D&D 5E Spell Slot Powered Abilities. Are they spells?

[Herosmith14]

So, I've just been thinking about multiclassing stuff, and found something hat might be interesting to discuss.

There are a handful of abilities (smite(both divine and eldritch), primeval awareness, combat wild shape...) that require you to spend a spell slot to use them. However, they are not technically spells. This calls into question, can they bypass the "no spell" abilities?

Say, for example you're a multiclasses pally/barb, you could technically smite while raging, because though you spend a slot on it, smite isn't technically a spell. Same goes for a ranger/Druid with primeval awareness and wild shape. Or really and combo of ranger/pally/smitelock with barb/Druid.

Also, would theses abilities be counterspell-able?

What are your thoughts? Would you allow this? I think I would, simply because I think it's an interesting concept.

 

[jaelis]

You can use spell slots to power various effects; that doesn't make them spells. And it is certainly possible to cast spells without using spell slots, that doesn't make them not spells. In the rules they are different things, I don't see any compelling reason to mix them up.

But of course, if you want to rule that some ability X can't be done while raging or wildshaped, or that ability Y can be blocked by counterspell, go for it. I'd probably do that on a case by case basis though, seems safer.

 

[Satyrn]

What he said.

And, also: I'd never consider preventing that raging barbarian from smiting.

 

[Jester David]

They're magic but I don't think they're spells. Most would be "class features" or "traits" that just happen to be powered by spells.

 

[jaelis]

And, also: I'd never consider preventing that raging barbarian from smiting.

I would also hesitate to prevent a wild shaped druid from using primeval awareness, myself.

 

[Satyrn]

I would also hesitate to prevent a wild shaped druid from using primeval awareness, myself.

Indeed. Really, I'm pretty sure we'd both hesitate at preventing any of these sorts of combos. It's essentially what you said in your first post, after all.

 

[jaelis]

So what would I be inclined to block? Leaving aside the RAW, just thinking about house rules I wouldn't object to.

I can definitely see preventing a raging barbarian from using primeval awareness.

Not sure about a wildshaped druid smiting. A smiting bite? Biting smite? Maybe. I'm kind of neutral on that.

Hard to imagine where counterspelling primeval awareness would come up. Counterspelling a smite? That's a big question. I certainly don't feel any need to allow it. I think I would argue against on the basis that using Divine Smite doesn't take any kind of action or require any observable components, so there wouldn't be any discernable trigger you could use to counterspell it.

--
Another way to use spell slots is a sorcerer's flexible casting ability. I can't see counterspelling that.

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

What about in terms of an anti-magic fields?

 

[Satyrn]

What about in terms of an anti-magic fields?

Using a spell slot suggests they are magical, even though they aren't spells, so I think I'd rule they fail to work

 

[Oofta]

What about in terms of an anti-magic fields?

I would say they do not work because they are powered by magic and do radiant damage which is inherently magical. However, I do think it's an edge case that would need to be decided by the DM.