HD. The class is pretty powerful as written.

[Fax Celestis]

Good call. Done and done.

[I_Got_This_Name]

You said a Duration of a standard action or shorter; I think you mean Casting Time, in the Countercast fix.

[Fax Celestis]

You said a Duration of a standard action or shorter; I think you mean Casting Time, in the Countercast fix.

Nuh-huh. //looks about shiftily. No such thing happened.