I am usually fairly rules savvy, but am having a problem wrapping my head around how to use Counterspell.
I guess the main thing is when interpreting the degrees of success, How do I determine what my "effect's counteract level" is? Nowhere that i see does it spell out what MY counteract level is, I only see how to determine the counteract level of the target effect.
Is it 1 since the counterspell reaction is a level 1 feat?
Do I use the level of the spell or spell slot that I am expending to try to counterspell? (if so where does it say this?)
Do I use my character level?
Along the same lines, If i use Dispell Magic to counteract it seems my counteract level would always be 2, since it's a 2nd level spell. And thus would only ever be able to dispell up to 5th level spells on a crit success?
It seems like this new mechanic could have used an example or 2, but I know they only had so much space.
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Your confusion probably comes from not reading this part:
counteracting p. 458 in the core rulebook
You are trying to beat the caster's DC.
For spells, the counteract check modifier
is your spellcasting ability modifier plus your spellcasting
proficiency bonus, plus any bonuses and penalties that
specifically apply to counteract checks. What you can
counteract depends on the check result and the target’s
level. If an effect is a spell, its level is the counteract level.
Otherwise, halve its level and round up to determine its
counteract level. If an effect’s level is unclear and it came
from a creature, halve and round up the creature’s level.
Critical Success Counteract the target if its counteract level is no
more than 3 levels higher than your effect’s counteract level.
Success Counteract the target if its counteract level is no
more than 1 level higher than your effect’s counteract level.
Failure Counteract the target if its counteract level is lower
than your effect’s counteract level.
Critical Failure You fail to counteract the target.
Hope this made it a little clearer for you.
And yes, you need to heighten the spell if you want to counteract higher levels.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Your confusion probably comes from not reading this part:
counteracting p. 458 in the core rulebook
You are trying to beat the caster's DC.
Hope this made it a little clearer for you.
I have read everything you quoted. Not sure why you think I wouldn't have read that. And yes I know you are trying to beat the caster's DC. The question I have is "how do i determine my effect's counteract level?" It seems the text you quoted only says how to determine the TARGET's counteract level.
So lets say the caster is level 5 wizard and has a 18 intelligence and casts Fireball. I am a level 5 sorcerer with an 18 charisma, and I have Fireball in my spell repertoire, and I have the "counterspell" reaction (which is a level-1 feat).
So, assuming he is just Trained, his DC would be 21.
Assuming I am also trained,My bonus to a counteract roll would be +11.
So I roll a 15 and get a total of 26, Success!! The rules say:" Counteract the target if its counteract level is no more than 1 level higher than your effect’s counteract level."
So since it is a level-3 spell, the target's counteract level is 3.
So I need to compare MY effect's counteract level to 3. And here's my question...what is MY counteract level?
Is it 1 because the counterspell reaction is a level-1 feat?
Is it 3 since I am expending a 3rd level spell slot to counterspell?
Is it 5 since my level is 5?
is it 3 because half my level rounded up is 3?
Is it something else?
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
It's 3, for the level of the spell you're using.
Wait a moment... but this means that spell such as Remove Disease or Remove Curse are (almost) completely useless at high character levels if you don't highten them?
Wait a moment... but this means that spell such as Remove Disease or Remove Curse are (almost) completely useless at high character levels if you don't highten them?
If you are using them to get rid of level-appropriate afflictions, yes, but I'm guessing that's working as intended. If you aren't keen on spending high-level slots on Remove Disease, may I suggest Legendary Medic?