In Spheres of Power, dispelling and countering magic is done by way of the Counterspell feat chain.
Counterspell [Core]
Prerequisites: Casting class feature, Magic Skill Bonus 5 or higher.
Benefit: You may spend a spell point as a standard action to dispel an existing magical effect on a creature, item, or location within Medium range. You may target a specific effect if you have identified it, otherwise the effect with the highest caster level on the target is automatically targeted. Alternatively, you may ready an action to use this ability to counter a spell or magical effect cast by another. In both cases, you must succeed at a magic skill check against the caster or magical effect in question. If you succeed then the targeted effect is destroyed.
If you target a magic item, the item is not destroyed; instead the item’s magical properties are suppressed for 1d4 rounds, after which the item recovers its magical properties. A suppressed item becomes nonmagical for the duration of the effect. An interdimensional opening (such as a bag of holding) is temporarily closed. A magic item’s physical properties are unchanged; a suppressed magic sword is still a sword (a masterwork sword, in fact). Artifacts and deities are unaffected by mortal magic such as this.
This is treated as a sphere effect, and it is subject to all rules as a sphere ability, is affected by the caster’s casting tradition, and can itself be countered by another caster.
Counterspell, Improved [Core]
Prerequisites: Casting class feature, Counterspell, Magic Skill Bonus 10 or higher.
Benefit: When using the Counterspell feat against a creature or object, you may spend an additional spell point to target an additional 1 magical effect on the target per 5 caster levels. Alternatively, you may spend an additional spell point to affect multiple effects in a 20-ft burst. Roll one MSB check and apply that check to each creature in the area, as if targeted by the basic Counterspell feat. Objects that are the target of magical effects are also targeted by this ability, but magic items are not.
For each ongoing effect that targets an area and whose point of origin is within the counterspell area, apply your MSB check to end that effect. If a magical effect overlaps the counterspell area but is not centered within it, apply your MSB check to end that effect, but only within the overlapping area.
If an object or creature within the area of effect is the result of ongoing magic (such as a summoned monster or companion, or an object created through the Creation sphere), apply the MSB check against the spell or effect that summoned them, causing them to disappear (or return to their home plane) if successful.
Counterspell, Greater [Core]
Prerequisites: Casting class feature, Counterspell, Improved Counterspell, Magic Skill Bonus 15 or higher.
Benefit: When using the Counterspell feat, you may spend 2 additional spell points to target all magic within a 40-ft radius burst, whether it be magical effects or magic items. If your check succeeds against a magic item, that item’s magic is suppressed for 1 minute per caster level. If your check succeeds against a magical effect, the effect is destroyed.
You also have a 1% chance per caster level of destroying an antimagic field. If the antimagic field survives the greater counterspell, no items within it are affected.
You may also spend the 2 additional spell points, but only target a single item. Make your MSB check with a +5 bonus against this item. If you succeed, the item is permanently destroyed.
Even artifacts are subject to this effect, though there is only a 1% chance per caster level of actually affecting such powerful items. If successful, the artifact’s power unravels, and it is destroyed. If an artifact is destroyed, you must make a DC 25 Will save or permanently lose all spellcasting abilities. These abilities cannot be recovered by mortal magic, not even miracle or wish. Destroying artifacts is a dangerous business, and it is 95% likely to attract the attention of some powerful being who has an interest in or connection with the device.
Counterspell Mastery [Core]
Prerequisites: Counterspell, Magic Skill Bonus 7 or higher.
Benefit: You may perform a counterspell as an immediate action by spending an additional spell point. You may only use a counterspell in this fashion when using it to counter an effect while it is being cast i.e., you cannot use this ability to dispel effects already in place or suppress magic items. You gain a +2 bonus to MSB checks made when using the Counterspell feat.
Counterspelling Strike (Combat)
Prerequisites: Counterspell.
Benefit: Whenever you strike a target with a weapon attack, you may spend a spell point as an immediate action to attempt to dispel an existing magical effect on the target using your Counterspell ability, or multiple effects with your Improved or Greater Counterspell ability.
Fool’s Counterspell
Prerequisites: Illusion sphere or Mind sphere, Counterspell.
Benefit: When you successfully counter a spell, the caster must make a Will save equal to your Illusion sphere DC or Mind sphere DC (whichever is greater), or believe the spell had its intended effect, even if they would otherwise be aware of its failure. Treat this effect as a figment with a duration equal to the countered spell, and use the rules for interacting and investigating figments.
Harmonic Counter [S&P]
Miracles of all sorts buckle before your might.
Prerequisite: Counterspell.
Benefit: You can counterspell effects which were created with the Alien Source at no penalty. Your abilities that would suppress magic (such as such as the Spell Ward and Anti-Magic Aura effects of the Protection sphere) function normally against all magic effects regardless of source. In addition, you can attempt to use any of your Counterspell feats or other magic-negating abilities on technological equipment as if it were magical equipment. Treat a technological item’s MSD as if it were the item’s Craft DC -5 (or 11 + the item’s level if using Starfinder equipment).
Magician’s Trade
Prerequisites: Counterspell, access to the Enhancement sphere.
Benefit: Whenever you use Counterspell, you may end an enhancement affecting yourself to increase the number of magical effects you may end with Counterspell by one. There is no limit on the number of enhancements you may cancel to improve your Counterspell; however, you may only use enhancements you created yourself to fuel this feat.
Proxy Counterspell
See the Proxy section.
Spellthief
Prerequisites: Access to the Enhancement sphere, Counterspell.
Benefit: Whenever you successfully counterspell an effect that targets a creature or object, you may instead choose to reassign the effect’s targets. If you do so, you immediately take over concentration for the original caster (if the effect requires concentration), and the original caster cannot choose to prematurely end the effect.
