Counterspell ... can you cast another spell?

[Bronn Spellforger]

I've got yet another counterspell question. Let's see my 4 lvl Wizard wins initiative against another spellcaster. He readies an action to cast counterspell ... and a quick spellcraft check tells him that the other Wizard is going to cast Melf's Acid Arrow.

Now, my character doesn't have this spell, so he can't counter it. However, he'd like to cast Shield to try and make it harder for the spell to hit him.

Can he do that? Would the Shield go up before the Acid Arrow hits him? Would it be simultaneous? Or would the Shield go after the Arrow?

Thanks!

 

[pontus]

Now, my character doesn't have this spell, so he can't counter it. However, he'd like to cast Shield to try and make it harder for the spell to hit him.

Can he do that?

No.

 

[SpikeyFreak]

I think it depends on how lenient you want to be.

If the player said, "I'm going to ready an action to cast counterspell." I wouldn't let them cast something else.

If they said I'm going to ready an action to see what they cast, then I would let them cast what ever they want. The question then becomes how specific do you have to be when you state the ready action.

I don't know, I'd allow either I think.

--Wishy-washy Spikey

 

[Roland Delacroix]

I'd allow it, mainly cause it makes for a cool cinematic type of game. With the current rules counterspell is tough and hardly worth it, i think seeing some mage counter mage action would be neat. Hes basically casting a neater type of counterspell, like throwing up shield to counter Magic Missle.

That said, per the RULES i don't think you can do it. You would be ah, holding your action? (rulebooks not here) the one that redoes your inititive, and then I think you go last or something.

 

[Galfridus]

According to the D&D FAQ, you can choose when Readying whether to partial-charge, step and attack, or just attack. Given that level of latitude, I would say Readying "to cast the right spell" would be OK. I would rule, however, that if you miss the Spellcraft check you can't cast anything.

IMC, I limit Ready based on target selection, so you could cast a spell of choice, but it would have to be Personal or targeted at the mage you were watching.

EDIT: On second thought, given the distinction between Readying to interrupt and Readying to counter, I would say you could do one or the other; if you Readied to counter, the spell you cast would have to be Personal or otherwise defensive in nature.

 

[Wolf72]

I'd think I'd say something like ... I wait until (ready an action) the other mage starts to do anything ... then I FIREBALL him!

 

[Wippit Guud]

Lets post nother hypothetical situation.

I ready an action to counter a spell. Opponent casts Melf Acid Arror. I don't have it outright prepared, but I DO have a twinned Acid Arrow prepared.

Can I counter with that, and have the twin effect hit him with a single arrow?

 

[ruleslawyer]

I'd say no. The text on counterspelling specifically mentions the fact that a regular fireball can be used to counterspell a metamagicked fireball, for instance, and I do not think that Twin Spell should somehow be exempt from this rule.

Counterspelling, as I see it, doesn't involve actual spell manifestations colliding in midair; it's essentially one mage gathering up the identical arcane energy being gathered by his opponent in order to precisely negate his opponent's use of that energy.