Author Topic: Counter-spelling questions  (Read 2078 times)

Offline mostlyawake

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Counter-spelling questions
« on: August 15, 2010, 03:47:34 PM »
Any thoughts on counter-spelling a counter-spell?

Should counter-spelling evocation require that you go before or at the same time as the other caster?

Offline babel2uk

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Re: Counter-spelling questions
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2010, 05:52:27 PM »
Honestly, I'd be inclined to say that you can't. (It adds a whole new level of complexity - can you then counter that counter? What about countering the counter of the counter.... and so on).

I'd probably approach the situation by from the point of view of making the spell harder to counter when initially casting it. Should be easy enough to model in the casting rules.

As far as countering evocation goes I think it probably depends on the situation. I'd lean towards needing to act at the same time or immediately after if you're a zone away (you can go for the whole Big Trouble in Little China battle between Egg Chen and Lo Pan effect - cheesy but dramatic). If you go before you'd basically be holding your action to counter it anyway.

Offline JosephKell

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Re: Counter-spelling questions
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2010, 09:48:36 PM »
Any thoughts on counter-spelling a counter-spell?

Should counter-spelling evocation require that you go before or at the same time as the other caster?
Counterspelling in DFrpg is about taking apart existing spells.  So they always occur after the casting.

Like ripping apart of ward or ending an evocation block is counterspelling.

What you are thinking about is actually an evocation block which must already be in place to protect.  So what you could do is set up whatever effect, then put a block against counterspelling on it.

Basically, let's say the spell you are trying to protect has a lot of shifts devoted to duration and/or area (counterspelling that just requires them to take out the shifts for effect, not the total shifts--I think).  So your spell is going and you see an Angry Warlock come in, how you might throw a short-duration, high-block block against counterspelling to prevent the Angry Warlock from ripping it apart.  However I agree with Babel that is seems easier to just make the spell harder to counterspell int he first place (make it bigger).

Basically you put the spell in a shipping box and padded it with packaging material so it won't break.  To get to the spell they have to go through the cardboard (in this example, the cardboard is your block against counterspelling).

Summary:
Blocks prevent actions (or sometimes grapple people to death).
Counterspells rip apart existing spells.
« Last Edit: August 15, 2010, 10:00:25 PM by JosephKell »
If you have to ask, it probably breaks a Law of Magic.  You're just trying to get the Doom of Damocles.

Offline mostlyawake

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Re: Counter-spelling questions
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2010, 03:33:21 AM »
This was used in game by an NPC to sever an attempted divination by the group, and send a psychic attack back at them.  Also, the group regularly wants to try and interrupt evokers (as doing so is really common in other RPGs).

Offline JosephKell

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Re: Counter-spelling questions
« Reply #4 on: August 16, 2010, 04:39:40 AM »
Fate isn't for tactical esoterica, it is for drama.

Interrupting actions is one of those things that more tactical systems are for.

The closest equivalent in Fate is saying "I will do a block to prevent this guy from spellcasting" not this block could be harrying them with a baseball bat, or using magic yourself.  But it would be a block you do before.
If you have to ask, it probably breaks a Law of Magic.  You're just trying to get the Doom of Damocles.