[Shrazkil]

So the wording for this foci seemed oddly worded, and I wanted to make sure I had it right.

I'm on my phone or I would copy paste the description.

So if I have a force 4 counterspelling combat focus, it is usable in my counterspelling pool against combat spells, but it states it also affects my defense pool against that type of spell.

Does that mean that even without assigning any counterspelling dice, I would get +4 to my avoidance dice for say a lightning bolt, or is it into the soak roll?

[8-bit]

It means that when you assign spell defense dice (you get a number per Combat Turn equal to your Counterspelling skill) you have an additional 4 you can assign.

[Shrazkil]

It means that when you assign spell defense dice (you get a number per Combat Turn equal to your Counterspelling skill) you have an additional 4 you can assign.

At the end of the description it sais (roughly)  "in addition you may add the force to your spell defense against spells of the chosen type" after it already talks about adding the force to your counterspelling.

[Imveros]

SR Core 320

Counterspelling: Counterspelling foci add dice equal
to their Force to any Counterspelling attempt, as long as
the countered spell is in the same category as the focus.
It also adds its Force to your spell defense pool.

Seems to me by that last sentence that Shrazkil is right. He gets to add four dice to a team mate and keep four for himself. Why else would it say "It also adds" It is powerful to be sure but its also specific to spell type and take karma and $ so i would be fine with someone double dipping it at my table

[JackVII]

Counterspelling is used in two ways: dispelling and spell defense.

Dispelling is a clear-cut skill roll (Counterspelling + Magic [Astral] v. spell’s Force + caster’s Magic), so a focus always adds its dice to attempts to dispel, as long as the spell is of the same category.

Each Combat Turn, you have a pool of dice for spell defense equal to your Counterspelling skill.

The reason the focus reads that way is because the focus doesn't actually raise your skill level in counterspelling on which the spell defense pool is based. They want to make it clear that it does actually help out with spell defense when faced with a specific type of spell, but it doesn't double up or anything.

At least that's how I read it.

[Shrazkil]

SR Core 320

Counterspelling: Counterspelling foci add dice equal
to their Force to any Counterspelling attempt, as long as
the countered spell is in the same category as the focus.
It also adds its Force to your spell defense pool.

Seems to me by that last sentence that Shrazkil is right. He gets to add four dice to a team mate and keep four for himself. Why else would it say "It also adds" It is powerful to be sure but its also specific to spell type and take karma and $ so i would be fine with someone double dipping it at my table

That's what I thought but spell defense pool, is that soak or dodge?

[JackVII]

It's used whenever you're rolling to defend against someone using the Spellcasting skill.

[Shrazkil]

Ok so dodge for indirect and soak for direct? If we stay on combat spells.

[Imveros]

nah you would add it to your willpower or body for indirect

Also Jack has a point, i forgot about dispelling. You get 4 dice to take away a sustained spell for dispelling and 4 dice to stop and incoming spell. So with a combat focus you probably wont see much millage from the dispelling dice but plenty from the defense dice

[8-bit]

Ok so dodge for indirect and soak for direct? If we stay on combat spells.

Basically, using spell defense dice adds dice to your defense test. For example, someone casting Manabolt at you rolls Spellcasting + Magic [Force] vs. your Willpower. If you declare that you use 3 spell defense dice, you instead roll your Willpower + 3. For Indirect Spells, they are rolling Spellcasting + Magic [Force] vs. your Reaction + Intuition. If you declare that you use 4 spell defense dice, you instead roll your Reaction + Intuition + 3.

The only time this gets a little strange is for Indirect Area spells, as there is no "defense" test. The logical conclusion would be that it adds to the soak roll, but it clearly states that spell defense only adds to a defense test, not a soak roll.

[Shrazkil]

Ok so dodge for indirect and soak for direct? If we stay on combat spells.

Basically, using spell defense dice adds dice to your defense test. For example, someone casting Manabolt at you rolls Spellcasting + Magic [Force] vs. your Willpower. If you declare that you use 3 spell defense dice, you instead roll your Willpower + 3. For Indirect Spells, they are rolling Spellcasting + Magic [Force] vs. your Reaction + Intuition. If you declare that you use 4 spell defense dice, you instead roll your Reaction + Intuition + 3.

The only time this gets a little strange is for Indirect Area spells, as there is no "defense" test. The logical conclusion would be that it adds to the soak roll, but it clearly states that spell defense only adds to a defense test, not a soak roll.

Right, but in the example you gave, with mana bolt , I would be getting 4 dice automatically added to my spell defense, then could choose to add counterspelling dice if I chose to, right?

[8-bit]

Ok so dodge for indirect and soak for direct? If we stay on combat spells.

Basically, using spell defense dice adds dice to your defense test. For example, someone casting Manabolt at you rolls Spellcasting + Magic [Force] vs. your Willpower. If you declare that you use 3 spell defense dice, you instead roll your Willpower + 3. For Indirect Spells, they are rolling Spellcasting + Magic [Force] vs. your Reaction + Intuition. If you declare that you use 4 spell defense dice, you instead roll your Reaction + Intuition + 3.

The only time this gets a little strange is for Indirect Area spells, as there is no "defense" test. The logical conclusion would be that it adds to the soak roll, but it clearly states that spell defense only adds to a defense test, not a soak roll.

Right, but in the example you gave, with mana bolt , I would be getting 4 dice automatically added to my spell defense, then could choose to add counterspelling dice if I chose to, right?

No, you don't get 4 dice automatically added. You get an additional 4 dice in your spell defense pool. So, if you had Counterspelling 6, normally you would have 6 dice in your spell defense pool. With a Force 4 Counterspelling Focus, you instead have 10 dice for spell defense.

[JackVII]

Right, but in the example you gave, with mana bolt , I would be getting 4 dice automatically added to my spell defense, then could choose to add counterspelling dice if I chose to, right?

Nope, spell defense is a specific thing. The dice from the focus are added to your spell defense pool and you can only use those dice against a specific category of spells. So, let's say your mage gets to go first in combat and declares spell defense. She has Counterspelling (6) and a Counterspelling Focus [Combat] (3). Her spell defense pool is 9, with three of those dice only to be used to defend against Combat spells.

(Basically, what 8-bit said...)

[Michael Chandra]

So the wording for this foci seemed oddly worded, and I wanted to make sure I had it right.

I'm on my phone or I would copy paste the description.

So if I have a force 4 counterspelling combat focus, it is usable in my counterspelling pool against combat spells, but it states it also affects my defense pool against that type of spell.

Does that mean that even without assigning any counterspelling dice, I would get +4 to my avoidance dice for say a lightning bolt, or is it into the soak roll?

I don't think so. You simply can use it for both spell defense and for dispelling (p295). I find it highly unlikely they would give a double boost to spell defense.

[Xenon]

as others already pointed out. spell defense and counterspelling are two very different things. the focus can be used for both.

when you talk  about assigning dice when defending against spells being cast then you are talking spell defense (not counterspelling).

(counterspelling, however, is basically for disenchanting and interrupting sustained spells)