Counter Mage (3.5e Prestige Class)

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Counter Mage

“	Is that a spell you are casting there? Well, it would be a shame if someone were to cancel your little magic!	”
—Exos, an elven Counter Mage during the famous Mage Wars.

A Counter Mage is a mage whose specialty is to ruin the fun out of every other spellcaster. The role of the Counter Mage was created during the Mage Wars where being able to cancel the enemy's spells was of uttermost importance.

Becoming a Counter Mage

Entry Requirements  

Alignment:	Any.
Skills:	Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks, and Spellcraft 5 ranks,.
Feats:	Improved Counterspell, Spell focus (Abjuration).
Spellcasting:	Must be able to cast 3rd level spells..

Table: The Counter Mage

Hit Die: d6

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spellcasting
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Spontaneous Counterspelling	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Sense Magic, Swift Counterspelling	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+3	Aura of Arcane Disrupt	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Spell Bender, Natural Counterspelling	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
5th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Arcane Ruin (1d4/1d6)	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
6th	+4	+2	+2	+5	Reverse Metamagic, Dispel At Will	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
7th	+5	+2	+2	+5	Neutralise Magic, Arcane Ruin (1d4+2/1d8)	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
8th	+6/+1	+2	+2	+6	Antimagic Shield	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
9th	+6/+1	+3	+3	+6	Crush The Mind, Arcane Ruin (1d4+4/1d10)	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
10th	+7/+2	+3	+3	+7	Total Cancellation, Counterspell God	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level) Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Counter Mage.

Spellcasting: At each level, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one arcane spellcasting class before becoming a Counter Mage, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

Spontaneous Counterspelling: A level 1 Counter Mage gains an automatic +4 on all Counterspell checks.

Sense Magic (Su): At 2nd level a Counter Mage can cast Detect magic at will.

Swift Counterspelling: A Counter Mage of level 2 needs no longer ready himself as a standard action for using counterspell; he can instead do it as a swift action. He can use his "ready" action for a second counterspell, so by spending a swift and a standard action he can counterspell 2 spells on the same round.

Aura of Arcane Disrupt (Su): Anyone trying to cast a spell within 60ft of the Counter Mage must succeed on a SRD:concentration check of 10 + the the spell's level + 1/2 of the Counter Mage's level, or fail to cast that spell, this ability is considered a gaze ability.

Spell Bender: A Counter Mage can choose to attempt a counterspell making a Spellcraft check with double the spell's level and instead of cancelling the spell he can redirect it to anyone he chooses.

Natural Counterspelling: A Counter Mage gets his Counter Mage level as a bonus in spellcraft checks used to Counterspell.

Arcane Ruin (Su): Whenever someone gets countered by a Counter Mage he must roll two Will saves equal to the DC of the spell that the Counter Mage used to counter the spell. On the first failed roll, he who got countered is unable to cast any spell for 1d2 rounds (1d2+1 on the 7th and 1d2+2 on the 9th level). On a second failed save, the opponent takes 1d6 typeless magic damage for every level that the spell was that got countered (1d8 on the 7th and 1d10 on the 9th level). For example, if a wizard casts a 6th level spell, and a 9th level Counter Mage manages to counter it, the wizard must roll two Will saves. If he fails both, the wizard is unable to cast spells for 1d2+2 rounds and takes 9d10 points of typeless magic damage. This is not applied when spell bending or with reverse metamagic and dispel magic.

Reverse Metamagic (Su): A Counter Mage can attempt to cancel a single metamagic feat added to a spell instead of the whole spell, by making a successful Spellcraft check equal to (15 + the spell's level + (the metamagic level increase)X2) you can provide a spell slot equal to the increase of the spell's level by the metamagic and cancel it's properties. For example, a Counter Mage attempts to dispel a maximize spell metamagic feat, he succeeds on his spellcraft check and because the maximize feat has a level increase +3 he burns a 3rd level spell slot and cancels the feat, the spell then continues its effect normaly but without the maximize metamagic feat.

Dispel At Will (Su): At this point a Counter Mage can cast Dispel Magic at will.

Antimagic Shield (Su): A Counter Mage can cast a shield as a reaction 1/day for ever three level he posses in the Counter Mage class that grants magical damage reduction 60 for as long as he concentrates. The shield burns a random spell slot for every 20 damage dealt to it on a single attack (roll a d10, if you roll 10, reroll). For every spell slot burnt this way both the damage reduction and the damage needed for a new slot to get expended are reduced by 5 (to a minimum of 5). If the Counter Mage runs out of spell slots the antimagic shield vanishes.

Neutralize Magic: A Counter Mage at this level can suppress the powers of magic items for long periods. The magic item is allowed a Will save with its wielder's Will modifier or if unattended a simple d20 against 15 + the Counter Mage's Int modifier + half his Spellcraft ranks. On a failed save, its powers vanish for 1d10 days. Items of divine origin or powerfull artifacts are not affected by this ability. Items of legacy are affected no matter their origin but get a +10. The bonus from Natural Counterspelling and Spontaneous Counterspelling applies as well.

Crush The Mind (Su): A Counter Mage of this level can attempt to wipe the spell slots of a single creature by expending spell slots equal to the level of the creature he chose. For example, for a level 20 wizard he must spend 2 level 9 spell slots and 1 level 2 slot, or 2 level 8 slots and 2 level 2 slots etc. etc. The Counter Mage must then make a spellcraft check equal to (15 + the creature's caster level + it's spellcasting modifier) adding only half his spellcraft ranks. If he succeeds he rolls 5d4 and the creature must burn that many spell slots starting from the top ones. This ability is considered an enchantment, the only enchantment that a Counter Mage can cast. This ability threatens the Counter Mage as well, because afterwards he takes 1d4 typeless magic damage + the number of spell slots he wiped out, and also becomes fatigued. Even if the spellcraft check fails, the spell slots used are still expanded. Crush the mind can use both arcane and divine spell slots in order to function.

Total Cancellation (Su): A Counter Mage's apotheosis is that he can cast, once per day, an antimagic field with a radius of 300 ft. around himself that cancels magic completely in this area. No magical item can be used and no spell or spell like ability can be cast inside this field. The Counter Mage must burn 2 spell slots of every level of spell slots from 6 to 9 and 3 spell slots of every level of spell slots from 0 to 5 (this must be done on the list of spells from the spellcasting class with the best caster level). The field works exactly as an SRD:antimagic field except with the following: the field dispels any effect, banishes any summons, and cancels completely any spells; furthermore, all magical items are instantly affected by Natural Counterspelling, although they are allowed a will save; all spell-like abilities are suppressed for 1d10 hours after this antimagic field is gone. This field doesn't work on creatures that were brought through planar binding or other forms of planar travel, although a gate or portal can't be opened inside the field. Artifacts and deities are not affected. Every spellcaster that happens to have an ongoing effect from a spell originating from himself must succeed on a Will save equal to Counter Mage casting a 9th level spell or lose all his spell slots and spellcasting abilities for 1d4 hours after the field is gone. Furthermore, everyone gets a spell failure 25% for 1d6 hours after the field is gone or they are outside the spell's perimeter. The field has a duration of 10 minutes + as long as the Counter Mage concentrates, for every round he concentrates he burns 1 random spell slot (roll a d10, reroll on a 10 or if you roll a level of spell slots that are used completely). When there are no more spell slots to burn the antimagic field vanishes. After the duration of Total Cancellation the Counter Mage becomes exhausted. Total Cancellation can drain both arcane and divine spell slots in order to function.

Counterspell God: A Counter Mage can now use counterspell as many times as he wants without being "ready," but he must be able to see the source of the spell.

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