Can a ring of counterspells stop scrying? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Can a ring of counterspells stop scrying? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Mr. Farlops
03-19-06, 03:36 PM So I'm looking for an official answer here.

Let's assume a paranoid wizard, halfway round the planet, casts scrying into his ring of counterspells. Let's further assume that the Queen's Chief of Secret Police casts a scrying spell with the intent to find this wizardly enemy of the state. Does the ring of counterspells discharge and counter that scrying attempt?

Am I just reading the rules wrong?

If this has been discussed a million times before, please feel free to point me to threads where this has already resolved.

Thanks!

Mr. F
Someone
03-19-06, 04:46 PM You're correct, the ring would trigger, countering the scrying spell. But there's nothing stopping the Chief from casting a second scrying.

If the wizard is worried about all the divination, there are a few spells that can block it like screen and mind blank.
Mr. Farlops
03-20-06, 05:08 PM Yes, screen and mind blank, being very high level spells, are hard to get in the hypothetical I'm positing. I guess this civil libertarian of a wizard could buy a few items that do the same as screen and mind blank but I want to keep this in the middle range of power.

So the next questions:

Is the Chief of Secret Police aware that the scry failed because of a counterspell action?

The rules don't make it entirely clear, to me, if the scryer knows what the failure is due to. The spell fails. Is that due to the subject being in another dimension, the action of a counterspell, a successful will save, the action of mind blank, or some other reason? Is the reason for failure made clear to the Chief of Secret Police, thus directing future casting decisions?

Now suppose our fugitive from the Queen's Justice has a counterspell ring loaded with scry and he has a detect scrying spell activated. Which triggers first?

Suppose the Chief of Secret Police has a ring of counterspells loaded with detect scrying and decides to scry on some entirely different wizard fugitive who only has a detect scrying up. If the scry attempt succeeds, does the fugitive's detect scrying fail to alert her that she's being spied on?

Basically I'm asking all these questions because I'm trying to think of pretty low or medium power ways, that don't involve escapes to other planes of existance, to thwart players from figuring things out too easily.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Mr. Farlops 03-19-06, 03:36 PM	So I'm looking for an official answer here. Let's assume a paranoid wizard, halfway round the planet, casts scrying into his ring of counterspells. Let's further assume that the Queen's Chief of Secret Police casts a scrying spell with the intent to find this wizardly enemy of the state. Does the ring of counterspells discharge and counter that scrying attempt? Am I just reading the rules wrong? If this has been discussed a million times before, please feel free to point me to threads where this has already resolved. Thanks! Mr. F
Someone 03-19-06, 04:46 PM	You're correct, the ring would trigger, countering the scrying spell. But there's nothing stopping the Chief from casting a second scrying. If the wizard is worried about all the divination, there are a few spells that can block it like screen and mind blank.
Mr. Farlops 03-20-06, 05:08 PM	Yes, screen and mind blank, being very high level spells, are hard to get in the hypothetical I'm positing. I guess this civil libertarian of a wizard could buy a few items that do the same as screen and mind blank but I want to keep this in the middle range of power. So the next questions: Is the Chief of Secret Police aware that the scry failed because of a counterspell action? The rules don't make it entirely clear, to me, if the scryer knows what the failure is due to. The spell fails. Is that due to the subject being in another dimension, the action of a counterspell, a successful will save, the action of mind blank, or some other reason? Is the reason for failure made clear to the Chief of Secret Police, thus directing future casting decisions? Now suppose our fugitive from the Queen's Justice has a counterspell ring loaded with scry and he has a detect scrying spell activated. Which triggers first? Suppose the Chief of Secret Police has a ring of counterspells loaded with detect scrying and decides to scry on some entirely different wizard fugitive who only has a detect scrying up. If the scry attempt succeeds, does the fugitive's detect scrying fail to alert her that she's being spied on? Basically I'm asking all these questions because I'm trying to think of pretty low or medium power ways, that don't involve escapes to other planes of existance, to thwart players from figuring things out too easily.