The concept of inertia is a fundamental principle in physics, describing an object's resistance to changes in its motion. It was first formulated by Sir Isaac Newton in his laws of motion. Inertia is often exemplified by the phrase "an object at rest tends to stay at rest, and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an external force." This can be seen in everyday life: when a car suddenly stops, passengers may jerk forward due to their inertia carrying them forward, and when a car suddenly accelerates, passengers may jerk backward due to their inertia resisting the change in motion. The witch of inertia is a term coined by poet Robert Graves to describe the feeling of being held back or stuck in a certain situation or behavior pattern. It implies a sense of being trapped or resistant to change.
Whether you can counterspell spell-like abilities is still stuck in errata. One place in the rule book says you can, another place says you cannot.
The hard way is to plan ahead, ready an action for a spellcaster to begin casting a spell, then when he does, you interrupt him by cating the same spell as a counterspell, or by casting Dispel Magic as a counterspell. I believe what the rules are trying to say about instantaneous spell effects is that say the wizard goes and casts fireball, and does its damage, and then it s your turn, you cannot cast dispel magic on it.
It implies a sense of being trapped or resistant to change. Just as an object has a natural tendency to resist changes in its motion, humans can also exhibit a similar resistance to change. This concept can be seen in personal and societal contexts.
Dispel Magic
School abjuration; Level antipaladin 3, bard 3, cleric/oracle 3, druid 4, inquisitor 3, magus 3, medium 3, mesmerist 3, occultist 3, paladin 3, psychic 3, shaman 3, sorcerer/wizard 3, spiritualist 3 , summoner/unchained summoner 3, witch 3; Domain magic 3; Subdomain entropy 3; Bloodline arcane 3; Elemental School void 3; Mystery spellscar 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target or Area one spellcaster, creature, or object
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
You can use dispel magic to end one ongoing spell that has been cast on a creature or object, to temporarily suppress the magical abilities of a magic item, or to counter another spellcaster’s spell. A dispelled spell ends as if its duration had expired. Some spells, as detailed in their descriptions, can’t be defeated by dispel magic. Dispel magic can dispel (but not counter) spell-like effects just as it does spells. The effect of a spell with an instantaneous duration can’t be dispelled, because the magical effect is already over before the dispel magic can take effect.
You choose to use dispel magic in one of two ways: a targeted dispel or a counterspell.
Targeted Dispel: One object, creature, or spell is the target of the dispel magic spell. You make one dispel check (1d20 + your caster level) and compare that to the spell with highest caster level (DC = 11 + the spell’s caster level). If successful, that spell ends. If not, compare the same result to the spell with the next highest caster level. Repeat this process until you have dispelled one spell affecting the target, or you have failed to dispel every spell.
For example, a 7th-level caster casts dispel magic, targeting a creature affected by stoneskin (caster level 12th) and fly (caster level 6th). The caster level check results in a 19. This check is not high enough to end the stoneskin (which would have required a 23 or higher), but it is high enough to end the fly (which only required a 17). Had the dispel check resulted in a 23 or higher, the stoneskin would have been dispelled, leaving the fly intact. Had the dispel check been a 16 or less, no spells would have been affected.
You can also use a targeted dispel to specifically end one spell affecting the target or one spell affecting an area (such as a wall of fire). You must name the specific spell effect to be targeted in this way. If your caster level check is equal to or higher than the DC of that spell, it ends. No other spells or effects on the target are dispelled if your check is not high enough to end the targeted effect.
If you target an object or creature that is the effect of an ongoing spell (such as a monster summoned by summon monster), you make a dispel check to end the spell that conjured the object or creature.
If the object that you target is a magic item, you make a dispel check against the item’s caster level (DC = 11 + the item’s caster level). If you succeed, all 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.
You automatically succeed on your dispel check against any spell that you cast yourself.
Counterspell: When dispel magic is used in this way, the spell targets a spellcaster and is cast as a counterspell. Unlike a true counterspell, however, dispel magic may not work; you must make a dispel check to counter the other spellcaster’s spell.
Dispel Magic, Greater
School abjuration; Level bard 5, cleric/oracle 6, druid 6, inquisitor 6, magus 6, occultist 5, psychic 6, shaman 6, sorcerer/wizard 6, spiritualist 6 , summoner/unchained summoner 5, witch 6; Domain liberation 6; Bloodline celestial 6; Elemental School void 6
Target or Area one spellcaster, creature, or object; or a 20-ft.-radius burst
This spell functions like dispel magic, except that it can end more than one spell on a target and it can be used to target multiple creatures.
You choose to use greater dispel magic in one of three ways: a targeted dispel, area dispel, or a counterspell:
Targeted Dispel: This functions as a targeted dispel magic, but it can dispel one spell for every four caster levels you possess, starting with the highest level spells and proceeding to lower level spells.
Additionally, greater dispel magic has a chance to dispel any effect that remove curse can remove, even if dispel magic can’t dispel that effect. The DC of this check is equal to the curse’s DC.
