Counterspell Sorcerer

[Egill]

During my forum lurking, I have noticed several references to some sort of counterspell related sorcerer build.

Does anyone know what this entails or where I can find more information regarding this?

I tried searching the forum, but with little success.

Any help here would be appreciated.

[Crow]

Stand back, I'll handle this.

Most people think counterspelling is a weak style. I only believe it is as weak as you let it be.

There are two basic types of counterspelling sorcerers. Both include the Reactive Counterspell feat from Players Guide to Faerun. This allows you to counterspell as an immediate action. There are also two spells that do this: Battlemagic Perception, and Duelward. The advantage to these is that they don't burn your turn in the proccess. They are discharged after use.

Counterspeller A relies on the Improved Counterspell feat along with Heighten Spell, and Rapid Metamagic. Combined with a 0-level spell from each school, this allows the Sorcerer to heighten a spell of the school being countered on the fly and take it out. This gives you 100% counterspelling up to 8th level spells. For 9th level spells, you're stuck with Greater Dispel Magic to get the job done.

This leads into counterspeller B, the style of my own counterspelling gish. Both can be merged if you want, and a fusion of the two will give you the best coverage.

Counterspeller B relies exclusively on Greater Dispel Magic. Due to a customer service (Wizards calls their rulings official) ruling that dispel checks count as caster level checks, a sorcerer can take the Arcane Mastery feat which allows you to take 10 on all caster level checks. This allows 100% dispelling of all spells slung by a caster of one level below your own, and with caster level increasing items, can enable dispelling of spells slung by casters equal to and above your level as well. The spell Spellcaster's Bane can give you a +2 on dispel checks, as can the Elven Spell Lore feat.

When forced to roll the dispel check, the Mantle of Second Chances allows a reroll on any one roll per day. So make it count.

I hope that helped some.

[Egill]

Thank you. Not being a big FR fan, I didn't know about the Reactive Counterspell Feat.

Much appreciated.

[OneWinged4ngel]

Stand back, I'll handle this.

Most people think counterspelling is a weak style. I only believe it is as weak as you let it be.

Counterspelling is cool, so long as you can get the right resources to MAKE it cool. Much like Inspire Courage becoming cool with the addition of lots of little +1s from various supplements.

[Chronos]

When forced to roll the dispel check, the Mantle of Second Chances allows a reroll on any one roll per day. So make it count.

How much does that cost? More specifically, does it cost more or less than 22,060? Because a Luck Blade will also give you that ability, plus a bonus to all saves, and it doesn't even need to take up an item slot (it grants those powers to its possessor, not its wielder).

Oh, and once you get to a high enough level, no counterspelling build should be without the Archmage's Mastery of Counterspelling high arcana. Now, not only do you have a great defense, but a pretty good offense, as well. Spell Power is probably also useful.

[Crow]

How much does that cost? More specifically, does it cost more or less than 22,060? Because a Luck Blade will also give you that ability, plus a bonus to all saves, and it doesn't even need to take up an item slot (it grants those powers to its possessor, not its wielder).

Oh, and once you get to a high enough level, no counterspelling build should be without the Archmage's Mastery of Counterspelling high arcana. Now, not only do you have a great defense, but a pretty good offense, as well. Spell Power is probably also useful.

I believe the mantle is 12k.

Master of Counterspelling is quite nice. Unfortunately my gish had to pass on Archmage...

[namo]

Crow got most of it. You can also dip in Sacred Exorcist (CDiv) or Cleric to get Turn Undead and then take the feat in Fiendish Codex II that allows counterspelling as an immediate action by expanding a turn attempt. Cleric also nets you the Inquisition domain power, but loses q caster level.

[RoboticSheeple]

Is there anything out there to let the sorcerer counterspell SLAs?

[Dhavaer]

Is there anything out there to let the sorcerer counterspell SLAs?

Ready a magic missile.

[Talic]

Not to my knowledge. The biggest disadvantage to Counterspellers is that they lose a big chunk of their shine when the baddies don't cast.

[Quietus]

Not to my knowledge. The biggest disadvantage to Counterspellers is that they lose a big chunk of their shine when the baddies don't cast.

Of course, this isn't to say that they can't just pick shutdown spells that debuff their opponents, and fall back to counterspelling when they come across casters.

[kemmotar]

Or you you can just go for initiate of the sevenfold veil so when the baddies don't cast you just sit around with a veil or two up throwing the occasional spell ...maybe readying an action depending on the occasion or holding the charge until the opportune moment. When the baddies start casting you make it impossible for them while the rest of the party nonchallantly hacks him to little pieces...

[Belial_the_Leveler]

There is a small [as in very big] problem with any counterspelling build. The enemy wizard must be in range of the spell you use to counterspell and you must be able to target him and you must be able to see or hear the spell components and make your spellcraft check.

If you use a 0 level spell with a short range and the enemy is using a medium-range spell you might not be able to counterspell as the enemy might be out of range. This is especially true of touch spells-you can't use touch spells to counterspell at all.

If the enemy is invisible or has total concealment, you can't counterspell (can't target him).

If the enemy is too far away to listen or spot the enemy spell's verbal and somatic components you can't counterspell. You take a penalty of -1 per 10 ft to spot and listen so an enemy fireballing you from 200 ft away has a very good chance of avoiding counterspells if your spot/listen are low.