D&D 5E Counterspell nerfed!

[Horwath]

It doesn't matter what the enemy is casting. Whether it's a cantrip or a fireball, you've still shut that caster down completely for 1 of the very few rounds of life that it had.

then cast your spells from 65ft away if you suspect there is a spellcaster among your targets.

 

[Maxperson]

then cast your spells from 65ft away if you suspect there is a spellcaster among your targets.

Very often that isn't possible. Not all fights are outside where there is that kind of space.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Very often that isn't possible. Not all fights are outside where there is that kind of space.

There are no dumb spellcasters. They are going to take some kind of countermeasure, such as having minions, or avoid the fight entirely.

 

[Azuresun]

Hopefully there is a DM that runs the game!

Unfortunately, all DM's are automota to whom "RAI" is a meaningless concept (according to this forum).

This change simply puts counterspell where it should be. A useful 3rd level spell, instead of a OP spell that almost every caster that could take it, did.

For me, it's not a question of power level, or "just use this counter". It's more that Counterspell is fundamentally something that exists in order to cause cool things to not happen. It's all the fun of playing against a "you don't get to play the game" blue deck in magic.

 

[Lyxen]

I have not read the book in details, but can anyone point to a change that really matters ? All the monsters that I've seen who seem to matter have actions like "spellcasting" and after that the spells are direct names of PHB spells, and direct links to them using DDB. So how are these not spells that can be counterspelled ?

I agree that not having slots per level prevents upcasting, but I think that it's about all.

And monsters have always had the possibility to have spell-like attacks that were not really spells, look at the Misty Escape of the Warlock of the Archfey, so I fail to see how this is considered a big change. Everything is still possible, and you can create monsters the way you want with the power you want, this is not 3e where you had to justify everything in PC Classes powers...

As a side note, I really don't like bloggers dropping big stupid bombs like this to get more hits on their site.

Finally, I'm using DDB so I never have a problem looking up at a spell if I need precisions when running a monster.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Correct, though I have yet to see a DM actually run it this way!

I run it that way.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

On a related note, does anybody run spellcasting such that opponents don't automatically know what spell is being cast when they have to use their reaction? Perhaps there could be an arcana check to know what spell it is? (Although I would like there to be some cost to the arcana check...perhaps that in doing so you consume your reaction even if you don't cast Counterspell?)

Yes, this would be a pretty serious nerf to Counterspell, but I'd be ok with that. Even when I'm on the player side of the screen, Counterspell just seems too....easy.

I do not tell my players what spell is being cast. They have counter spelled cantrips.

 

[Helldritch]

But even if you do count it as a spell, what level is it? You need that to use counterspell. And if you as the DM have to eyeball it, that's now two extra steps you have to consider whenever a PC says, "I cast Counterspell". Not exactly fast and easy. This is either a massive fail in playtesting or a stealth nerf. Either way, not a great look. And this coming from someone who hates Counterspell with the burning fury of a thousand suns.

Like effect, like level.
If it burns like a fireball, moves like a fireball and hurt like a fireball. It is a darn fireball. So it will be subjected to counterspell. Then watch the damage dice. 8d6? Level 3. 10d6? You get the picture....

 

[Horwath]

There are no dumb spellcasters. They are going to take some kind of countermeasure, such as having minions, or avoid the fight entirely.

8 int, 8 wis, 18 cha sorcerer/warlock without Arcana skill begs to differ.

 

[darjr]