Kyuad - Acquiring Stone Discussion

ACQUIRING STONE INFORMATION

Current

From the information currently (12/12/07) in the Gear section of Kyuad's page:

Acquiring stone - "Sometimes innovation means stealing another's secret before anyone else can. When successfully counterspelling another spellcaster, this item pays for the spell energy cost of the spell you cast, and returns to you an amount of spell energy equal to the level of the spell cast by your opponent. It also grants a type of insight into the spells others cast for the purpose of counterspelling.

Revised

Finalized revisions go here.

ISSUES

How Counterspelling Works

The following is pasted from the SRD:

It is possible to cast any spell as a counterspell. By doing so, you are using the spell’s energy to disrupt the casting of the same spell by another character. Counterspelling works even if one spell is divine and the other arcane.

How Counterspells Work: To use a counterspell, you must select an opponent as the target of the counterspell. You do this by choosing the ready action. In doing so, you elect to wait to complete your action until your opponent tries to cast a spell. (You may still move your speed, since ready is a standard action.)

If the target of your counterspell tries to cast a spell, make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + the spell’s level). This check is a free action. If the check succeeds, you correctly identify the opponent’s spell and can attempt to counter it. If the check fails, you can’t do either of these things.

To complete the action, you must then cast the correct spell. As a general rule, a spell can only counter itself. If you are able to cast the same spell and you have it prepared (if you prepare spells), you cast it, altering it slightly to create a counterspell effect. If the target is within range, both spells automatically negate each other with no other results.

Counterspelling Metamagic Spells: Metamagic feats are not taken into account when determining whether a spell can be countered

Specific Exceptions: Some spells specifically counter each other, especially when they have diametrically opposed effects.

Dispel Magic as a Counterspell: You can use dispel magic to counterspell another spellcaster, and you don’t need to identify the spell he or she is casting. However, dispel magic doesn’t always work as a counterspell (see the spell description).

Dispel Magic

Pertinent information from the spell:

Counterspell: When dispel magic is used in this way, the spell targets a spellcaster and is cast as a counterspell. Unlike a true counterspell, however, dispel magic may not work; you must make a dispel check to counter the other spellcaster’s spell.

Dispel Check: You make a dispel check (1d20 + your caster level, maximum +10) against the spell. The DC for this dispel check is 11 + the spell’s caster level.

Greater Dispel Magic: the max to the roll increases to +20.

Comments

• Given that Kyuad doesn't have access to but three of the nine schools, the chances of him being able to counterspell without casting dispel magic are pretty low. Greater dispel magic works the same way, but has a +20 limit on the CL check instead of +10.
  • The way this works means it's basically a caster level check, with a big bonus going to the defender. Kyuad vs. a level 13 legate means the roll is going to be 1d20+10 vs. 24, or a 30% chance of success.
  • The 'Stone could grant a bonus to this check. Something on the level of +5 - +10. Maybe even make it automatic - which would be good since it could mean that someone using this only needs the one spell to counterspell others. If that's the intent.
• I think that healing spells can be countered by inflict spells and cure spells. Kyuad's set up for this, so that's good.
• The check to recognize a spell is Spellcraft DC 15 + spell level. Since max is 24 on this check, Kyuad automatically succeeds on every attempt to recognize a spell being cast. Might be a good thing to remember! :)
  • The 'Stone could give a bonus to this, and that would make sense just from the standpoint of someone making the item for use. Kyuad doesn't need a bonus on the Spellcraft check though.
• One thought is that the 'Stone might give a bonus to notice that a spell is being cast in the vicinity. It's my opinion that most spells aren't that easy to notice if someone isn't looking for them. Wiggle your fingers behind your coat and whisper to yourself, and you've got it done. Cast a spell in a crowd and people just think you're odd, not trying to kill everyone with a fireball. But, this is just based on the fact that "verbal component" doesn't have a volume requirement, and the magic used in movies I like tends to allow for as much subtlety as extravegance. So maybe this item makes it so that any spell being started nearby triggers a "spidey-sense" kinda tingling so you know to look out.