Counter-Spelling

[franklin3w]

Counter-Spelling has got me a bit confused, is it a skill or a magic skill which requires magia etc. I would like to hear the various takes on counter-spelling.

 

Here is what I am seeing

Counter-Spelling as solely skill based

 

Magical Shielding

   From - Magical Theories (pg. 125): A character without a Magical Theory may still use Magical skills normally, he just may not cast Spells. For instance, he could harness a Soulstone’s power, or resist magic with Counter-Spelling without any additional training.

   From - Magical Shielding (pg. 245): A character is always able to substitute his Counter-Spelling for his Evade or Centering skills when determining his Defense and Willpower (respectively).

        and: In addition, a character may use his skills to shield friendly characters. The protected character may

use the shielding character's Counter-Spelling in the same way by substituting the shielding character’s

Counter-Spelling for their Evade or Centering skills against Spell Actions.

 

Magical Sensing

   From Magical Sensing (pg. 245):   A character with the Counter-Spelling skill automatically senses when magic is being used…

        and: The character simply knows that magic is in use, however, and must succeed on a TN 10 Counter-

Spelling + Tenacity challenge to pinpoint the source of the magic.

 

Disenchanting seems to be skilled based also.

   From Disenchanting (pg. 245): The character may also use Counter-Spelling to cause a Spell to end before its normal duration would cause it to expire.

        and: The character may take a 0 AP Action to disenchant an effect that he is aware of. To do so, he must make a Counter-Spelling + Tenacity challenge with a TN equal to the TN of the Spell.

 

However the description of Counter-Spelling (pg. 126) indicates that counter-spellers need spells.

  New magical dabblers often expect Counter-Spelling to be a natural occurrence, something they learn simply by doing. It is, however, much like any other Magical skill, with Spells that must be memorized and deployed at the critical moment.

 

Question: What are you considering to be “spells”, in counter-spelling and are these the same as magia?

 

Also page 126 says:  An adept Counter-Speller can take on even the greatest arcane masters, weaving magical defenses in advance, instead of disrupting sorcery on the fly.

 

I am not finding any mechanic to do this.  What are you using do accomplish this?

 

Finally do you have any other thoughts on counter-spelling?

[alemon]

I took that bit as description, referring to counter-spelling as a skill that you learn (getting more ranks) instead of an ability you have just because you can cast magic. Or maybe they were clearing the path for more spells in coming books? EIther way I'd take the information from the magic section as the mechanics, instead of the wording in the "flavor" description.

 

As far as the magical defense weaving:

Maybe an ongoing challenge with the strength of the "shield" being the TN? Then the first spell to target the caster would have to beat the TN to destroy the shield or fizzle. either way, I'd iamgine it as a one-time deal

[Mason]

In our first session, I had a player use Counterspelling to shield the "magical aura" of a spellcaster in order to hide him from a curious Witchling Stalker. It was basically just a duel against the Witchling Stalkers Willpower. 

[franklin3w]

Thank you for your replies.   My counter spell guard concept thanks you also ... for his wyrd life through the breach.