D&D 5E (2024) An Optional Counterspell Metagame

[Minigiant]

I was thinking about the households for a game if planned to DM and I remembered an idea I thought up.

A counterspelling meta

Just like there are tons of damage spells and summoning spells, there are multiple counterspells.

• There are 2024 Counterspell clones at 3rd level that force Strength saves or Intelligence saves.
• Counterspells for specific spells
• Counterspells that automatically succeed unless the target expands a spellslot or gold or sugar (tricksy fey)
• A cantrip spell that counters only cantrips.
• A counterspell that counters only spells cadted from magic items or scrolls.
• A counterspell that only works if you guess the spells' school.

The point being the large amount of variant counterspells floating around the magical community allows me as the DM to run fewer encounters as I can drain spell slots faster AND explain why casters of various types are part of most factions ABD why natural nonmagical not-counterspellable skill is appeciated.

My question is what is your option of the idea?

Do you think it would be fun?
Would you have your PC prepare multiple types of counterspells?
Would scrolls of ultra specific counterspells be exciting treasure?
Any pitfalls you predict?
Any ideas for counterspells from annoying abjurer mercenaries?

 

[jmartkdr2]

This seems like something that some players would find fun (even me in the right mood) but could be a real headache for the dm if they have to run it and weren't prepared to do so.

So a more complex system something I'd rather see as an optional module than a change to core.

I do support letting fighters attack spells with their (magic) swords as an alternate way to counterspell generally, but either as an advanced maneuver or a magic weapon feature.

 

[Savage Wombat]

I think this should be restricted to a game focused directly on arcane casters, where more involved spellcasting systems would be most needed. In a bog-standard D&D game it would be superfluous.

 

[Scribe]

Yes, it absolutely should.

#BlueSupremacy

 

[Minigiant]

I think this should be restricted to a game focused directly on arcane casters, where more involved spellcasting systems would be most needed. In a bog-standard D&D game it would be superfluous.

The setting is a world with various government and church related magic schools (functioning, defunct, or destroyed) funding research of magic for their agenda and from the abjurers side of thing came tons of counterspells.

 

[tetrasodium]

I don't really understand the poll and how exactly "meta" is being used (metaplot? Metagame? Meta-uhh? Metaverse?)

However I think that 3.5 had one of the better versions of counter spell because it used a simple spellcraft check welded to the opportunity cost of a readied action and a vancian prepped dispell magic vancian prepped matching spell or vancian prepped mirroring spell (ie light vrs darkness). All of that resulted in it being a rare and weighty strategy done when it would really make a huge difference

Counterspell is just obnoxious and has no real opportunity cost in both versions of 5e so it gets overused as a reflexive and forgettable afterthought. The result makes the counterspelling caster(s) come off looking petulant to the point that the spell may as well be called "I know you are but what am I" or some flavor of grade school "yo momma.."

It absolutely should not be an at will unlimited use cantrip.

Although requiring the casting player to verbally say or complete one of those childish jokes would probably improve the 5e counterspell by spotlighting it for what it is under neovancian prep and the current rest/recovery mechanics involved in recovering lost resources.

 

[aiouh]

I don't think anyone gets to have an opinion on Counterspell Sub-Games unless they have played an entire tournament season of Magic: The Gathering where the Top Deck was a Deck that was full of kill- and counterspells that won the mirror match by reshuffling the entire graveyard into the deck again and making your opponent run out of cards quicker than you or pushing through a single creature token threat by counterspelling their counterspell which they also counterspelled most of the time.

 

[Minigiant]

It absolutely should not be an at will unlimited use cantrip

I was thinking this

Countercantrip​

Abjuration cantrip (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard)

Casting Time: Reaction, which you take when you see a creature within 60 feet of yourself casting a spell with Verbal, Somatic, or Material components
Range: 60 feet
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous

You attempt to interrupt a creature in the process of casting a cantrip. The creature makes a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the dissipates with no effect, and the action, Bonus Action, or Reaction used to cast it is wasted.

A cantrip that counters only cantrips. You'd still need to choose it as one of your cantrips.

 

[AnotherGuy]

Ah. Changed my vote to a No.
This is not what I had in mind and I feel just creates unnecessary clutter.

 

[aco175]

Maybe only for NPCs and monsters to use against the PCs. Then I would also want Stoneskin to work the old way to nerf the fighters.

I would not want more counters in combat and slowing things down.