Area Dispel: When greater dispel magic is used in this way, the spell affects everything within a 20-foot-radius burst. Roll one dispel check and apply that check to each creature in the area, as if targeted by dispel magic. For each object within the area that is the target of one or more spells, apply the dispel check as with creatures. Magic items are not affected by an area dispel.
For each ongoing area or effect spell whose point of origin is within the area of the greater dispel magic spell, apply the dispel check to dispel the spell. For each ongoing spell whose area overlaps that of the greater dispel magic spell, apply the dispel check to end the effect, but only within the overlapping area.
If an object or creature that is the effect of an ongoing spell (such as a monster summoned by summon monster) is in the area, apply the dispel check to end the spell that conjured that object or creature (returning it whence it came) in addition to attempting to dispel one spell targeting the creature or object.
You may choose to automatically succeed on dispel checks against any spell that you have cast.
Counterspell: This functions as dispel magic, but you receive a +4 bonus on your dispel check to counter the other spellcaster’s spell.
Mythic
When used as a targeted dispel, this spell can end two spells affecting the target instead of just one. If the targeted dispel successfully dispels at least one spell, you heal 1d4 points of damage for every spell level of the dispelled spell. If you dispel two spells, this healing applies only to the highest-level spell dispelled. If you use this spell to counterspell, roll your dispel check twice and take the higher result.
Section 15: Copyright NoticePathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. © 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Mythic Adventures © 2013, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Jason Bulmahn, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Sean K Reynolds, Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Ben Bruck, Jim Groves, Tim Hitchcock, Tracy Hurley, Jonathan Keith, Jason Nelson, Tom Phillips, Ryan Macklin, F. Wesley Schneider, Amber Scott, Tork Shaw, Russ Taylor, and Ray Vallese.
Pg 209
Dispel Magic as a Counterspell: You can usually use dispel
magic to counterspell another spell being cast without
needing to identify the spell being cast. Dispel magic doesn’t
always work as a counterspell (see the spell description).
For example, individuals may find themselves in toxic relationships or dead-end jobs, but due to the witch of inertia, they may struggle to break free and make positive changes in their lives. Similarly, societies may be resistant to implementing necessary changes, even if they are beneficial in the long run. The witch of inertia can be a powerful force that keeps individuals and societies stagnant or in unfavorable circumstances. However, recognizing and understanding this force can also be empowering. By acknowledging our inertia, we can make a conscious effort to overcome it and take the necessary steps to create positive change in our lives. This may involve breaking free from negative patterns, seeking new opportunities, or challenging societal norms. In conclusion, the witch of inertia represents the resistance to change that individuals and societies can experience. It is important to recognize and confront this force in order to create positive transformations and break free from unfavorable circumstances. By understanding and addressing our inertia, we can move towards personal and societal growth. (Word count: 358).
Reviews for "The Witch of Inertia and Personal Discipline: Cultivating Willpower and Commitment through Inertia"
1. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I was really excited to read "Witch of Inertia" after reading all the hype surrounding it, but I was ultimately disappointed. The story started off promising, but it quickly became repetitive and predictable. The characters were one-dimensional, and I couldn't connect with any of them. The writing style was also lacking, with weak descriptions and a lack of depth. Overall, "Witch of Inertia" didn't live up to the hype and left me feeling unsatisfied.
2. Mark - 1/5 stars - I had high expectations for "Witch of Inertia" based on the glowing reviews, but I found it to be incredibly boring and confusing. The plot was convoluted and hard to follow, and there were too many unnecessary subplots that didn't add anything to the story. The characters were also uninteresting and lacked development. I struggled to stay engaged throughout the book and was relieved when it finally ended. I would not recommend "Witch of Inertia" to anyone looking for an exciting and well-written novel.
3. Emily - 3/5 stars - While "Witch of Inertia" had its moments, overall, it fell short for me. The pacing of the story was inconsistent, with slow parts dragging on for too long and fast-paced scenes feeling rushed. The concept of the book was interesting, but the execution left much to be desired. The protagonist's actions and decisions were often frustrating and didn't make logical sense, which made it difficult for me to fully immerse myself in the story. The ending also felt abrupt and unresolved. Despite its flaws, "Witch of Inertia" had some compelling moments that kept me reading, albeit with some disappointment.
4. David - 2/5 stars - I struggled to connect with "Witch of Inertia" from the beginning. The writing style felt disjointed and lacked coherence. The characters were inconsistent and lacked depth. The plot had potential, but it ended up feeling contrived and forced. The book also relied heavily on clichés and predictable twists, which made it difficult to stay engaged. Overall, "Witch of Inertia" was a disappointing read that failed to live up to its promising premise and left me feeling underwhelmed.
5. Jessica - 1/5 stars - "Witch of Inertia" was a complete bore from start to finish. The plot was uninteresting and didn't offer anything new or original. The characters were bland and lacked any depth or complexity. The writing style was also lackluster, with repetitive descriptions and a lack of emotion. I found it difficult to care about the story or its outcome. I would not recommend "Witch of Inertia" to anyone looking for an engaging and captivating read.