D&D 5E Counterspell what do people think?
FrogReaver
As long as i get to be the frog
While that might normally be the course of action, the PHB specifically states you can use the hand holding the spell focus or material component to do the somatic component.
So, one hand is holding your component/focus and casting spell X, the other is used for the somatic component for Counterspell if it is needed. I guess it would be a bit like juggling (which I can't do... sigh...), but a lot of people can juggle.
No where does it say you can use the hand holding your spell focus for somatic components. It does say you can use your hand using somatic components for material components - that would be the single free hand you have.
Garthanos
Arcadian Knight
If you can do gestures with a hand full of bat guano .. makes sense my Hermione can do gestures with her wand.
DND_Reborn
The High Aldwin
Ahem... ahem... ahem...
PHB, Pg. 203, Components, sub-section Material (M), paragraph 3:
"A spellcaster must have a hand free to access a spell's material components--or to hold a spellcasting focus--but it can be the same hand that he or she uses to perform somatic components."
I guess your PHB is an older version?
Oofta
Legend
Wait a minute! Is the finger even yours? If not, wouldn't that be a bit disgusting and also a material component, not somatic?!
You've never heard of the Middle Finger of Vecna? I mean, I know it's the stripped down version but it can still be quite useful!
DND_Reborn
The High Aldwin
You've never heard of the Middle Finger of Vecna? I mean, I know it's the stripped down version but it can still be quite useful!
Eye and a complete Hand, sure. I didn't know they found the Middle Finger from the other hand! Awesome! I wonder that other powers that has...
Maxperson
Morkus from Orkus
Ahem... ahem... ahem...
PHB, Pg. 203, Components, sub-section Material (M), paragraph 3:
"A spellcaster must have a hand free to access a spell's material components--or to hold a spellcasting focus--but it can be the same hand that he or she uses to perform somatic components."
I guess your PHB is an older version?
Yeah. That seems odd to me and seems like a lazy solution to allow shields to be held while spellcasting. Especially when you read spellcasting.
"Spellcasting gestures might include a forceful gesticulation or an intricate set of gestures. If a spell requires a somatic component, the caster must have free use of at least one hand to perform these gestures."
I mean, I can see being able to use a forceful gesticulation like the one we've been discussing that incites rage and counters spells(and now somehow includes Vecna) while holding a component, but if the spell is of the type bolded above, I just don't see how you could have anything at all in the hand and still get the spell to work.
Still, the biggest deal is being able to interrupt your spell with its somatic component, cast a completely different spell with a somatic component, and then get back to the first and complete it. It just seems to me like the spell should be outright disrupted or at least require a somewhat difficult concetration check in order to succeed.
Maxperson
Morkus from Orkus
I'm not sure that what I found was a finger, but it would certainly explain the berserker rage it incites when I wave it at someone.
DND_Reborn
The High Aldwin
While many people like the idea of a Concentration check, if you fail, the fireball fails anyway. Wait, wasn't that the reason the enemy cast counterspell? Instead the them making a check to see if they can stop your spell, now you have to make a check as well to see if your spell isn't stopped--by you.
What if the enemy goes through the somatic components, which you "think" is counterspell, but they tweak them slightly so the spell is never cast. But you, thinking your spell is about to be countered, cast your counterspell and risk interrupting your own spelll anyway...
Maybe this isn't a good solution after all.
If it is smaller than a normal pinky-finger, odds are it isn't Vecna's finger.
Maxperson
Morkus from Orkus
While many people like the idea of a Concentration check, if you fail, the fireball fails anyway. Wait, wasn't that the reason the enemy cast counterspell? Instead the them making a check to see if they can stop your spell, now you have to make a check as well to see if your spell isn't stopped--by you.
What if the enemy goes through the somatic components, which you "think" is counterspell, but they tweak them slightly so the spell is never cast. But you, thinking your spell is about to be countered, cast your counterspell and risk interrupting your own spelll anyway...
Maybe this isn't a good solution after all.
Well, it's a shot to keep the spell going, but as I said much earlier, I'm more in favor of an opposed roll for the counter, so spell-counter-counter-spell would probably not come into play and the caster wouldn't be interrupting his own spell.
That said, if I did go with my last post, I'd give a roll to recognize the fake-out for what it is before interrupting the spell, so it would be possible for the faker to just waste his turn and then get a fireball to the face.
If it is smaller than a normal pinky-finger, odds are it isn't Vecna's finger.
It's from a lich, man. All of these parts are so decayed and desiccated that I just can't be certain. ::sigh::
