History Main / Counterspell

* ''Videogame/{{Hearthstone}}'' has two mage secrets which function as this; "Counterspell" cancels the effect of the next spell cast by your opponent, and "Spellbinder" summons a 1/3 minion when your opponent casts a targeted spell, causing the spell to [[TakingTheBullet target the minion instead]].

-->''"I could think of nothing to do but to try and put a shutting-spell on the door... Then something came into the chamber.. and then it perceived me and my spell.\\
What it was I cannot guess, but I have never felt such a challenge. The counter-spell was terrible. It nearly broke me. For an instant the door left my control and began to open! I had to speak a word of Command. That proved too great a strain. The door burst in pieces."''

** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0830.html When Tsukiko is restrained by her own wights]], she tries using a "Shout" spell (one of the few options left to her, as it can be cast by voice alone) against Redcloak, who just counterspells it (with Dispel Magic, [[http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=12580970&postcount=10 according to The Giant]], since Shout isn't a cleric spell).

* In the ''Franchise/DoctorWhoExpandedUniverse'' book ''Millennial Rites'', the Doctor and his former companion Anne Travers find circumstancial evidence suggesting a rich industrialist is preparing to summon [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/DoctorWhoS5E5TheWebOfFear the Great Intelligence]]. Anne, frantic to stop another invasion, immediately researches the counterspell necessary to banish it. However, it all goes to hell when it turns out the industrialist ''isn't'' going to summon the Intelligence, but rather, a very different being, and Anne uses the counterspell anyway. The incorrect spells mesh in the worst manner imaginable and drag London into an unstable MergedReality of three different universes.

* [[http://magiccards.info/query?q=o%3A%22counter+target%22+o%3Aspell+t%3A%22instant%22&v=card&s=cname Loads and loads of examples]] in ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'', including the TropeNamer. Each card in a player's deck is considered a spell, cards such as Counterspell may be cast in response to "counter" the spell, sending it to the graveyard without having any effect.

* ''Videogame/{{Hearthstone}}'' has two mage secrets which function as this; "Counterspell" cancels the effect of the next spell cast by your opponent, and "Spellbinder" summons a 1/3 minion when your opponent casts a targeted spell, causing the spell to target the minion instead.

** 2nd Edition, ''The Complete Bard's Handbook''. Dwarven Chanters and Halfling Whistlers cannot cast spells, but they nonetheless study magic and learn how to counter spells they know with their MagicMusic (dwarves by chanting, halflings by whistling or humming).
** 3rd Edition has a Counterspell mechanic. A prepared spell may be cast to nullify another caster's attempt to use the same spell. For example, a ''fireball'' can counter another ''fireball'' (but not ''delayed blast fireball'', which is a different spell). Some spells are specifically opposed to and counter other spells (''haste'' and ''slow'' may counter each other as well as themselves). Finally, ''dispel magic'' can be used as a universal counterspell but requires a unique "dispel check" to make the attempt.
** Taken up to 11 in 3.5 where the mechanic was given a short feat chain and a prestige class focused entirely on standing around and just countering every spell as it's cast.

** The technique Roy learned from his late grandfather is also one, a SecretArt known as Spellsplinter Maneuver. A character remarked that no Fighter alive knows the technique anymore.

* ''Webcomic/TheFarSideOfUtopia'' there is mana interference, which seems to be pretty much exactly this -- when its used the InstantRunes get [[http://pastutopia.com/?comic=comic-for-monday-february-16th broken and the spell being cast fails]].

** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1058.html Later on]], Vaarsuvius is shown to have upped his skills by picking the "Improved Counterspell" feat, which allows V to counter even clerical spells that aren't on a wizard's spell list.

* ''VideoGame/EternalCardGame has a few of these, mostly in Primal.

* ''Webcomic/TheFarSideOfUtopia'' there is mana interferance, which seems to be pretty much exactly this - when its used the InstantRunes get broken and the spell being caster falls. Seen most recently [[http://pastutopia.com/?comic=comic-for-monday-february-16th here]].

** The iconic [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=185820 Counterspell]], the card upon which so many others are based. The thing proved to be too overpowered; thus, it is no longer printed. We have a selection of weaker, fairer replacements like [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=386502 Cancel]] and [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=153966 Counterbore]]. However, development teams have occasionally misjudged a card, giving us ''more'' powerful variants like [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=383006 Mana Drain]] and [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=370354 Pact of Negation]].

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'', Celes' "Runic" command puts her in a defensive stance. If an enemy casts a spell while she's in this stance, she is triggered to absorb the spell through her sword, rendering it harmless and [[EnergyAbsorption granting her the spell's casting cost in MP]].

* TabletopGames/SpheresOfPower has the Counterspell feat; allowing you to both counter and DispelMagic.

* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'': Every class has an ability that does this in one form or another, usually also preventing other spells from the same school from being cast for a few seconds. They only work on spells with a cast or channel time however, and some spells (mostly those used by monsters) are immune to them.

** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0830.html When Tsukiko is restrained by her own wights]], she tries using a "Shout" spell (one of the few options left to her, as it can be cast by voice alone) against Redcloak, who just counterspells it (likely with Dispel Magic, since Shout isn't a cleric spell).

** Counter Trap Cards are a subtype of Trap Cards which may ''only'' be used to counterspell, but have the highest Spell Speed in the game, meaning that a Counter Trap may only be counterspelled by another Counter Trap.

** Several Monster Cards, such as "[[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Spell_Canceller Spell Canceller]]" and "[[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Horus_the_Black_Flame_Dragon_LV8 Horus the Black Flame Dragon [=LV8=]]]", have the ability to negate the activation or effect of any Spell Cards. Several Trap Cards, such as "[[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Imperial_Order Imperial Order"]], also fulfill this role.
** Trap and Monster Card effects are just as easily negated with similar effects; "[[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Royal_Decree Royal Decree]]" is a Trap that renders other Traps useless, and "[[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Skill_Drain Skill Drain]]" is crucial in [[BroughtDownToNormal bringing down to normal]] both some [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Vennominaga_the_Deity_of_Poisonous_Snakes troublesome powerhouses]][[note]]"Skill Drain" must already be active when Vennominaga hits the field, however,[[/note]] and a [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Spirit_Reaper certain variety]] of [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Marshmallon defensive walls]].

** The iconic [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=185820 Counterspell]], the card upon which so many others are based. The thing proved to be too overpowered; thus, it is no longer printed. We have a selection of weaker, fairer replacements like [[http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?id=113523 Cancel]] and [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=153966 Counterbore]]. However, development teams have occasionally misjudged a card, giving us ''more'' powerful variants like [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=383006 Mana Drain]] and [[http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=130701 Pact of Negation]].
** Because of the tendency for counterspells to be countered (and those spells to be countered, and those...) a favorite is [[http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?name=Last%20Word Last Word]]. That can, amusingly, be countered by [[http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?name=Time%20Stop Time Stop]]. Which can itself be countered....

* ''TabletopGame/MageTheAwakening'', with its rather complex system of magic, has a fairly simple mechanism for counterspells. The counter obvious spells, a mage merely needs basic knowledge of one of the Arcanum used in its casting (e.g., a spell using Forces 3, Space 2 can be countered with Forces 1 or Space 1). If the mage knows none of those Arcana, he can still disrupt it with sufficient knowledge of the Prime Arcanum, which focuses on the basic pattern of magic.