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General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
BBEGs and Counterspells
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<blockquote data-quote="TheGorramBatman" data-source="post: 6370653" data-attributes="member: 6778804"><p>I honestly don't think it matters anymore rules-wise. Counterspell is just another reaction now, just one that requires a spell slot. As with any reaction, it requires an offending action to have been announced first.</p><p></p><p>The DM says the big badguy throws out fireball at the group and starts marking out the AoE. The Wizard says "no, thank you. I use my reaction to cast Counterspell." They roll for it if necessary and that's that.</p><p></p><p>It makes me feel better to assume the counterspelling caster is nullifying an effect in progress rather than stopping that effect from occurring in the first place. Rather than describing a spell fizzling out before it casting has completed at all, it works better to imagine a disintigrate beam firing straight at the Barbarian and the counterspelling caster blasting it out of existence before the damage is done. It is easier to visualize the badguy's Lightning Bolt crackling to life around their hand only to discharge harmlessly before the it can be lobbed at the party.</p><p></p><p>In hindsight, Spellcraft Checks to identify a spell as it is being cast just feels like one more thing slowing down the pace of the game. We'll see how I feel in a month or two, but for now I'm glad they're gone and I have no issues outright telling my players what is being cast and allowing them to stop it if they feel like using a reaction and a spell slot.</p><p></p><p>How you deal with counterspell-happy players is easy: Throw more than one enemy caster at them. They only get one reaction per round. Replan your evil caster BBEG as creepy twins. Done and done.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="TheGorramBatman, post: 6370653, member: 6778804"] I honestly don't think it matters anymore rules-wise. Counterspell is just another reaction now, just one that requires a spell slot. As with any reaction, it requires an offending action to have been announced first. The DM says the big badguy throws out fireball at the group and starts marking out the AoE. The Wizard says "no, thank you. I use my reaction to cast Counterspell." They roll for it if necessary and that's that. It makes me feel better to assume the counterspelling caster is nullifying an effect in progress rather than stopping that effect from occurring in the first place. Rather than describing a spell fizzling out before it casting has completed at all, it works better to imagine a disintigrate beam firing straight at the Barbarian and the counterspelling caster blasting it out of existence before the damage is done. It is easier to visualize the badguy's Lightning Bolt crackling to life around their hand only to discharge harmlessly before the it can be lobbed at the party. In hindsight, Spellcraft Checks to identify a spell as it is being cast just feels like one more thing slowing down the pace of the game. We'll see how I feel in a month or two, but for now I'm glad they're gone and I have no issues outright telling my players what is being cast and allowing them to stop it if they feel like using a reaction and a spell slot. How you deal with counterspell-happy players is easy: Throw more than one enemy caster at them. They only get one reaction per round. Replan your evil caster BBEG as creepy twins. Done and done. [/QUOTE]
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