The mage secret Counterspell counters spells that are cast. Not only that, it cancels effects of casting spells. So, Dune Sculptor says “after you cast a spell add a mage minion” The spell is countered, so no minion is added to your hand. Same thing with Auctioneer, Violet Teacher, etc. Spells that are countered are “paid for” but the spell is not only cancelled, any cards that are triggered from casting spells are also not triggered . . .
Except Kael’thas Sunstrider. Every third spell you cast each turn costs 0. If the first spell is countered, it does not prevent the third spell from still costing 0.
If a countered first spell counts for Sunstrider because the spell was “cast” even though it was countered, then casting a spell should still produce the effect of other cards that trigger off casting spells.
Kael’thas doesn’t have the “After” in his card text, so this should be normal behavior. When you cast a spell that triggers Counterspell, technically you still played the spell. Those other minions you listed don’t work off Counterspell specifically because of the “After” in their text.
Kael’thas doesn’t have that restriction in his text, and still counts the spell as cast. Unless I’ve missed something, which please if someone is more knowledgable than me correct me, I believe he’s working as intended.
I can’t confirm one way or another, but I would point out that both Gadgetzan Auctioneer and Exotic Mountseller have similar wording as Kael’thas (meaning, both say “whenever you cast a spell” rather than “after you cast a spell”). Based on your analysis, they should also trigger their effects even if a spell gets Counterspelled, no?
EDIT: I guess it’s not technically similar wording, but none of them have the “after” bit.
Well Kael’thas’ text is unique compared to Auctioneer and Mountseller. His text doesn’t say “Whenever the 2nd spell is cast the 3rd costs 0,” it says “Every 3rd spell costs 0.” If his text was like the former, I would think it’s a bug. But since his is unique compared to everything else, I think it’s intentional.
It shouldn’t matter as the key is casting the spell. If the casting is countered, then anything associated with it should be nullified, including spending the manna to cast the spell. If you still cast the spell, but just the effect of the spell is cancelled (which is how it should seem with the text of the card) then anything that triggers off casting a spell should still trigger. Spell burst, Kael’thas, etc.
That’s not how Counterspell works though. It still takes the mana, but the spell doesn’t go off. So in essence the spell was cast, but the text of the card didn’t work.
Spellburst specifically says that it happens after the Spell is cast, but since Counterspell stops the Spell when it’s cast, Spellburst and other cards that say “After you cast a spell,” don’t have their effects go off.
Kael’thas only works differently because of the wording of his text.
I will all but guarantee all the cards listed will activate when a spell is countered… AS LONG AS they are on board before Counterspell is played.
They share the same activation phase as CS, so follow FIFO for priority. Unless they changed it, which I find highly unlikely, its not an inconsistency, just another case of someone not knowing how phase conflicts are handled in HS.
If the spell was cast but “doesn’t go off” then cards that trigger off casting spells should trigger. Auctioneer should still draw a card, Dune Sculptor should add a mage minion, etc. Either the spell was cast and the effect was nullified, or counter spell prevented the spell from being cast in the first place.
The way the game works now, the spell was cast for some things but was not cast for others.