When I counter a spell, does the opponent need to pay the rune cost even though the spell wasn't played because of the counter?

Ruling: Yes, the opponent pays all costs before you begin to counter, and they don't get them back when the spell is countered.

Nuances:

• This doesn't apply to spells with additional costs that are paid after a spell goes through (like Bullet Time). For those spells, you must counter them when initially cast and before they spend the additional cost.