D&D 5E Identify a spell as it is cast?

[Werebat]

Does everyone who sees a caster cast a spell automatically know what spell is being cast before it is finished?

Or is a Knowledge: Arcana check needed?

What would be a reasonable DC?

10 plus the spell level?

8 plus 2X the spell level?

This has repercussions for the Counterspell spell, among other things.

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

At my table, I rule in such a way (in all cases) that the players are making informed choices when it comes to deciding between spending a resource or not, even if their character isn't making an informed choice.

So there is no check needed to identify which spell is being cast, nor what level it is being cast at.

 

[Alatar]

At our table, if you know the spell, that is to say, if you yourself are capable of casting that spell, then you can recognize the spell being cast. If you are a spellcaster, you can make an arcana check. If you are not a spellcaster, then no.

But I'm a hardass. I don't ask. It all seems a bit meta to me. If an enemy spellcaster starts to cast, I counterspell or not depending on my own judgement. The guy has 3 to 5 rounds tops. He could be casting a useless spell, I suppose, but it's much more likely that he's unloading whatever he's got before he loses it. That's what I'm doing.

 

[MiraMels]

Having a player roll an ability check in the middle of a monster's turn, and then use that information to make a decision, potentially with the other players weighing in?

Takes up far more table time than I am comfortable with.

Either tell them or don't, depending on your taste and the kind of game you are running, but don't have them roll checks to identify.

My personal ruling is that, if the players have witnessed this person cast this particular spell before, they know what's coming. Else, there's no way for them to identify the spell. (Remember, somatic and verbal components aren't universal.)

 

[Saeviomagy]

Personally I think it depends on the spell. I don't consider the V component of a spell to be necessarily loud enough to be heard during a battle. Similarly I wouldn't expect all somatic components to be blatantly obvious. Material components, thankfully, are very specific.

I would expect usually a player would get told that a spellcaster is casting, and for some spells you might know what it is. I would never tell the level of the cast: I think that's a perk of upcasting a spell that doesn't have a specific benefit from it. If you really, really need to bug out, blow your biggest slot on doing so.

I really wish every spell had detailed information on what their S and V components are in the same way they detail their material components.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Personally I think it depends on the spell. I don't consider the V component of a spell to be necessarily loud enough to be heard during a battle. Similarly I wouldn't expect all somatic components to be blatantly obvious. Material components, thankfully, are very specific.

I would expect usually a player would get told that a spellcaster is casting, and for some spells you might know what it is. I would never tell the level of the cast: I think that's a perk of upcasting a spell that doesn't have a specific benefit from it. If you really, really need to bug out, blow your biggest slot on doing so.

I really wish every spell had detailed information on what their S and V components are in the same way they detail their material components.

Can't you just make it up?

Sent from my LG-D852 using EN World mobile app

 

[Plaguescarred]

I let a spell be identified only by spellcasters; automatically if it's a spell you can cast, or with an Intelligence (Arcana) check if the spell is on your spell list. If the spell is not on your spell list or if you are not a spellcaster, you can't identify the spell.


Yan
D&D Playtester

 

[Croesus]

I require a Knowledge Arcana check:
DC 10 to know the spell level (not spell slot level)
DC 10+spell slot level to know exactly which spell and spell slot

That said, knowing the spell cast usually doesn't make much difference in the players' choices. If there are a lot of enemy spellcasters, counterspelling is rare, as so many spells are flying around. If there's just one enemy spellcaster, the PCs typically assume they really don't want the spell to happen and counterspell it.

 

[WarpedAcorn]

In previous Editions you needed to succeed an Arcana check to recognize the spell. It made Counterspelling more interesting.

In 5th Edition, I don't see anything that says you WOULDN'T know what spell is being cast. It hasn't come up too often at my table [...yet], but I will rule that everyone knows what is being cast. There is no reason not to really. Also, for reference, I am usually a hard ass about rules and making it hard on the players. In this case I don't see the point of hiding the spell from the players as it targets them. Let the players know whether they want to use a reaction to Counterspell or not.

 

[Caliban]

No clear rules as far as I know.

The way I do it: If it's a spell you can cast, or have seen being cast regularly, you recognize it automatically. If it's a spell I arbitrarily determine to be "common knowledge", it's either automatic or a DC 10 Arcana check. Otherwise, it's an Arcana check, DC 10+spell level.

A DC 15+ spell level Arcana check can also be used to determine what level spell slot is being used to cast the spell (so you know if you want to use a higher level counterspell).